Census 2012: Quin sees largest population increase in the county

The census has found that Quin has seen the largest increase in population in Clare since 2002, with an increase of 70.5% from 853 residents to 1,454.
The 2011 census has also shown that the village’s population continues to grow as it saw a rise of 38.7 % on the 2006 figures, increasing by 406 people from the 2006 census that recorded 1,048.
Other areas that saw a rise in population since 2006 were Coolreagh, up from 152 to 231, a percentage change of 52%. The Newgrove area went from 221 to 293 in five years representing a population percentage change of 32.6%, while the Boherglass area jumped by 31.7% from 218 to 287.
While certain areas are seeing an increase in population there have been a number of decreases in other parts of East Clare, most notably in the Spancilhill area which had the highest decrease in East Clare.
According to the Census 2011 there has been a drop of 12.7% in Spancilhill and the population there stands at 694 dropping from 795 people since 2006.
The Inishcaltra North/Inishcaltra South area has also seen a drop in its population having gone from 337 in 2006 to 314 in 2011 a change of -6.8% or a drop of 23 people.
The population in the Carrowbaun area is also suffering as its community dropped by 6.6% from 152 in 2006 to 142 in 2011. Furthermore the population in Ayle has also decreased from 309 in 2006 to 290 a drop of 6.1%.
The increase in the population of Quin is also borne out by an increase in the number of permanent private housing units where since 2006 it Quin has gone from 361 to 492 housing units, representing an increase of 36.3%.
Other areas that saw an increase in the permanent private housing units was Ballyblood, which increased by 12 units or 31.6% since 2006 when the figure stood at 38. Boherglass also increased from 81 to 104 a change of 28.4%.
According to the 2011 Census, the highest vacancy rate recorded in the East Clare area was in the Carrowbaun area where 33 houses were recorded as vacant and this represented a 39.8% vacancy rate based on the total housing stock there of 83.
Other areas in East Clare deemed to have a high vacancy rate were Drummaan with 95 houses vacant, giving a rate of 29.6% based on its total housing stock of 321. Meanwhile, Ballynahinch had 36 houses vacant representing a vacancy rate of 28.8%.
While recording changes in population the census has also gathered information about the number of men and women living in particular areas and in East Clare it has found that more men occupy the Caher area than women.
Caher’s population is made up of approximately 56.9% men, and is followed by the Cappaghabaun area where men make up 55.8% of the total population.
On the other side of the coin in neighbouring Cloonusker, women outnumber men as they represent 54.2% of their population.
Glendree, however, is where women most outnumber men in East Clare where they make up 56% of the population. This area is followed by the Carrowbaun area where women account for 55.6% of the total population.