The number of marriages in Donegal may be on the decline, according to new figures.
According to the data, 812 opposite-sex couples tied the knot last year, marking the lowest figure in 24 years of records (with the exception of the pandemic).
Numerous wedding celebrations faced postponement during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic which saw only 313 marriages (opposite sex and same-sex) in 2020 and 681 in 2021.
While the number of opposite-sex marriages did rebound to 1,037 in 2022 as couples rescheduled their big days, the 2024 figure points to a downward trend that’s also seen nationally.
Across Ireland, the total number of marriages in 2024 was 20,348 – down by almost 4% from 21,159 in 2023, and has decreased by 7.7% since 2014.
The average number of opposite-sex marriages recorded in Donegal between 2000 and 2024 stands at 895 per year, placing the 2024 figure below this long-term average.
The number of same-sex marriages registered in Donegal in 2024 stood at 17. Since the legalisation of same-sex marriage in Ireland in 2015, a total of 177 gay marriages have been recorded in the county.
The CSO data also sheds light on the demographics of those getting married. In 2024, the average age for brides was 35.9 years, while grooms averaged 37.7 years.
Commenting on the figures, Seán O’Connor, Statistician in the Life Events and Demography Division, said: The most popular form of ceremony for opposite-sex couples was a Catholic ceremony (6,425 or 32.6%), followed by a civil ceremony at 6,392 or 32.5% in 2024. Looking back 10 years the proportion of Roman Catholic ceremonies for opposite-sex weddings has fallen from 59.3% to 32.6%.
“Friday and Saturday continue to be the most popular days for wedding ceremonies for opposite-sex couples, while Friday, followed by Thursday, were the most favoured days to wed for same-sex couples. This has not changed since 2023. For all couples, Sundays and Tuesdays were the least popular days of the week to marry.”
