Ireland

6 profiled groups with documented operations in Ireland — 1 Extreme-band, 3 High-band, 2 Moderate or below. Presence here describes documented operations, not a judgement about Ireland or its communities; many listed groups also operate elsewhere.

Export 6 entries:

JavaScript is disabled — showing the 6 highest-CLCI groups without filters or search. Enable JavaScript for the full 6-group browser. A complete A-Z index is available at /groups/a-z.

Christian

Palmarian Catholic Church

A Spanish parallel church founded after claimed Marian apparitions at El Palmar de Troya (1968), with its own line of popes since 1978. Members live under exhaustive conduct rules — dress, media, association, even attendance at outside weddings and funerals — enforced by expulsion and family severance. Ex-member testimony and Irish and Spanish journalism document the regime; a former pope who defected described the system from inside.

Christian

Two by Twos / 'The Truth' (no-name fellowship)

Long-secretive Christian movement (founded 1897 by William Irvine) with no formal name, no buildings, no public website, claiming to be the only true church. The 2023+ public revelations of widespread sexual abuse across multiple US states and other countries — several thousand reported victims — have triggered the largest reckoning in the movement's history.

Christian

Two by Twos / The Truth / Cooneyites / Workers and Friends (William Irvine)

Secretive nameless international Christian sect founded 1897 in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland by Scottish evangelist William Irvine (1863-1947). Distinguished by itinerant 'Workers' (preacher-pairs in 'two by two' pattern of Luke 10) and 'Friends' (lay members), and the deliberate absence of any organisational name or public infrastructure. Approximately 100,000 members across 26 countries. The 2023+ Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse in the Two by Twos documented century-long systemic abuse cover-up; multiple criminal prosecutions of Workers 2023-2025.

Christian

Cornelia Connelly Society / Society of the Holy Child Jesus

The Society of the Holy Child Jesus (SHCJ) is a Catholic women's religious community founded in 1846 in Derby, England by Cornelia Connelly (1809–1879), an American-born convert. SHCJ operated girls' boarding schools and day schools across the UK, Ireland, and the United States from the 1840s through the late 20th century. Mid-20th-century coercive-control patterns at the schools have been documented in survivor memoirs, *Guardian* + *Irish Times* 2024 reporting, and the broader Irish state-inquiry context (Mother and Baby Homes, Magdalene Laundries). The contemporary order has substantially reformed and operates a much smaller educational footprint.

New Religious Movement

Fellowship of Isis (Olivia Robertson)

Goddess-spirituality fellowship founded by Olivia, Lawrence and Pamela Robertson (1976) at Clonegal Castle, Ireland. Mainstream low-control esoteric Goddess movement.

Pagan / Wiccan

Modern Druidry (OBOD, Druid Network mainstream)

Modern Druidry — Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids (OBOD), British Druid Order, Druid Network. Very low-control voluntary tradition.

Compare with other countries, browse all groups, or see country-specific help resources.

Complete list of 6 group profiles