Church of Ireland

Church of Ireland, in general usage, the Christian Church in Ireland; more specifically, the Anglican Church, which became the established, or state, Church at the time of the Reformation. The early Irish Church was a branch of the Celtic Church consolidated by St Patrick and others in the 5th century. At the time of the Reformation most of its members resisted the efforts of the English to break their allegiance to Rome and to impose the changes in doctrine and rite accompanying the religious revolt in England. After the establishment of the Anglican Church in Ireland, Roman Catholics were placed under serious civil disabilities; they were not permitted to teach or to act as guardians and a tithing tax was imposed on them for the support of the established Church. When political union with England was effected in 1800-1801, the established Churches of the two countries also were united. Disabilities on the nonconforming Catholics were removed in 1829, and the tithing tax was remitted in 1838.

In 1869-1871 the Church of Ireland was disestablished and was separated from the Church of England; thereafter it continued as an independent body, governed by a general synod. The majority of its communicants are concentrated in Northern Ireland, where they constitute almost 30 per cent of the population. Anglicans, or Episcopalians, in the predominantly Roman Catholic Irish Republic make up somewhat less than 5 per cent of the population.