This has NEVER been a "Christian nation". The more country tries to be one, the less successful it has been for it people. Ireland, from its independence from the UK until around 1980, was dominated by the Roman Catholic Church, and was very poor and education was concentrated on teaching the doctrines of the Church and the Irish language. Then the Church was overthrown with the elimination of the sale of birth control pills and devices, and less dogmatic leaders.
Now Ireland is quite prosperous.
