The spread of Methodism to Ireland was facilitated by English preachers, and the early Irish adherents were nicknamed 'Swaddlers', after John Cennick delivered a sermon in Dublin on "the babe in swaddling clothes" (Luke 2:12).

Irish Methodism initially exerted the most influence among members of the established Church of Ireland and migrant European minorities, such as Moravians, Palatines and Huguenots.

John Wesley (the founder of Methodism) believed that certain aspects of the Christian Faith required special emphasis.

While now operating under a number of different names, such as Alpha Home groups, prayer triplets, or Bible studies, their essential purpose remains the same: the mutual encouragement and strengthening of church members through close fellowship.

Work carried out by the City Missions includes listening services, homeless help, retirement and nursing homes and various other self-help groups.

The Methodist Church attempts to make a proactive contribution to society as a whole through its Council on Social Responsibility, World Development & Relief Committee and Home missions department.

[21] The amendment stating that "faithfulness in marriage and celibacy outside of it" is "a standard for spiritual leadership and teaching roles" was approved with 56% in favour and 46% opposed.

Methodist College Belfast has made a significant contribution to the life of Ireland and internationally, with some distinguished past pupils including Ernest Walton.

Famous past pupils of Wesley include George Bernard Shaw and Senator Gordon Wilson.

Current members of staff are: Dani Lorimer (Office Administrator), Lisa Best, & Gemma Barclay (Youth Ministry), Amy Anderson (Communications) & Leanne Hill (Training & Development).

Previous members of staff include: Rev Dr Janet Unsworth, Jill McVitty, Kerry Scarlett, Janette McCormick, Nicky Blair and Raymond Ruttle (Children's Ministry) Rev Dr Julian Hamilton & Stephen McCann (Youth Ministry) and Sadie Bamford, Tara Crawford, Sharon Heath, Tina Barnett, Wendy Johnston & Liza Wiseman (Office Administrators).

It offers a year out discipleship and evangelism programme known as Team on Mission (TOM) which is currently in its 31st year, members including Amy McSharry, Sara Fullerton and Aaron Sweeney; TOM succeeded the older programme known as Youth Evangelism Team (YET).

Eric Gallagher was president of the Methodist Church in Ireland and the first Protestant churchman who met with IRA representatives in Feakle, County Clare in the 1970s to try to broker a peace.

He came to national and international prominence with an emotional television interview he gave to the BBC the same evening in which he described his last conversation with his daughter, a nurse, as they both lay buried in rubble.

[30] Wilson declared at the end of his interview that he forgave his daughter's killers and urged loyalist paramilitaries not to take revenge for her death.

[32] In 2005, a former president of the Methodist Church in Ireland, Harold Good, was asked to be an independent witness for the historic decommissioning of IRA arms.

In 1998 The Methodist Church in Ireland embarked on a period of reflection on its position within Irish Society which it called 'Dreaming Dreams'.

The Methodist Church hopes that this plan when fully implemented will put the entire connexion in a strong position for regrowth and redevelopment in the 21st Century whilst holding fast to the emphasises of the Wesleyan tradition on which it was formed.