Ireland has a tonne of religious public holidays yet no state religion.
Stephen Send a noteboard - 28/05/2012 12:48:55 AM
The position of the Catholic Church was historically very strong and arguably still is. The Constitution used to have a section about the special position of the Catholic Church as it reflected the religion of the majority but that was removed in the 70s.
Still, the vast majority of public holidays are of a religious (Catholic) bent.
They are:
St Patrick's Day
Easter Monday (Note: A lot of businesses will shut up shop from Holy Thursday and not open till Easter Tuesday or Wednesday)
June Bank Holiday/Whit Monday
Halloween Bank Holiday
Christmas Day
St Stephen's Day
There are other public holidays ie New Year's, May Day and the August Bank Holiday which don't have a religious base to them.
Still, the vast majority of public holidays are of a religious (Catholic) bent.
They are:
St Patrick's Day
Easter Monday (Note: A lot of businesses will shut up shop from Holy Thursday and not open till Easter Tuesday or Wednesday)
June Bank Holiday/Whit Monday
Halloween Bank Holiday
Christmas Day
St Stephen's Day
There are other public holidays ie New Year's, May Day and the August Bank Holiday which don't have a religious base to them.
"I mean, if everyone had a soul, there would be no contrast by which we could appreciate it. For giving us this perspective, we thank you." - Nate
For Our Nordmenn: What Happens to Federal Religious Holidays in the Absence of a State Church?
- 27/05/2012 01:33:20 PM
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Nothing, they are federal holidays still because of strong unions, not religion
- 27/05/2012 06:58:52 PM
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Hypocrisy FTW, eh? 
- 27/05/2012 11:04:38 PM
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- 27/05/2012 11:04:38 PM
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No.
- 27/05/2012 11:16:11 PM
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Again, some people manifestly care; just not enough to relinquish a paid holiday.
- 28/05/2012 01:48:26 AM
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Nothing.
- 27/05/2012 07:03:07 PM
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Replacing it with another, secular, holiday seems the responsible thing to do.
- 27/05/2012 11:15:11 PM
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People. Don't. Care.
- 27/05/2012 11:29:07 PM
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If people did not care, disestablishmentarianism (and its antithesis) would not exist.
- 28/05/2012 01:41:18 AM
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Most of them are stolen from heden traditions and have nothing to do with christianity.
- 27/05/2012 07:15:55 PM
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Since two resident history buffs recently excoriated me for that claim, I have no wish to revisit it
- 27/05/2012 11:27:13 PM
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Thanksgiving isn't a religious holiday.
- 27/05/2012 08:43:58 PM
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That is rather debatable.
- 28/05/2012 12:08:53 AM
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The Distinction
- 29/05/2012 07:41:47 PM
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Thanksgiving was a purely federal institution. FDR dictated the date it's celebrated
- 30/05/2012 03:22:09 AM
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That distinction would be an almost wholly Roman Catholic (or possibly Greek Orthodox) one.
- 01/06/2012 01:47:12 AM
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How do you come to four for Canada?
- 27/05/2012 11:29:57 PM
691 Views
Because I counted Thankgiving, and holidays for federal employees rather than just statutory ones.
- 28/05/2012 02:03:55 AM
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Re: Because I counted Thankgiving, and holidays for federal employees rather...
- 28/05/2012 04:31:14 AM
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Well, you know better than I, but I found the 1580s date interesting.
- 28/05/2012 04:08:31 PM
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Re: Well, you no better than I, but I found the 1580s date interesting.
- 29/05/2012 01:15:52 AM
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Ireland has a tonne of religious public holidays yet no state religion.
- 28/05/2012 12:48:55 AM
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I wondered how that would shake out for the rest of Europe, or at least Western Europe.
- 28/05/2012 02:29:16 AM
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It's funny how you use "federal" to mean "mandated by national government".
- 28/05/2012 03:49:17 PM
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I was thinking more "central" government, but OK.
- 28/05/2012 04:26:38 PM
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Re: I was thinking more "central" government, but OK.
- 28/05/2012 04:50:32 PM
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Re: I was thinking more "central" government, but OK.
- 01/06/2012 02:03:40 AM
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I think you've got the Scotland Act backwards.
- 01/06/2012 09:48:36 AM
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There's a lot of countries that call "devolution" federalism, though.
- 01/06/2012 09:52:23 PM
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What about when most of the country is still under central control?
- 02/06/2012 10:25:47 AM
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