Dublin, the capital of the Republic of Ireland, is on Ireland’s east coast at the mouth of the River Liffey. Its historic buildings include Dublin Castle, dating to the 13th century, and imposing St Patrick’s Cathedral, founded in 1191. City parks include landscaped St Stephen’s Green and huge Phoenix Park, containing Dublin Zoo. The National Museum of Ireland explores Irish heritage and culture. Dublin is the capital city of the Republic of Ireland and the largest city of the country, and its population is around 553,165 inhabitants. The city is located near the midpoint of Ireland’s east coast, at the mouth of the River Liffey and encompasses a land area of approximately 115 square kilometres (44 sq. mi).
Historical, Cultural facts & Religion
Dublin was founded by the Vikings. They founded a new town on the south bank of the Liffey in 841. It was called Dubh Linn, which means black pool. The new town of Dublin was fortified with a ditch and an earth rampart with a wooden palisade on top. The culture of Ireland includes language, literature, music, art, folklore, cuisine, and sport associated with Ireland and the Irish people. For most of its recorded history, Irish culture has been primarily Gaelic (see Gaelic Ireland). The predominant religion in the Republic of Ireland is Christianity, with the largest church being the Catholic Church. The Constitution of Ireland says that the state may not endorse any particular religion and guarantees freedom of religion.
Brief City History
Dublin was founded by the Vikings. They founded a new town on the south bank of the Liffey in 841. It was called Dubh Linn, which means black pool. The new town of Dublin was fortified with a ditch and an earth rampart with a wooden palisade on top. In the late 11th stone walls were built around Dublin. The Danes also erected an artificial hill where the men of Dublin met to make laws and discuss policy. In Viking Dublin living conditions were primitive. The houses were wooden huts with thatched roofs. None of them had chimneys or glass windows. In Dublin, there were craftsmen like blacksmiths and carpenters, jewelers and leather workers. Other craftsmen made things like combs from bone or deer antlers. There was also a wool weaving industry. In Dublin, there was also a slave trade. The Danes were slowly converted to Christianity and the first Bishop of Dublin was appointed in 1028. In his time the first Christchurch Cathedral was built. In the wars between Irishmen and Vikings, the little town of Dublin was sacked several times. Yet each time it recovered. Dublin soon grew to be the largest and most important town in Ireland. It may have had a population of 4,000 in the 11th century. That seems very small to us but it was a large town by the standards of the time when settlements were very small. By the late 11th century there was a suburb of Dublin north of the Liffey. In those days the people of Dublin traded with the English towns of Chester and Bristol.
In 1166, MacMurrough, King of Leinster was forced to leave his kingdom and flee abroad, In 1169 he enlisted the help of a Norman, The Earl of Pembroke, known as Strongbow, and they invaded Ireland. When the Norman army approached Dublin the Archbishop was sent out to negotiate. But while the leaders talked some Norman soldiers took matters into their own hands and broke through the defenses into the town. They set about killing the townspeople. The Viking king and his followers fled by sea. In 1171 Mac Murrough died and Strongbow declared himself King of Leinster. The Viking king returned to Ireland with an army and attempted to recapture Dublin. The Norman army went out to meet them. The Vikings were crushed and their king was captured and executed. The native Irish under their High king O’Connor laid siege to Dublin but the Normans sallied out and routed them. The English king was afraid that Strongbow would become too powerful and might call himself king of Ireland. To prevent that happening the English king came over to Ireland himself. Most of the Irish rulers submitted to him and he became Lord of Ireland. The English king gave Dublin to the merchants of Bristol. It became their colony. Afterward, many people from Bristol and Southwest England came to live in Dublin. For centuries afterward, Dublin was ruled by the English or those of English descent. The Viking inhabitants were afraid of the new English rulers and they moved to the north side of the Liffey. This new suburb became known as Ostmantown (Ostman is an old word for Viking). In time this became corrupted to Oxmantown.
