Muslims in the Republic of Ireland

General Population 3,606,952 ~ Muslim Population circa 5,000

History
The Republic of Ireland is an overwhelmingly Catholic Christian country which has become increasingly secular since the 1980's.  The first Muslim organisation in Ireland, the Dublin Islamic Society, was formed in 1959 by a group of Muslim students. The society was registered as a friendly society in 1971 and later as a charitable organisation. Over the years, the membership has increased and several thousand Muslims have become permanent residents of Ireland.

In view of the ever increasing size of the Muslim community, the Dublin Islamic Society recognized the need for a permanent mosque and Islamic Centre. An appeal was made for this purpose and a building (at 7 Herrington street, Dublin 8) was bought to house the first mosque in Ireland.

During the 1980s, the community continued to grow and a larger mosque was soon needed, and so the present mosque at 163 South Circular Road, Dublin 8, was acquired in 1983. However the rate of increase of Muslim population has been so great that the mosque facilities at South Circular have become too small for the numbers. In September 1996, the work on the New Mosque & Islamic Cultural Centre was completed, and the headquarters of Islamic Foundation of Ireland moved to the new premises at 19, Roebuck Road, Clonskeagh, Dublin - 14."

People

There approximately five thousand Muslims in the Republic of Ireland. The population is composed of Muslims from the Indian Subcontinent, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and some local converts. About 4,000 of the Muslims in Ireland live in or around Dublin.

Mosque and community center in Dublin.

Source:
Islamic Foundation of Ireland
163 South Circular Road
Dublin-8
Ireland.
Tel: (353-1) 453 3242
Fax: (353-1) 453 2785