Humanist Association of Ireland

The Humanist Association of Ireland (HAI) is an Irish secular humanist organisation founded in 1993 to promote humanism as an ethical, non-religious approach to life. The association describes humanism as a philosophy grounded in concern for humanity and individual people, combining reason with compassion and interpreting existence through evidence from the natural world rather than belief in supernatural powers. HAI operates as a membership and advocacy organisation rather than a commercial consumer brand. Its work combines public education, secular campaigning, discussion, ceremonial services, and community activity. It organises regular public meetings and hosts an annual lecture, usually at Trinity College Dublin, to mark Darwin Day. These events provide forums for discussion of science, ethics, secularism, religion, public policy, and the place of non-religious citizens in Irish society. A major practical service associated with HAI is the provision of humanist alternatives to traditional religious ceremonies. Humanist celebrants can conduct non-religious weddings, naming or welcome ceremonies, and funerals or memorial services. These ceremonies are intended to reflect the values, relationships, life stories, and wishes of the people involved without requiring religious belief. The association’s ceremonial activity gives it a direct public-facing role in changing how significant life events are marked in Ireland. HAI also campaigns on the relationship between religion and the state. In April 2009, it ran an advertising campaign on Dublin’s DART railway system opposing religious oaths of office for Irish judges and presidents. The campaign reflected the association’s broader concern that public institutions should be inclusive of citizens with different beliefs, including atheists, agnostics, and other non-religious people. In 2010, then-chairman Dick Spicer criticised aspects of the Irish education system, arguing that it discriminated against non-believers. Later that year, HAI objected to the pilot programme “Goodness me, Goodness you,” arguing that separating children into believer and non-believer categories at an early age was inappropriate and that faith instruction should take place outside normal school hours. The organisation is connected to the wider international humanist movement. It is a member organisation of the European Humanist Federation and is affiliated with the International Humanist and Ethical Union, now known as Humanists International. Its official symbol is the Happy Human, a widely used emblem of international humanism. HAI’s history includes the involvement of Owen Sheehy-Skeffington, the son of Irish political and civil-rights figure Francis Sheehy-Skeffington, who helped establish the organisation. The association’s public profile has been shaped less by commercial expansion than by sustained participation in debates over secularism, education, religious privilege, freedom of conscience, and ethical alternatives to religious practice. Its known activities indicate an Ireland-wide remit, with public events and branch activity supporting people seeking humanist perspectives and services.

The Humanist Association of Ireland was established in 1993 as an organisation representing secular humanist ideas in Ireland. Its founding purpose was to promote a non-religious ethical philosophy based on evidence, reason, compassion, and concern for human welfare. Owen Sheehy-Skeffington, whose father was the Irish political and civil-rights figure Francis Sheehy-Skeffington, helped set up the association. From its early years, HAI combined intellectual and public-facing activity. It organised regular meetings and developed an annual lecture associated with Darwin Day, generally held at Trinity College Dublin. The lecture and meeting programme placed scientific understanding, evolution, ethics, and critical inquiry at the centre of the organisation’s public education work. The association also maintained links with the broader international humanist movement, becoming a member organisation of the European Humanist Federation and affiliating with the International Humanist and Ethical Union. The Happy Human became its official symbol. HAI’s work expanded beyond lectures and advocacy through the provision of humanist alternatives to religious ceremonies. Its celebrants offer non-religious ways to mark weddings, naming or welcoming ceremonies, funerals, and memorials. These services allow participants to shape ceremonies around personal values, relationships, biography, and community rather than religious doctrine. This practical role has connected the organisation’s philosophical programme with everyday changes in Irish social life. The association became particularly visible in debates over religion’s role in public institutions. In April 2009, it placed advertisements on the DART opposing religious oaths required or used for offices including the Irish presidency and judiciary. The campaign expressed HAI’s position that state offices should not privilege religious belief or require citizens to make faith-based declarations. Education was another important area of intervention. Dick Spicer, who was chairman of HAI’s board, criticised the Irish education system and argued that it discriminated against non-believers. He resigned from the chairmanship in July 2010. In November of the same year, HAI opposed the pilot programme “Goodness me, Goodness you,” objecting to the separation of children into believer and non-believer groups at an early age. The association argued that faith classes should be held outside school hours rather than being integrated in a way that could distinguish pupils according to belief. The available account of HAI’s history provides limited information about its internal governance, membership figures, finances, or later leadership. It does, however, establish a continuing Irish remit, regular public activity, international humanist affiliations, ceremonial services, and a sustained campaign focus on freedom of conscience, secular public institutions, and non-religious education. HAI remains an active organisation according to the supplied material, although detailed current organisational information should be verified through its official website.

• 2010

  Board chairman Dick Spicer resigns

  [1]Humanist Association of Irelanden.wikipedia.org

  Dick Spicer stepped down as chairman of the HAI board in July.

• 2010

  Objection to “Goodness me, Goodness you” pilot

  [1]Humanist Association of Irelanden.wikipedia.org

  HAI criticised the pilot programme for separating children by religious belief and called for faith classes to be held outside school hours.

• 2009

  DART advertising campaign on religious oaths

  [1]Humanist Association of Irelanden.wikipedia.org

  HAI ran a public campaign on Dublin’s DART system opposing religious oaths of office for Irish judges and presidents.

• 1993

  Humanist Association of Ireland founded

  [1]Humanist Association of Irelanden.wikipedia.org

  The association was established to promote secular humanism in Ireland; Owen Sheehy-Skeffington helped set it up.

A national Irish organisation for secular humanism, combining ethical discussion and public education with advocacy for church-state separation and practical non-religious ceremonies.

• Ceremonial service

  Humanist wedding ceremonies

  Non-religious wedding and partnership ceremonies led by humanist celebrants. The format can be tailored to the couple’s values, relationship, family, and personal story, without requiring religious readings, declarations, or beliefs.

• Ceremonial service

  Humanist naming and welcome ceremonies

  Humanist alternatives to religious baptism or christening ceremonies. These events provide a non-religious setting for welcoming a child, recognising family and community relationships, and expressing hopes or commitments for the child’s life.

• Ceremonial service

  Humanist funerals and memorial ceremonies

  Non-religious funeral or memorial services centred on the life, character, relationships, and memories of the deceased. Humanist celebrants help families create ceremonies that do not depend on supernatural beliefs or formal religious liturgy.

• Public education

  Darwin Day lecture

  An annual public lecture, usually hosted at Trinity College Dublin, marking Darwin Day and addressing themes connected with evolution, science, humanism, and critical inquiry.

• Community and education

  Public meetings

  Regular meetings that provide opportunities to discuss humanism, ethics, secularism, science, education, religion, and related social or political questions.

• 2009DART religious-oaths campaign

  Ireland · Dublin

  HAI used advertising on Dublin’s DART railway network to challenge religious oaths associated with the offices of Irish judges and presidents.

  Outcome. The campaign raised public visibility for HAI’s position that state offices should be religiously neutral; a specific policy outcome is not stated in the supplied sources.

  Source

• 2010

  Opposition to the “Goodness me, Goodness you” pilot programmeStrategy

  Background

  HAI objected to a pilot programme that it understood as separating children into believer and non-believer categories at an early age.

  Action taken

  The association publicly argued that faith classes should take place outside school hours rather than being delivered through a system that distinguished pupils by belief.

  Aftermath

  The supplied source records the association’s objection but does not establish the programme’s subsequent policy outcome.

  Source

1. 1Humanist Association of Irelanden.wikipedia.org
2. 2Humanist Association of Ireland official websitehumanism.ie