Quarterly GDP for Ireland since 1950

We construct estimates of quarterly
GDP (and GNP) for
Ireland from 1950, linking to official data from 1995 onward, using a novel
factor-augmented Chow-Lin interpolation. Compared to the only alternative
series (OECD, 2025), our estimates exploit the variation in a large number of
official quarterly economic data and
are broadly consistent with contemporary reports. Our series
permits a more granular identification of turning points in the Irish economy than
was previously possible. The frequency and magnitude of quarterly contractions
in the 1950s and 1980s dwarfed those of other decades resulting in lower
average growth rates. In contrast, the 1990s are confirmed as a decisive period
of higher growth and rapid convergence.