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'We’re open to everyone'- Amish in Ireland accepting new members

James Wilson
James Wilson

21.16 9 Jan 2025


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'We’re open to everyone'- Amis...

'We’re open to everyone'- Amish in Ireland accepting new members

James Wilson
James Wilson

21.16 9 Jan 2025


Share this article


Anyone is welcome to join a small but thriving community of Amish people living in Dunmore East. 

The Amish are primarily associated with the United States but there are currently 15 families living and worshiping together in the Waterford town. 

On Lunchtime Live, Amish man Daniel Yoder said the community of around 100 is very welcoming and would be delighted if more people joined them. 

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“We have members from a variety of nationalities and backgrounds in our church here,” he said. 

“It certainly doesn’t matter where you’re from, what your race or nationality is. We’re open to everyone.” 

Mr Yoder said the Amish community in Dunmore East is tight knit and centred around their local church. 

However, people are also allowed to live independent lives and work in a variety of different jobs. 

“Community is sometimes misunderstood as being a commune where we’re all in one large property or have all our meals together,” he said. 

“It’s not that way - it’s primarily a church but we’re a church community and we do more things together than most churches would. 

“We’ll have communal meals together several times a month where we all come together for one meal.” 

Dunmore East in the summer. Picture by: WikiCommons.

Mr Yoder said the Amish are a “traditional Christian denomination” and many of their beliefs would be familiar to other people who believe in the “God of the Bible”. 

“We have a lot of similarities to a Baptist Church and some similarities to Protestant and Catholic Churches but we consider ourselves neither Catholic or Protestant,” he explained. 

“If you go back to the history, it developed out of the Reformation in the 1500s but went on to back away from some of the things that Protestant Churches would believe and teach today.

“It would have a lot in common with the way the Catholic Church was maybe 100-years ago - a lot of emphasis on family and so on.” 

'Necessary for living and business'

Stereotypically, the Amish shun modern technology but in Dunmore East the community use electricity, cars, phones, internet - all of which they feel, on balance, benefit society. 

“We would not have a television or radio used in our homes,” he said. 

“We try to use technology that is necessary for living and business and so on. 

“When it’s primarily for entertainment, then we say no, we’d prefer not to take part in that.” 

In North America, there are thought to be some 400,000 Amish people.

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Main image: A group of Amish women. Picture by: Alamy.com 


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