Drogheda’s transformation from a historic town to Ireland’s newest city is being captured in striking fashion through a new short film launched today by the Drogheda City Status Group (DCSG).
Shot entirely by drone over recent weeks, the film visually documents the town’s explosive growth and expansion — highlighting dozens of major new housing developments and underscoring the group’s call for official city recognition.
According to DCSG Chairperson Anna McKenna, the latest figures — calculated using Central Statistics Office data — confirm that Drogheda’s urban population has now surpassed 50,000, meeting the European Union’s benchmark for city status.
“Drogheda has already surpassed this population in 2025, six years ahead of predictions,” said McKenna. “By 2031, the city’s population will be well on the way to 60,000.”
When including surrounding areas such as Termonfeckin, Tullyallen, and Donacarney, the Greater Drogheda Area now has a population of roughly 75,000 people — reinforcing its position as the fastest-growing urban area in the Republic of Ireland.
McKenna said the figures clearly show that Drogheda’s population growth has outpaced government and regional projections contained in the Regional Spatial Economic Strategy and Louth County Development Plan, which predicted a population of 50,000 by 2031.
Despite this, the DCSG expressed disappointment that there has been no response from the Taoiseach’s office to its proposal last year for a high-level task force to address Drogheda’s infrastructure needs.
“As our city grows at an enormous rate, we are seeing many new housing developments, but little else in terms of infrastructure, job creation, education, sports, and leisure facilities,” McKenna said. “Our video demonstrates conclusively that Drogheda is ballooning — but the investment to match that growth simply hasn’t arrived.”
The DCSG is calling for immediate government action to officially declare Drogheda a city and to establish a dedicated city administration and budget.
“We’ve heard the words — now we need action,” McKenna added. “We’ve been told by senior Government leaders that Drogheda is a city, but promises of a city manager and proper funding have yet to materialise. Our community deserves the power and resources to plan its own future.”
The film also spotlights key developments such as Boice Court, Bayview Gardens, Bryanstown Wood, Ballymakenny Park, and Beaulieu Banks — all visible evidence of Drogheda’s rapid urban expansion.
McKenna concluded with a clear message to government: “Drogheda is already functioning as a city — economically, socially, and demographically. Now it’s time the State caught up and gave us the authority and investment that reflects that reality. When that happens, the sky will be the limit.”
