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Yes, sometimes, but more so in the North. There, Irish language names like Cormac or Áine are usually given to children with Catholic or Irish Nationalist parents. Saints names like Bernardette or Cecilia or Patrick would be considered Catholic also. Protestant or Unionist parents would give their children Bibical names, or just general names like Emily or Jack. The difference in naming is usually more political than actually religious. Remember that I am being very general, so this doesn't happen 100 percent of the time. In the South, you don't really have the political divide to the same extent, so it wouldn't be rare to meet a Protestant girl called Niamh or Aoife. People living in the Gaeltacht (Irish speaking parts of Ireland, like Galway), would be more likely to have an Irish name. Hope that answered your questions.

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Thou hast slain me, O my bride, and may it serve thee no whit,
For the soul within me loveth thee, not since yesterday nor today,
Thou has left me weak and broken in mien and in shape,
Betray me not who love thee, my Little Dark Rose!
From Róisín Dubh, translated by Patrick Pearse (1879–1916)

This message was edited 4/13/2009, 8:07 AM