『더블린 사람들』에서 제임스 조이스는 아일랜드 가톨릭교 신부들을 이득을 위해 자신들의 영혼을 팔아 아일랜드 국민들을 배반한 유다와 같은 존재로 묘사한다. 작품의 각 중단편의 에피소드를 통해 조이스는 가톨릭교회에 대해 부정적인 시선을 던진다. 그는 아일랜드 가톨릭교회가 맹목적인 순종과 그 권력에 절대 복종하도록 강요한다고 생각했다. 그렇지만 작품에 묘사되고 있는 신부들의 모습은 대체로 무능하며 성직자로서의 역할도 제대로 하지 못한다. 이런 이유로 그는 거짓된 권위와 물질주의에 집착하는 가톨릭교를 거부하게 된다. 그럼에도 불구하고 가톨릭교회를 바라보는 그의 마음은 복잡한데, 그것은 그가 가톨릭교회를 거부하긴 했지만 그 제도나 형식을 거부하지는 않았다. 실제로 그는 예수회재단 가톨릭교회의 제도나 교리 등을 작품창작에 적극 활용했다. 그러나 그는 근본적으로는 가톨릭교회나 신부들이 과거의 잘못에서 벗어나 변화되고 새롭게 태어나야 한다고 주장한다.

Republic of Ireland is called a 'saint's country' since more than 90% of population believe in Catholicism. The Irish Catholicism had a great influence on the Irish society and culture by offering the hierarchical order to Irish people's way of life. And also, Catholicism had been a symbol of nationalism and played the role to confirm a sense of national identity. It is also true that since Free State Ireland, Catholicism with the word 'Gaelic' has contributed to making the national identity or 'racy Irish atmosphere'. However, the Irish Church of the 20th century was dedicated neither to spirituality nor the intellectual enhancement of the faith, but to material and social advantage. At the first stage of his writing, Yeats tries to consider Irish Catholicism as holy, combining it with mysticism of theosophy. And also he uses it to strengthen nationalism. However, Catholicism of that time, unlike what Yeats thought, sticks to the practical line, which makes Yeats criticize its materialistic ends. Meanwhile, talking about Heaney, although he accepts its values of contributing to the communal union and he himself is a serious devotee to pilgrimage going to Lough Derg or Station Ireland. Heaney feels at ease because of Catholic's fanaticism and oppression imposed on individuals. The final conclusion of this paper is that although these two poets, Yeats and Heaney, accept that Irish Catholicism has contributed to inspiration of the national patriotism and promoted the modernization of independent Ireland, they criticizes that Irish Catholicism is lacking its artistic spirituality and that it is a trap from which artists are to escape.