Around 80 percent are Catholic, and another three percent or so belong to the Church of Ireland or other Christian groups. In total, that means almost everyone in Ireland celebrates Christmas! Ireland has been Catholic since the 5th century. Even when the British tried to make Ireland convert to Protestantism, a different type of Christianity, the Irish clung to Catholicism as a key part of their national identity. Although Catholicism was originally brought to Ireland from Britain, the Irish blended Catholicism with older Irish traditions. For example, the Irish still celebrate St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. Even Saint Stephen's Day relates back to Celtic traditions, the ancient beliefs that were popular in Ireland before Catholicism arrived. In addition to the Catholic story about Saint Stephen and the wren, Celtic myths hold that the wren was the king of the birds.
Christmas Day in Dublin usually looks very different from what you'd imagine Christmas to look like in New York. It very rarely snows in Dublin, so a white Christmas is mostly out of the question. But because Ireland shares so much of its culture with America and other European countries, many Christmas staples are the same here. Even without snow, Christmas trees and lights, as well as the occasional Santa costume, make for a very strong sense of Christmas cheer.
