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THE SOUTH DUBLIN town of Saggart has been unveiled as Ireland’s fastest-growing town, in new figures published by the Central Statistics Office.
The town’s population grew from 868 in the 2006 census to 2,144 - a change of 147 per cent in the intervening five years.
Courtown Harbour in Wexford had the second-highest growth, rising up to 2,857 last year from 1,421 in 2006 – a rise of 101 per cent.
Another town in the South Dublin jurisdiction is the third fastest-growing town – Newcastle’s population has grown by 77 per cent in the five years between censuses; its population of 2,659 in last April’s census is up from the 1,506 it had recorded six years ago.
Carrigtwohill is fourth, and the fastest-growing town in Munster: the Co Cork town has seen its population spike from 2,782 to 4,551 in five years, a boost of 64 per cent. Ballymahon, Co Longford, is fifth with a rise from 963 to 1,563 - an increase of 62 per cent.
Drogheda remains Ireland’s most populous town, with 38,578 inhabitants, ahead of Dundalk at 37,816. Swords has a population of 36,924, ahead of Bray (31,872) and Navan (28,559).
Dublin areas rank highly in the most densely populated towns, with towns in the Fingal jurisdiction occupying the top three places. Kinsealy-Drinan is the most densely populated, at 5,101 per square kilometre, ahead of Lusk and Swords.
Sallins in Kildare has the highest density outside the capital, at 3,596, while Donabate, the overall Dublin city area, and Bray also rank highly among the most densely-populated areas.
By comparison, Leitrim has the most rural population in the country: fewer than one-in-ten people in the county live in an urban area.
The population of all five of Ireland’s cities has risen since 2006: the population of Dublin city and its suburbs now stands at 1,110,627, up by 6.2 per cent on the 2006 census. 39 per cent of Ireland’s urban population lives in the capital’s environs.
Cork’s population is up by 4.3 per cent, to 198,582, while the population of Limerick is up by a relatively modest 0.2 per cent to 91,454.
The numbers living in Galway are up by 5.6 per cent to 76,778, while the numbers in Waterford are up by 4.7 per cent to 51,519.
In all of the above examples, the figures include the inhabitants in city suburbs outside of city council areas.
Laois has the highest-growing population of any county in Ireland, with growth of some 20.1 per cent – up from 67,059 in 2006 to 80,559 between censuses. Cavan and Fingal are next, with growth of 14.3 per cent (to 73,183) and 14.2 per cent (to 273,991) respectively.
Indeed, most of Leinster has seen the highest population growth, with Longford, Meath, Kildare and Louth next on the list, before Cork County’s 10.5 per cent breaks the eastern stranglehold.
Only two jurisdictions have seen their population fall: the territory of Cork City Council is down down by a mere 188 people, or 0.2 per cent, to 119,230, while Limerick City Council’s population is down by 4.5 per cent (2,684 people) to 57,106.
In both of those cases, however, stats elsewhere show that the population of the overall city and its suburbs have increased, so the figures indicate that people are simply choosing to live in more suburban areas of those two cities.
A full list of population growth by county, city and province is included in the gallery below.
More interactive stats from the CSO, as compiled by the All-Island Research Observatory, can be found here:
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Every day thousands of innocent vegetables are murdered by vegetarians. Stop the murder, eat BACON
If God didn’t want us to eat animals then why did he make them out of meat?
You’ll find you’re made of meat too. Therefore….
He didn’t. They evolved :)
Bad statement there guru!! Humans are also made of meat!!!!!
For the love of God can a man not make a Simpsons quote around here anymore without being grilled!
That stupid Guru we are made of meat do we start eating each other.
Yes Von, bite me!
Arklow is cruel and frightening! ; P
I have no time for these animal rights “activists”… She achieved nothing except some abuse.. Lady, most of us love animals, won’t tolerate cruelty of any kind. I think those attending would know if these pigs were being mistreated.. Cop on to yourself
how is this woman given airtime? she desperately craves attention, and her charity is based around a series of failed diets. the worst thing that happened was her name being mentioned by a councillor, because now it has given her recognition.
Yeah down with this sort of thing, Pigs have one purpose, bacon sandwiches.
Looks like you can add “cyberbullying” to any old story now. A rather flippant attitude to a serious concern.
Is she the pig whisperer or something?
Absolute skum these arklow people!!!! Making pigs run for their amusment!!! It’s abuse!!!! Next they’ll be making other animals race….. Who knows…. They would let children race if they had their way!!!!! Lowest form on earth!!!! If anything, this article highlights the plight of the pigs these days!!!!!!!
Amidst all the pain and suffering that goes on!!!! The struggle of an everyday man to make a wage to feed his family, the pig goes un noticed!!!!
For just €2 a month you can make sure that no pig races again! Call now, stop the suffering!!!!!
I’ll give you 2 euro Christopher, in the hope it will stop you abusing the humble exclamation mark.
Christopher…there is only one that’s suffering.
Me reading your sad comment.
But then again I am a person with a sunny disposition and had a good laugh at your elucidation.
Or donate a €2 pack of back rashers!!!!
for €2 I can also repair broken sarcasm detectors.
“You’re a hippie”
Haha!
The simplicity of modern philosophy.
Who won ?? had a sneaky fiver on a little beauty nicknamed rashers
This is so cruel.
I nearly choked on my bacon this morning when I read this. Absolutely shocking stuff.
Have these morons nothing better to do than tormenting pigs?
I’d pay to see Ms Fitzgerald & her supporters race instead…GWAN D PIGGIES…
spare a thought for rashers tierney !
Arklow people sure there great craic constantly communicate with each other. They have a range of different oinks, grunts and squeals which have distinct meanings. that’s why when a pig looks into the eyes of someone from Arklow they see a equal…………….. I’M ON THE PIGS SIDE ON THIS ONE
Ms. Fitz should get a job with Saatchi and Saatchi. Clever marketing ploy. She has done a wonderful job of promoting the Seabreeze event. I hear the pigs were squealing with delight. The event has been elevated to national importance. If the pigs do not object maybe next years event could have a donkey derby instead. The definitive biography of the winning pig will be launched at next years festival entitled “Pigs Tails Tales”, sure to be a best seller.
How can it be a race if they are being chased, is that not animal cruelty?
Michael Sands…
You are the epitome of a city slicker.
And sheep are chased every day of the week by dogs, where will this PC crap end? Next thing I suppose there’ll be a campaign to stop swatting flies.
Nope you are wrong there Antonov…
Yes but how can a race be a race if something is chased?
Far too much of this Animal Rights stuff interfering with sporting activities, I think? Next up they’ll be demanding crash helmets for racing pigeons!
‘You’re a fool. You’re a gobsh**e. You’re a pig yourself. The race is harmless. You’re a vegan. You’re a hippie.’ I would love to see this woman get “cyberbullied” properly so she understands what it actually is.
Sticks and stones…….
Pig Olympics….now that I’d pay to see
Why don’t they have 4 year olds walking on hot coals. Just like humans animals can feel and be frightened and i have always said if you can hurt an animal you can hurt a child.
Racing pigs learn bacon
Racing pigs lean bacon
squel like a pig boy
have your say