Published July 2026
Global Diaspora Report 2026
Founded in 2009, Ireland Reaching Out is one of Ireland's leading Diaspora organisations. A registered Irish charity with 100,000 members worldwide, this survey was largely conducted in 2025 and completed in early 2026. We intend to conduct this survey on a bi-annual basis going forward.
For further information about the survey, to comment, or to contact Ireland Reaching Out about any matter relating to the survey, please email info@irelandxo.com.
Initial Findings
Strong Global Demand to Deepen Diaspora Engagement with Ireland
The Irish Diaspora has a clear desire to deepen its relationship with Ireland. Findings from this large-scale survey (n = 2,709) reveal strong, consistent demand for enhanced community infrastructure, expanded cultural exchange opportunities, meaningful place-based heritage connections, and practical pathways for sustained engagement. The scale and diversity of the sample lend significant weight to the results, positioning them as both compelling and broadly representative of a highly motivated international Diaspora audience.
The data highlights a strong appetite for digital connection. A notable 81% of respondents expressed a desire to connect online with like-minded people of Irish ancestry, both in Ireland and within their local communities. This underscores the importance of creating accessible, well-designed platforms that facilitate meaningful interaction across borders.
Place-based connection is a key priority. Three-quarters (75%) of respondents stated that it is important to connect with Irish people linked to the specific locality of their ancestors, pointing to a desire for more personalised, geographically rooted engagement with Ireland.
In addition, 68% of respondents indicated an interest in sharing cultural content online with fellow members of the Irish Diaspora. This strong inclination toward cultural exchange reinforces the role of digital spaces as not just networking hubs, but as platforms for storytelling, identity expression, and community building.
Beyond connection, there is significant interest in contributing to Ireland's cultural and economic life. Respondents expressed strong intent to support Irish culture, purchase Irish products and services, and invest in Irish businesses, highlighting The Diaspora's potential as an active partner in Ireland's ongoing development.
Together, these findings point to a vibrant and actionable demand for deeper digital community-building, richer cultural exchange, and structured pathways for sustained, mutually beneficial engagement with Ireland.
Educational Interests
Irish Language learning opportunities
| Response | Total |
|---|---|
| 1 | 625 |
| 2 | 472 |
| 3 | 718 |
| 4 | 441 |
| 5 | 452 |
| Total | 2,708 |
Summary
Interest in Irish language learning opportunities produced the most evenly distributed response of any category in the survey, with ratings spread relatively broadly across the scale. Those rating their interest at 1 or 2 accounted for 1,097 respondents (40%), while those rating it at 4 or 5 accounted for 893 respondents (33%), with a substantial middle group of 718 (27%) selecting 3.
Key Learning
Irish language learning divides opinion more than any other category in this survey, with a slight majority expressing limited enthusiasm. This is perhaps unsurprising given that the Irish language, while a powerful symbol of cultural identity, presents a significant practical barrier to engagement for multigenerational Diaspora members with no prior exposure to it. Rather than positioning the Irish language as a primary engagement tool, strategy should treat it as an optional pathway for those with a deeper cultural interest, whilst ensuring it does not become a barrier to broader Diaspora participation.
Consider studying in Ireland yourself or sending a child?
| Response | Total |
|---|---|
| Yes | 868 |
| No | 3 |
| Possibly | 76 |
| No longer relevant | 1,751 |
| No Response | 11 |
| Total | 2,709 |
Summary
The largest single group of respondents - 1,751 (65%) - indicated that studying in Ireland was "no longer relevant," almost certainly reflecting the predominantly older demographic profile of the survey cohort. However, of those for whom the question remained relevant, the response was strikingly positive: 868 respondents said yes, just 3 said no, and a further 76 indicated it was a possibility.
Key Learning
When the "no longer relevant" responses are set aside - as they should be given the age profile of respondents - the data reveals an overwhelming openness to studying in Ireland, with yes and possibly responses accounting for virtually all of those for whom the question applied. This is a remarkable finding and suggests that Ireland's higher education sector has a compelling and largely untapped opportunity to attract Diaspora students, driven not merely by academic reputation but by a deeply personal desire to connect with ancestral roots.
How likely is it that you or your family will study in Ireland in the next five years?
| Response | Total |
|---|---|
| 0 | 1,430 |
| 1 | 577 |
| 2 | 242 |
| 3 | 289 |
| 4 | 79 |
| 5 | 89 |
| Total | 2,706 |
Summary
When asked to rate the likelihood of themselves or their family studying in Ireland within the next five years, 1,430 respondents selected 0, indicating no likelihood whatsoever. Of the remaining 1,276 who engaged with the scale, 577 selected 1, suggesting low but non-zero likelihood. Those rating their likelihood at 4 or 5 accounted for just 168 respondents, while 289 selected the midpoint of 3.
Key Learning
When framed as a concrete near-term proposition, the appetite for studying in Ireland reduces significantly - again largely a function of the older demographic profile of respondents for whom this is no longer a practical option. However, the 468 respondents who rated their likelihood at 3, 4, or 5 represent a tangible and actionable pipeline of potential students that Irish higher education institutions and agencies such as Education in Ireland should actively seek to convert. For a longer-term strategy, engaging the children and grandchildren of current Diaspora members - who are not represented in this survey - is where the real educational opportunity lies.