Demographics
Banagher was extensively planted by the English, particularly during the periods 1621–1642 and 1650–1690. The plantations had a profound impact on Ireland in several ways. The first was the destruction of the native ruling classes and their replacement with the Protestant Ascendancy, of British-origin (mostly English) Protestant landowners. Their position was buttressed by the Penal Laws, which denied political and land-owning rights to Roman Catholics. The dominance of this class in Irish life persisted until the late 18th century, and it voted for the Act of Union with Britain in 1800. As a result, by the early 20th century, Banagher had a mix of Irish of native descent and Irish of English descent and supported two churches, one Catholic and one Protestant, both of which still exist.
During the late 1960s to the early 1980s, a number of German, Dutch and Swiss settlers were attracted to Banagher, mainly because of its proximity to the River Shannon and associated lifestyle. A number of these are still resident in Banagher. As with the majority of towns and cities in Ireland, Banagher has seen an influx of foreign nationals, mostly of Eastern European origin, in recent years and these now make up just over 10% of the population.
According to the 2011 Census, Banagher has a population of 1,653 with 801 male and 852 female residents. This marks a 1.0% increase in population on the 2006 Census.
Read more about this topic: Banagher