80% of female farmers marry other farmers, data shows

80% of female farmers in Ireland marry other farmers, new figures reveal.

According to data compiled by the Central Statistics Office (CSO), some professions are more conducive than others to people finding partners who share the same occupation.

The CSO looked at information gathered in the 2016 Census and found the proportion of people who marry within their occupation.

Farmers make up the largest single male occupation in the country at almost 33,000, and in line with the data, it can be expected that 4 out of five female farmers will marry a farmer as 80% of women farmers marry those who are in the same line of work.

This was followed by publicans and managers of licensed premises (62%), and Taxi & cab drivers; chauffeurs (58%).

When it comes to men, nursery or nursery assistants was the category with the greatest percentage of marriage with the same occupation at 57%.

This was followed by nurses and midwives (55%), and florists (39%).

There was a particular overlap in three categories, those being dentists, doctors and medical professionals, and publicans and managers of licensed premises.

Other interesting findings from the CSO showed that:

15% of male gardaí married a nurse or a midwife

10% of male gardaí married a garda

11% of female nurses married farmers