In 1152 the Bishop of Dublin was made an Archbishop. Between 1172 and 1191 the Cathedral of Christchurch was rebuilt. In 1213 the parish Church of St Patrick was also made a cathedral. In 1190 Dublin was devastated by fire (always a hazard when most buildings were made of wood). However, Dublin was soon rebuilt. The Normans built a wooden fortress in Dublin. In the early 13th century it was rebuilt in stone. The English king also rebuilt the walls of Dublin and strengthened them. Furthermore in 1229 Dublin gained its first mayor. Dublin grew rapidly and may have had a population of 8,000 by the 13th century. Wine from France into was imported into Dublin. Iron was also imported, as was pottery. Exports included hides, grain, and pulses. There were weekly markets in Dublin and after 1204 a fair. In the Middle, Ages fairs were like a market but they were held only once a year for a few days and people would come from all over the country to buy and sell there. Wine from France into was imported into Dublin. Iron was also imported, as was pottery. Exports included hides, grain, and pulses. There were weekly markets in Dublin and after 1204 a fair. In the Middle, Ages fairs were like a market but they were held only once a year for a few days and people would come from all over the country to buy and sell there. In 1224 a conduit was built to bring fresh water into Dublin. In the 14th century, the main streets were paved. But like all medieval towns, Dublin was very unsanitary. Every householder was supposed to clean the street in front of their house although it is doubtful if many did! From time to time people were fined for leaving nuisances such as piles of dung outside their houses. In 1305 the town appointed 3 watchmen to patrol the streets at night, although it is doubtful if they were very effective. In 1317 Dublin was besieged by a Scottish army. Following their victory at Bannockburn in 1314, the Scots invaded Ireland. Desperate efforts were made to repair the walls around Dublin and the bridge over the Liffey was destroyed to prevent the Scots from using it. Finally, the authorities set fire to the suburbs of Dublin (in case they provided cover for an advancing army). Unfortunately, the fire got out of hand and destroyed far more buildings than was intended. Shortly afterward the Scots abandoned the siege. In 1537 a rebellion occurred in Dublin. The Lord Deputy of Ireland (The English king’s deputy) was summoned to London. He appointed his son Vice-Deputy to rule in his absence. This young man was Lord Fitzgerald. He heard that his father had been executed and angrily decided to rebel. He walked into the council chamber during a meeting and renounced his loyalty to the English king. He then left Dublin to gather support. In 1317 Dublin was besieged by a Scottish army. Following their victory at Bannockburn in 1314, the Scots invaded Ireland. Desperate efforts were made to repair the walls around Dublin and the bridge over the Liffey was destroyed to prevent the Scots from using it. Finally, the authorities set fire to the suburbs of Dublin (in case they provided cover for an advancing army). Unfortunately, the fire got out of hand and destroyed far more buildings than was intended. Shortly afterward the Scots abandoned the siege. In 1537 a rebellion occurred in Dublin. The Lord Deputy of Ireland (The English king’s deputy) was summoned to London. He appointed his son Vice-Deputy to rule in his absence. This young man was Lord Fitzgerald. He heard that his father had been executed and angrily decided to rebel. He walked into the council chamber during a meeting and renounced his loyalty to the English king. He then left Dublin to gather support. When he returned the Dubliners submitted and let him into the town but soldiers loyal to the king retreated into the castle and shut out the rebels. The rebels then murdered the Archbishop, which was a fatal mistake as it lost the public support. Fitzgerald sent a small number of men to besiege the castle then left Dublin to fight elsewhere. However, the Dubliners turned against him and drove the men besieging the castle out of the town. Later Fitzgerald and his men returned to Dublin but this time they were shut out. They attempted to burn a gate but the Dubliners went out and drove the attackers off. Reinforcements arrived from England and the rebellion collapsed. Fitzgerald was later executed. The Reformation happened peacefully in Dublin. When Henry VIII declared himself head of the church Dubliners actually celebrated. Henry closed the monasteries and nunneries, which caused some resentment but no actual rebellion. Henry also abolished the cult of relics but otherwise made few changes in religion. His son Edward and his daughter Elizabeth introduced more radical reforms but in Dublin and the rest of Ireland, they were mostly ignored. Most people continued to practice the Old Catholic religion.
In the 16th century, Dublin prospered. For the upper and middle classes, there was an impressive rise in living standards. A writer said that they lived in houses ‘so far exceeding their ancestors that they have thought rather be another and new people than descendants of the old’. In the 16th century, chimneys became much more common. So did glass windows. Previously they were a luxury few people could afford. Although conditions improved for the well-off there were many beggars in Dublin. Many of them drifted in from the surrounding countryside. Furthermore, Dublin was still dirty and unsanitary, like all 16th-century towns. And it suffered from outbreaks of plague. One outbreak in 1579 killed thousands. Another tragedy in 1596 when a gunpowder store in Wine tavern Street exploded. More than 120 people were killed.
In 1591 Queen Elizabeth granted a charter for a new university, Trinity College. The first students were admitted in 1594.
Language (s) Written & Spoken
The language spoken in Dublin is English. Street signs and official buildings are signposted in both English and Gaelic, the indigenous Irish language. Despite this, you are highly unlikely to hear any Gaelic spoken on your travels across town.
Important Types of Commerce in Dublin
The main merchandise goods include organic chemicals, medical and pharmaceutical products and computers. The main service industries are pharmaceuticals, chemicals, computer hardware and software, food products, beverages and brewing and medical devices computers and contribute to 29% of GDP.
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