Dublin Survey Reveals 75% of Residents Feel Disconnected From Neighbours

Dublin may be a city famed for its pub banter and festival crowds, but behind the social surface lies a troubling statistic: 75% of Dublin residents say they feel only moderately connected, slightly connected, or not connected at all to their neighbours. The figure, drawn from local research on community ties, points to what some describe as a loneliness epidemic running through the capital.

Trust and Disconnection: The Dublin Paradox

The data shows that 62% of people in the Dublin region agree most people can be trusted, a relatively high level of social trust. Yet that trust does not translate into action. Only 21% of Dublin residents are involved in community groups, the lowest rate of any region in Ireland. The gap between trusting your neighbours and actually joining them for a book club, a tidy-up, or a local committee is striking.

For 43% of adult residents, the sense of belonging in Dublin is only moderate, slight, or non-existent. They cite a lack of personal connection and inclusiveness as the main reasons. In a city of 1.4 million people, the feeling of being anonymous in a crowd is evidently widespread.

Spaces That Build Connection

One place working to change that is Outhouse on Capel Street. For decades, Outhouse has served as a dedicated resource and community centre for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities in Dublin, hosting peer support groups since 1994. Dublin is widely regarded as one of the most LGBTQ+ friendly cities in Europe, and Dublin Pride is a major event each year, but Outhouse provides year-round, everyday connection for people who might otherwise feel isolated.

Its drop-in groups, counselling services and social spaces offer a model for how a physical venue can turn high trust into real community. The message is clear: belonging doesn't happen by accident. It requires places where people can show up as themselves.

What Happens Next

Bridging the gap between trust and involvement will take more than goodwill. Community organisers and local groups are beginning to look at ways to make joining easier, lower-barrier events, neighbour-to-neighbour introductions, and more visible signposting to existing clubs and meetups. For Dubliners feeling the pull of loneliness, the first step may be as simple as finding a group that meets at Outhouse, attending a local festival, or knocking on a neighbour's door. Every connection starts somewhere.