The Catholic Church in Ireland or Irish Catholic Church, is part of the worldwide Catholic Church in communion with the Holy See. With 3.7 million members, it is the largest Christian church in Ireland. In the Republic of Ireland's 2016 census, 78% of the population identified as Catholic; this was 6% lower than the 2011 figure. By contrast, 41% of people in Northern Ireland identified as Catholic at the 2011 census; it is expected that this proportion will increase in the coming years. The Archbishop of Armagh, as the Primate of All Ireland, has ceremonial precedence in the church. The church is administered on an all-Ireland basis. The Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference is a consultative body for ordinaries in Ireland.
The Christianisation of Ireland is associated with the 5th century activities of Saint Patrick.
"Christ Enthroned" from the Book of Kells. Created at a Columban monastery, it was at the Abbey of Kells for many centuries.
Monastic cells on Skellig Michael, off the coast of the Iveragh Peninsula, dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel. Irish monasticism was known for its asceticism.
Armagh is the county town of County Armagh and a city in Northern Ireland, as well as a civil parish. It is the ecclesiastical capital of Ireland – the seat of the Archbishops of Armagh, the Primates of All Ireland for both the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of Ireland. In ancient times, nearby Navan Fort was a pagan ceremonial site and one of the great royal capitals of Gaelic Ireland. Today, Armagh is home to two cathedrals and the Armagh Observatory, and is known for its Georgian architecture.
St Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh
St. Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh (Church of Ireland), site of the original church
Open-air market on Market Street