Note as to the Reduction in the number of Persons of different Religions and Races in Ireland, from 1834 till 1861. (See p. 33).
A religious census of Ireland was taken in 1834 by the Commissioners of Public Instruction, and, when compared with the religious census of 1861, it exhibits a very great reduction in the population of Ireland.
| In 1834 . . . | 7,954,100 |
| In 1861 . . . | 5,798,967 |
This shows a decrease of 2,155,133, or of 27 per cent.
The greatest part of this total reduction took place amongst Roman Catholics, who may be taken to represent the Celtic element of the Irish population.
| In 1834 . . . | 6,436,060 |
| In 1861 . . . | 4,505,165 |
| Decrease . | 1,930,795 |
The members of the Established Church—the element mainly of English origin—were:
| In 1834 . . . | 853,160 |
| In 1861 . . . | 693,357 |
Showing a decrease of 159,803, or about 19 per cent.
The Presbyterians—the element chiefly of Lowland Scotch extraction—were:—
| In 1834 . . . | 643,058 |
| In 1861 . . . | 523,291 |
Showing a reduction of 119,797, or about 19 per cent.
It has been supposed from these figures that there has been something unfair in the way in which the Celtic population has been dealt with.
But if we take the largest Presbyterian agricultural population, that of the diocese of Derry (which includes the greater part of the county of Londonderry, the barony of Innishowen, and a few parishes in Donegal, three baronies and two parishes in Tyrone, and one parish in Antrim), we get the following result:—
| In 1834 . . . | 118,339 |
| In 1861 . . . | 79,287 |
Decrease . 39,052, or at the rate of about 33 per cent.
