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
751 Views
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
712 Views
Again, some people manifestly care; just not enough to relinquish a paid holiday.
- 28/05/2012 01:48:26 AM
728 Views
Nothing.
- 27/05/2012 07:03:07 PM
694 Views
Replacing it with another, secular, holiday seems the responsible thing to do.
- 27/05/2012 11:15:11 PM
681 Views
People. Don't. Care.
- 27/05/2012 11:29:07 PM
713 Views
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
1008 Views
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
772 Views
That is rather debatable.
- 28/05/2012 12:08:53 AM
879 Views
The Distinction
- 29/05/2012 07:41:47 PM
831 Views
Thanksgiving was a purely federal institution. FDR dictated the date it's celebrated
- 30/05/2012 03:22:09 AM
736 Views
That distinction would be an almost wholly Roman Catholic (or possibly Greek Orthodox) one.
- 01/06/2012 01:47:12 AM
698 Views
How do you come to four for Canada?
- 27/05/2012 11:29:57 PM
675 Views
Because I counted Thankgiving, and holidays for federal employees rather than just statutory ones.
- 28/05/2012 02:03:55 AM
842 Views
Re: Because I counted Thankgiving, and holidays for federal employees rather...
- 28/05/2012 04:31:14 AM
721 Views
Well, you know better than I, but I found the 1580s date interesting.
- 28/05/2012 04:08:31 PM
970 Views
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
754 Views
I wondered how that would shake out for the rest of Europe, or at least Western Europe.
- 28/05/2012 02:29:16 AM
765 Views
It's funny how you use "federal" to mean "mandated by national government".
- 28/05/2012 03:49:17 PM
710 Views
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
688 Views
Re: I was thinking more "central" government, but OK.
- 01/06/2012 02:03:40 AM
913 Views
I think you've got the Scotland Act backwards.
- 01/06/2012 09:48:36 AM
871 Views
There's a lot of countries that call "devolution" federalism, though.
- 01/06/2012 09:52:23 PM
803 Views
What about when most of the country is still under central control?
- 02/06/2012 10:25:47 AM
716 Views