Berkley Center

In Irish the usual greeting is Dia duit, which translates literally to “God be with you.” Coupled with its customary response of Dia‘s Muire duit, which translates to “God and Mary be with you,” the language itself encodes religious reverence. However, just as the use of Irish is declining, so too is the practice of religion in Ireland. Having been in Dublin for about six weeks, I can already recognize a notable contradiction of my expectations of the role of religion in what many outsiders consider to be a heavily Catholic society. While most Catholics seem to perceive two groups in society—Catholics and non-Catholics—in reality the religious environment of Ireland, and Dublin in particular, is growing wider and more varied. Due to an increasing number of Indian and Asian immigrants, Dublin can now boast a greater amount of diversity, both culturally and religiously. Although the influence of religion can be seen, religious practice and spirituality seem to be pursued on an individual level.

While people are just as likely to have a tattoo commemorating their favorite football team as they are to have one of the cross or some other religious symbol, religion remains a pivotal identity marker. Though certainly many pious individuals practice their faith with fervor, acts of religious reverence on the part of some seem to be merely the results of habitual action rather than genuine conviction. It is fairly common to see older women and children bless themselves as they walk or ride a bus past a church without so much as a pause in conversation.

Regardless of an individual’'s personal convictions and practice, she generally affiliates with the religious tradition in which she was raised, and in the case of Catholicism, baptized and confirmed. An Irish friend of mine, for example, reported that he considered himself a Catholic even though he was not entirely sure that he believed in God. When I asked this same friend if a particular church was Catholic, he responded that he hoped so, since he always blessed himself when he passed by it. Though I did not press the question, his tone implied that he would not afford the same courtesy to a church of another faith.

In any case, it seems that religion extends far beyond spiritual practice to include political affiliation and action as well. Whereas the United States ostensibly maintains a strict separation between church and state, in Ireland religion is much more interwoven into the foundations of society. The 1937 Constitution of the Republic recognized other religions but afforded a “special position” to the Catholic Church. Although this clause has since been removed, a strong adherence to religious affiliations is still prevalent throughout the republic. While attitudes toward divorce, for example, which was legalized less than 15 years ago, remain influenced by Catholic teaching, a wider global and decidedly Western perspective informs many opinions. Irish legislation in the period just after independence in the 1920s pursued an image of the Republic as a purely Catholic nation dedicated to promoting and protecting Catholic values. But by promoting religious freedom and preventing religious discrimination, the Ireland of today seems much more concerned with fitting into the global community and consciousness.