By Prof Gladys Ganiel and Dr Caoimhe Ní Dhónaill.
The COVID-19 pandemic was one of the most significant social, political, and public health crises experienced on the island of Ireland in recent history. While much attention has been devoted to the responses of governments, healthcare systems, and scientific experts, less consideration has been given to the role played by religious leaders, institutions, and communities. Yet religions remained important social actors throughout the pandemic. Religious organisations provided practical assistance, pastoral care, public health messaging, and opportunities for social connection at a time when many people were experiencing unprecedented isolation, uncertainty, and loss.
These two policy papers draw on extensive research conducted between 2022 and 2025 as part of the international project Religion in Societies Emerging from COVID-19. Based on analysis of hundreds of public documents, survey responses from religious leaders and members, and interviews with participants from a range of religious traditions, the papers identify what lessons can be learned for the future. Focusing on both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, the research offers a rare all-island perspective.
Policy Paper 15 – RELIGIONS IN A TIME OF CRISIS: Lessons for Religious Groups from the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Island of Ireland, considers what religious communities themselves can learn from the pandemic experience. The report explores themes including the pursuit of the common good, inter-faith and inter-church cooperation, the rapid expansion of digital forms of religious practice, responses to death and bereavement, and the pressures placed on clergy and lay leaders. The report encourages religious groups to reflect on how they can strengthen collaboration, invest in digital engagement, support leaders, and better prepare for future emergencies.
Policy Paper 16 – RELIGIONS DURING A PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY: Lessons for Policymakers from the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Island of Ireland, shifts the focus to the relationship between religions and the state. It examines how policymakers engaged with religious communities during the pandemic, the role faith-based organisations played in communicating public health messages, and the importance of protecting religious freedoms while responding to public health concerns. The report also offers recommendations for enhancing consultation, collaboration, and inter-faith engagement in future crises.