A few decades ago, there were serious levels of conflict between different religious denominations within Northern Ireland. This violence would sometimes spill out into portions of the Republic of Ireland. There were two main groups at the heart of the Troubles: Protestants and Catholics. The former tended to be associated with Great Britain as they were part of the Church of England.
The good news is that life is now much safer for these two sects. News companies such as the Guardian have followed the story closely. During the 1990s, the path to reconciliation began. The Good Friday Agreement was drawn up in 1998. It effectively ended the majority of political/religious violence with Northern Ireland. As a result, the island as a whole became a much safer place to live.
Complications
However, recent political developments within the UK have complicated matters. When the Brexit Referendum ended in a “leave” majority, it caused confusion about whether there would be checks on goods when they entered different sections of Ireland. The Northern Ireland protocol could potentially affect the Good Friday Agreement in the years to come. However, this does not mean that protestants have to worry about a resurgence in sectarian violence. The vast majority of both nations want to maintain the peace of the last couple of decades.
Protestants are considered a religious minority within Ireland. Meanwhile, Catholics tend to be the majority. They may have different opinions about how to worship. However, both groups live side by side and tend to be friendly with one another. Protestants who are considering moving to the Republic of Ireland will not need to worry about safety issues. The country has surprisingly low levels of serious crime. The days of people being targeted due to their religious beliefs are over.
