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NORTHERN IRELAND’S POPULATION has reached its highest level ever – with the country’s death rate now at its lowest rate on record.
The annual report of the country’s Registrar General, published today, showed that the most recent estimate of the North’s population was just 600 off the 1.8 million mark – a barrier which has almost certainly been surpassed since, with that estimate being made on June 30 of last year.
The number of deaths recorded in the jurisdiction last year was 14,457 – an increase of 44 from 2009.
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When combined with the number of births, however – which was up to 25,315, having hit an all-time low around a decade ago – the North’s death rate is now at its lowest in history.
The rate now stands at 8.0 deaths per 1,000 population.
The report also showed that there was a 2.8 per cent increase in the number of marriages granted in Northern Ireland in 2010, while the number of divorces was up by 19.5 per cent.
Between December 2005 – when the relevant laws came into force – and the end 0f 2010, 537 same-sex civil partnerships were registered, including 116 last year.
62 of those partnerships involved female couples, with males accounting for 54 partnerships.
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What is interesting, certainly for those who wish to see 50%+1 for reunification, is that the proportion of over 65′s is some 4-1 ‘protestant’. I realise this is a crude measurement of unionist strength but while most have been looking at birth rates the real eye-opener will be in mortality rates.
Seems the ‘process’ will take a little longer.
While it is a crude measure of politics, there is some association. From a purely statistical point of view, under 21′s is majority RC now, and the younger you go, the larger that majority. Ironically the association with Britain is hammering the Unionist vote, as more and more young Unionists go to College in England or Scotland and stay there, they just move to what they see as another part of their own country. Young Nationalists and Republicans go to College in the 6, or in the South. All very crude as I say. The key change is that as the British identity dies down and the Anglo-Irish Supremacy culture fade in to history, that many in the North’s loyalist/unionist communities will reaffirm their Irish identity.Christ, they have started Irish dancing lessons and Irish Classes in the Shankill as well. With the Wife of a very prominent UDA man on TV recently encouraging it. In the 70′s, a prominent and very active IRA unit in West Belfast was from the Shankill Rd. The Presbyterian Republican tradition is still in existence, though not as strong as 200 years ago. About 20 % of all SF members in Belfast are from the root stock faith of the Republican tradition.
An excellent book ” Hidden Ulster, Protestants and the Irish Language”, 3rd edition 1995. is a absolutely wonderful exploration of this topic. Most of the planters came from the highlands etc of Scotland.They were Gaidhlig speakers anyway, and quickly immersed themselves in Irish. The evidence of this is from their names and records. The Pres. Church was the only church at the start of the last Century to insist that candidates for ordination spoke Irish. The RC church has traditionally been more hostile to all things Irish, it being very much inclined to follow those in power, and keep their flock as little more than a flock
This book is written by Pádraig Ó Snodaigh , himself a member of a Protestant Church, his sons is Aengus ó’Snodaigh, SF TD.
Ok, so you’ve gone for a more generic photo of a crowd of people now… fair enough.. it’s more representative than the crowd in the stand at Windsor Park you had up before!
Is the North, now being referred to as ” the Country”. I’m sure that this will come to news to all sides and none up there, down here, and over there etc..
The census figures for the year 1851 show “A total island population in the aftermath of the Irish potato famine of 6,552,385 – a fall of 1,622,739 in ten years.”
Todays figures means the population of the island stands at 6,379,600. So we still have some way to go……
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