Research by blogger Michael Nugent, based on the latest census figures, shows that Barroosky (population 109) hasn't a single non-Irish person living among its residents.

Other places around the country that are almost 100% devoid of nonIrish people include Tully in Offaly, Boola in Limerick, and Bunaveela in Mayo.

Nugent's number-crunching, published on his site thatsireland. com, also shows that Limerick is the most 'Irish' county.

Seven of the top 10 large Irish areas (with populations of over 1,000) are all in the county, including Rathbane, Glentworth, Kileely, Clarina, Ballinacurra and Fedamore.

In contrast, at least seven local areas in Ireland now have a majority of non-Irish people in their populations. Six of the top ten are in Dublin, four of which (the electoral districts Rotunda A, Rotunda B, Mountjoy B and North City in the north inner city) are on Dublin's northside.

In three local election wards around O'Connell Street, most of the population were born outside Ireland. The population of the North City ward is now 55% foreign national, with nearly one-third from outside the EU, while two other adjoining wards are over 50% foreign-born.

By contrast areas of Finglas, also on the northside of the city, are 95% Irish.

Meanwhile, the Custom House B district in Waterford city is statistically the most multicultural area in the country, with up to 62% of its population made up of foreign nationals.

Four of the most multicultural rural areas in the country are all in Cork (Ballybane, Durrus East, Coolagh and Glanlough). And the most multicultural rural area in Ireland is Rosbercon in Wexford, with 46% of the area's population non-Irish.

The ESRI now wants the government to encourage more integration, while the National Consultation Committee on Racism and Interculturalism wants the Government to introduce housing policies to discourage clustering of ethnic minorities.

Multi, and monocultural Ireland

TOP 5 MULTICULTURAL RURAL AREAS OF IRELAND

1.Rosbercon Urban in Wexford (population 628): 34%-46% non-Irish 2.Gort in Galway (population 2,739): 39%40% non-Irish
3.Dromore in Kerry (population 242): 33%34% non-Irish
4.Monaghan Urban (population 2,122): 31%-32% non-Irish
5.Ballybane in Cork (population 252): 31%32% non-Irish

TOP 5 AREAS WITH A MAJORITY OF NON-IRISH NATIONALS
1.Custom House B in Waterford City (population 286): 52%-62% non-Irish
2. Dock A in Limerick city (population 2,030): 57%-59% non-Irish
3.North City in Dublin (population 2,907): 54%-58% non-Irish
4.Rotunda B in Dublin city (population 2,056): 52%-56% non-Irish
5. Mountjoy B in Dublin City (population 3,308): 52%-55% non-Irish

TOP 5 'MOSTLY IRISH' LARGE AREAS
1.Rathbane in Limerick city (population 1,691): 98%-99% Irish
2.Glentworth B in Limerick city (population 1,238): 98%-99% Irish
3. Churchfield in Cork city (population 1,396): 98%-99% Irish
4.Kileely A in Limerick city (population 1,577): 99% Irish
5.John's A in Limerick city (population 1,209): 98%-99% Irish