Homicides in Ireland
Ireland: Homicides was 7 deaths in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2022)
7 deaths
Change on year
up 16.7%
World rank
100th
of 113 countries
All-time high
69 deaths
in 1981
All-time low
2 deaths
in 1956
Years of data
73
1950–2022
Homicides in Ireland, 1950–2022
Source: WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths.
Analysis
In 2022, homicides in Ireland stood at 7 deaths.
That represents a change of up 16.7% on the previous year and down 82.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, homicides in Ireland peaked at 69 deaths in 1981 and was at its lowest, 2 deaths, in 1956.
Ireland ranks 100th of 113 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Homicides in Ireland, year by year
| Year | deaths | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 11 deaths | — |
| 1951 | 7 deaths | -36.4% |
| 1952 | 8 deaths | +14.3% |
| 1953 | 13 deaths | +62.5% |
| 1954 | 9 deaths | -30.8% |
| 1955 | 7 deaths | -22.2% |
| 1956 | 2 deaths | -71.4% |
| 1957 | 6 deaths | +200.0% |
| 1958 | 8 deaths | +33.3% |
| 1959 | 10 deaths | +25.0% |
| 1960 | 3 deaths | -70.0% |
| 1961 | 5 deaths | +66.7% |
| 1962 | 10 deaths | +100.0% |
| 1963 | 6 deaths | -40.0% |
| 1964 | 16 deaths | +166.7% |
| 1965 | 8 deaths | -50.0% |
| 1966 | 12 deaths | +50.0% |
| 1967 | 13 deaths | +8.3% |
| 1968 | 10 deaths | -23.1% |
| 1969 | 8 deaths | -20.0% |
| 1970 | 11 deaths | +37.5% |
| 1971 | 15 deaths | +36.4% |
| 1972 | 21 deaths | +40.0% |
| 1973 | 11 deaths | -47.6% |
| 1974 | 22 deaths | +100.0% |
| 1975 | 30 deaths | +36.4% |
| 1976 | 11 deaths | -63.3% |
| 1977 | 28 deaths | +154.5% |
| 1978 | 24 deaths | -14.3% |
| 1979 | 29 deaths | +20.8% |
| 1980 | 23 deaths | -20.7% |
| 1981 | 69 deaths | +200.0% |
| 1982 | 22 deaths | -68.1% |
| 1983 | 27 deaths | +22.7% |
| 1984 | 20 deaths | -25.9% |
| 1985 | 23 deaths | +15.0% |
| 1986 | 29 deaths | +26.1% |
| 1987 | 40 deaths | +37.9% |
| 1988 | 29 deaths | -27.5% |
| 1989 | 22 deaths | -24.1% |
| 1990 | 22 deaths | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 21 deaths | -4.5% |
| 1992 | 28 deaths | +33.3% |
| 1993 | 23 deaths | -17.9% |
| 1994 | 25 deaths | +8.7% |
| 1995 | 27 deaths | +8.0% |
| 1996 | 33 deaths | +22.2% |
| 1997 | 30 deaths | -9.1% |
| 1998 | 41 deaths | +36.7% |
| 1999 | 37 deaths | -9.8% |
| 2000 | 38 deaths | +2.7% |
| 2001 | 40 deaths | +5.3% |
| 2002 | 43 deaths | +7.5% |
| 2003 | 36 deaths | -16.3% |
| 2004 | 24 deaths | -33.3% |
| 2005 | 38 deaths | +58.3% |
| 2006 | 42 deaths | +10.5% |
| 2007 | 49 deaths | +16.7% |
| 2008 | 41 deaths | -16.3% |
| 2009 | 49 deaths | +19.5% |
| 2010 | 38 deaths | -22.4% |
| 2011 | 28 deaths | -26.3% |
| 2012 | 41 deaths | +46.4% |
| 2013 | 26 deaths | -36.6% |
| 2014 | 32 deaths | +23.1% |
| 2015 | 21 deaths | -34.4% |
| 2016 | 23 deaths | +9.5% |
| 2017 | 20 deaths | -13.0% |
| 2018 | 22 deaths | +10.0% |
| 2019 | 13 deaths | -40.9% |
| 2020 | 8 deaths | -38.5% |
| 2021 | 6 deaths | -25.0% |
| 2022 | 7 deaths | +16.7% |
Ireland compared with similar countries
- Ireland's 7 deaths is below the median for high income countries, which is 63 deaths, 11% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Ireland's 7 deaths is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 63.5 deaths, 11% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 8.1 deaths | 2 deaths | 13 deaths | 10 |
| 1960s | 9.1 deaths | 3 deaths | 16 deaths | 10 |
| 1970s | 20.2 deaths | 11 deaths | 30 deaths | 10 |
| 1980s | 30.4 deaths | 20 deaths | 69 deaths | 10 |
| 1990s | 28.7 deaths | 21 deaths | 41 deaths | 10 |
| 2000s | 40 deaths | 24 deaths | 49 deaths | 10 |
| 2010s | 26.4 deaths | 13 deaths | 41 deaths | 10 |
| 2020s | 7 deaths | 6 deaths | 8 deaths | 3 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
- 97 Martinique 8 deaths compare
- 97 Montenegro 8 deaths compare
- 97 Oman 8 deaths compare
- 100 Bahrain 7 deaths compare
- 100 Cyprus 7 deaths compare
- 100 Luxembourg 7 deaths compare
More social development data for Ireland
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 137,869 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 69 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 1 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 1 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 69 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0251 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is homicides in Ireland?
- Homicides in Ireland was 7 deaths in 2022, according to WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest homicides recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 69 deaths in 1981.
- What is the lowest homicides recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 2 deaths in 1956.
- How does Ireland rank for homicides?
- Ireland ranks 100th out of 113 countries with data for 2022.
- Is homicides rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 82.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Homicides. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 73 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Annual number of homicides.