<P> In the Republic of Ireland, approximately 3% were recorded as members of various Protestant (1991). The proportion was more than 10% in 1891--a drop to less than a third of the previous percentage . The percentage in 2011 is almost 5% . </P> <P> In 1861, only the west coast and Kilkenny had less than 6% Protestant population . Dublin and two of the border counties had over 20% Protestant . By 1991, however, all counties had fewer than 6% Protestants, with four having less than 1% . There are no counties in the Republic of Ireland which have experienced a rise in the relative Protestant population over the period 1861 to 1991 . The counties which retain the highest proportion of Protestants tend to be those which started off with a large proportion . In Northern Ireland, only counties Londonderry, Tyrone and Armagh have experienced a significant loss of relative Protestant population, though at a lesser rate than in the Republic . </P> <P> The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion, operating across the island of Ireland and the largest non-Catholic religious body on the island . Like other Episcopal churches, it considers itself to be both Catholic, in that its beliefs and practices are based on a continuous tradition dating back to the early Church, and Reformed, in that it does not accept the Primacy of the Bishop of Rome . </P> <P> When the church in England broke communion from the Catholic Church, all but two of the bishops of the Church in Ireland followed the Church of England, although almost no clergy or laity did so . The reformed Church in Ireland then became the state church, assuming possession of most church property (and so retaining a great repository of religious architecture and other items, though some were later destroyed). The substantial majority of the population never changed adherence, remaining strongly Catholic, though there were good reasons for joining the state church . Despite its numerical minority, however, the Church of Ireland remained the official state church until it was disestablished on 1 January 1871 by the Irish Church Act 1869 . </P>

Mention two effects of the coming of christianity to ireland