Fastest growing areas identified, including Kildare town that doubled population between two censuses

Blackwood in Co Kildare is now the fastest growing town in the State having almost doubled its population in the last six years.

The town, also known as Coill Dubh, is located 15 kilometres north of Naas and 40 kilometres from the centre of Dublin.

It increased its population by 98 per cent in the six years between census 2016 and census 2022. In 2016 its population was 746. By April 2022 it was 1,476.

The population of Dunshaughlin in Co Meath increased by 65 per cent from 4,035 in 2016 to 6,644 in 2022; Lahinch in Co Clare rose by 60 per cent from 638 to 1,018; and Greencastle, Co Donegal rose by 53 per cent from 831 to 1,268.

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The latest census returns, analysed by location intelligence company Gamma, show strong growth in population among most towns in the State with a population of greater than 1,000 despite two years growth being lost to Covid-19.

Gamma has been analysing census data since the preliminary figures were released in May.

Dublin city, consisting of the four local authority areas, has the largest overall increase in population. Some 90,040 more people live in Dublin than in 2016 bringing the population from 1,173,179 in 2016 to 1,263,219 last year, an increase of 7.6 per cent.

This is a slightly lower increase than the State where the population increased by 8 per cent in the census to stand at a post-independence high of 5,149,139.

The fastest growing place in Dublin is Newcastle where the population increased by 46 per cent.

Cork city increased its population by 6.6 per cent, going from 208,669 to 222,526; Limerick city went from 94,192 to 102,287, an increase of 8.5 per cent; and Galway city rose by 7.5 per cent, from 79,934 to 85,910.

The oldest population of any town, with more than 1,000 residents, is Knock, Co Mayo where the average age is 47. Saggart in Co Dublin and Watergrasshill in Co Cork have the youngest populations. The average age in both places is 30.

Watergrasshill is also Co Cork’s fastest growing place. The population increased by 37 per cent between 2016 and 2022.

Overall, 12 per cent of people aged 18 and over are living with their parents, but in some places this percentage is much higher. Ardnacrusha in Co Clare tops the list, with 21 per cent of adults living with their parents. Other towns where the proportion exceeds one in five are Johnstown, Co Kildare; Carragh, Co Kildare; and Dunboyne, Co Meath.

Kinsealy-Drinan in north county Dublin, which was the subject of large-scale building during the Celtic Tiger years, was found to have the highest population density in the State, with 8,401 people per square kilometre.

Elsewhere, Clonee in Co Meath, which is a satellite suburb of Dublin, had the next highest density, with 5,536 inhabitants per square kilometre.