In 2022 there were 618 same-sex marriages, 305 male and 313 female.
There were 22,555 opposite-sex marriages in 2022. The average age of grooms was 37.4, unchanged from 2021. The average age of grooms rose from 27.3 in 1972 to 27.4 in 1982 and increased to 37.4 in 2022. There is a similar trend for the average age of brides, increasing from 24.8 in 1972 to 25.3 in 1982 before rising to 35.4 in 2022
There were 23,173 marriages (opposite and same-sex) in 2022 compared with 17,217 in 2021, an increase of 5,956 (35%). This increase is reflective of the lifting of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions and the resulting impact on marriage numbers in 2022. There were 4.5 marriages per 1,000 population in 2022, up from 3.4 in 2021. Almost 3 in every 100 marriages (2.7%) were same-sex in 2022.
Number of Marriages, 2020-2022 | |||
2020 | 2021 | 2022 | |
Opposite sex | 9,209 | 16,717 | 22,555 |
Same Sex | 314 | 500 | 618 |
All marriages | 9,523 | 17,217 | 23,173 |
All Marriages rate per 1,000 population | 1.9 | 3.4 | 4.5 |
Average Age of Groom (Opposite-Sex Marriage) | 37.8 | 37.4 | 37.4 |
Average Age of Bride (Opposite-Sex Marriage) | 35.7 | 35.4 | 35.4 |
Average Age of Male (Same-Sex Marriage) | 40.0 | 40.4 | 39.4 |
Average Age of Female (Same-Sex Marriage) | 40.0 | 39.9 | 38.2 |
X-axis label | All Marriages | Opposite-Sex Marriages | Same-Sex Marriages |
---|---|---|---|
2018 | 21053 | 20389 | 664 |
2019 | 20313 | 19673 | 640 |
2020 | 9523 | 9209 | 314 |
2021 | 17217 | 16717 | 500 |
2022 | 23173 | 22555 | 618 |
In 2022, religious ceremonies accounted for 64% of all marriages. There were 9,376 (40%) Catholic marriage ceremonies, 284 (1.2%) Church of Ireland ceremonies, The Spiritualist Union of Ireland performed 2,299 (9.9%) ceremonies and 2,986 (13%) couples opted for other religious ceremonies. The majority of non-religious ceremonies were civil marriages which accounted for 26% (6,071) of all marriages; the remaining 2,157 (9.3%) couples had Humanist ceremonies. See table 1 and figure 2.
% | |
Roman Catholic | 40.5 |
Civil Marriages | 26.2 |
Humanist Association | 9.3 |
Spiritualist Union of Ireland | 9.9 |
Other Religious | 12.9 |
Church of Ireland | 1.2 |
Almost two thirds of all opposite-sex marriages were religious ceremonies in 2022. There were 9,376 (42%) Catholic services, 2,200 (9.8%) by the Spiritualist Union, 284 (1.3%) in Church of Ireland ceremonies and 59 (0.3%) Presbyterian services. 2,816 (12%) were held under other religious denominations. Civil marriages accounted for 5,767 (26%) while the remaining 2,053 (9.1 %) were services held by the Humanist Association.
Almost half (49%) of same-sex marriages were civil ceremonies in 2022. 104 (17%) services were held by the Humanist Association, 99 (16%) by the Spiritualist Union of Ireland and 111 (18%) by other religious denominations.
In 2022, the most popular month for opposite-sex marriages was July while in 2021 it was August. Almost one in seven marriages (13%) in 2022 were in July while almost one in four (23%) took place in the last three months of the year. 542 (2.4%) marriages took place in January, the least popular month to wed in 2022.
Friday and Saturday were the most popular days of the week to get married in 2022 with 14,203 (63%) of opposite-sex marriages taking place on these days. The least popular day was Sunday when 864 (3.8%) of marriages in 2022 took place.
3rd June was the most popular date for opposite-sex marriages in 2022 with 231 ceremonies taking place on this date. This was followed by the 29th July with 226 ceremonies taking place on this date.
In 2022, the most popular month for same-sex marriages was July, while in 2021, it was September. Over one in seven marriages (15%) in 2022 were in July, almost one in five (19%) took place in the last three months of the year. 16 (2.6%) marriages took place in January, the least popular month in 2022.
Friday 26th August was the most popular date for same-sex marriages in 2022 with 10 (1.6%) ceremonies taking place on this date. This was followed by Thursday 28th July, Friday 19th August, and Friday 2nd September, all with 9 (1.5% each) ceremonies taking place on this date.
In 2020, Cyprus had the highest crude (unadjusted) marriage rate of the EU27 Member States with a rate of 8.9 per 1,000 population. In 2021 (most recent available data), Hungary had the highest with a rate of 7.4 per 1,000 population. Portugal and Slovenia had joint lowest in 2021 with a population rate of 2.8 per 1,000 population. In 2021, Ireland’s population rate increased from 3.4 to 4.5 per 1,000 population. See figure 3 and link to Eurostat table
EU - 27 | Marriage Rate |
---|---|
Cyprus (2020) | 8.9 |
Lithuania | 6 |
Latvia | 6 |
Hungary | 7.4 |
Romania | 6 |
Slovakia | 4.8 |
Denmark | 4.7 |
Malta | 4.4 |
Austria (2020) | 5.2 |
Czech Republic | 4.5 |
Germany | 4.3 |
Estonia (2020) | 5 |
Croatia | 4.6 |
Poland | 4.5 |
Sweden | 3.7 |
Greece (2020) | 4.4 |
Bulgaria | 3.9 |
Ireland (2020) | 1.9 |
Ireland (2021) | 3.4 |
Ireland (2022) | 4.5 |
Finland | 3.5 |
Belgium | 3.5 |
Netherlands | 3.2 |
France (2018) | 3.5 |
Spain | 3.1 |
Luxembourg | 3 |
Portugal | 2.8 |
Slovenia | 2.8 |
Italy | 3.1 |
EU - 27 | Marriage Rate |
---|---|
Cyprus (2020) | 8.9 |
Lithuania | 6 |
Latvia | 6 |
Hungary | 7.4 |
Romania | 6 |
Slovakia | 4.8 |
Denmark | 4.7 |
Malta | 4.4 |
Austria (2020) | 5.2 |
Czech Republic | 4.5 |
Germany | 4.3 |
Estonia (2020) | 5 |
Croatia | 4.6 |
Poland | 4.5 |
Sweden | 3.7 |
Greece (2020) | 4.4 |
Bulgaria | 3.9 |
Ireland (2020) | 1.9 |
Ireland (2021) | 3.4 |
Ireland (2022) | 4.5 |
Finland | 3.5 |
Belgium | 3.5 |
Netherlands | 3.2 |
France (2018) | 3.5 |
Spain | 3.1 |
Luxembourg | 3 |
Portugal | 2.8 |
Slovenia | 2.8 |
Italy | 3.1 |
For the numbers of divorces and judicial separations granted in 2021 (the most recent data available) see attached link: (Courts Service Annual Report 2021).
The estimated population (usual residence) in April 2022 was 5,100,229.
The Marriage Act 2015 (No.35/2015) effective from the 16th November 2015 (S.I 504/15 refers) allows parties of the same sex to marry. From the 16th November 2015, when same-sex marriage legislation came into effect, same-sex couples no longer had the option to apply for a Civil Partnership.
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