City of Dublin
The city of Dublin displays countless reminders of a tumultuous history rich in conflict, violence and rebellion, as well as modern economic progress and remarkable artistic and literary achievement.
Dublin had its origins in the first part of the 9th century, when it became the first substantial Viking settlement beyond the boundaries of Scandinavia. Although evidence of civilization in the area extends as far back as 7500 B.C., true expansion is credited to the invaders from the north.
The Celts moved into the area circa 700 B.C. and welcomed St Patrick and the arrival of Christianity in AD 432. The St. Patrick’s Cathedral visible today was erected in 1192 on the site where Ireland’s most famous patriarch is said to have baptized more than a few converts upon his arrival.
The original settlement that later developed into Dublin City was located at the junction of four main roads and served as the singular crossing of the River Liffey from its north shore. At Cliath was its Gaelic name, and it suffered a brutal invasion of the Vikings, who remained in the area from 841 to 902.
The Viking absence was short-lived, however, and they returned in 917 to erect a fortified town on the spot where the Rivers Liffey and Poddle meet to create a ‘black pool”, referred to by the invaders as Dyfflin or Dubh Linn.
After more than a century of blending with the Celts through marriage and community, the Vikings were finally defeated by Irish High King Brian Boru in 1014.
During the period of Anglo-Norman control, Dublin expanded and grew more prosperous. The foundations of Dublin Castle were built in 1205, and St. Patrick’s Church became a cathedral later in the decade. The population had increased nearly to the point of overcrowding when the Black Death arrived in 1348.
Subsequent attempts to gain independence from Britain by blended Anglo-Norman and Irish dynasties were easily quashed. Then King Henry VIII passed the Act of Supremacy in 1541 and became King of Ireland as well as head of the Church. Monasteries were disbanded and Protestantism came to Ireland following the Reformation separation from the leadership of Rome.
Queen Elizabeth I left her unique imprint on Ireland, and specifically Dublin, by founding Trinity College in 1592 on the site of a former monastery. Its mission, which it achieved successfully, was to become a Protestant Center of higher learning.
The passage of the Penal Laws (1695) did not make it unlawful to practice Roman Catholicism in Ireland, but barred Catholics from holding most government offices, practicing law, or serving in the military.
Later, the Georgian Era witnessed the completion of some of Dublin’s most awe-inspiring structures. Renowned architect James Gandon designed the Customs House in 1791 and the Four Courts (1786-1802). The advancement of commerce and development of urban planning produced institutions like the Grand Canal and Ireland’s most famous corporate entity, the Guiness Brewery, in 1759.
In 1782, the Irish parliament passed a Declaration of Rights that sought independence for Ireland and returned some of the freedoms to Catholics that had been denied by the Penal Laws.
A series of struggles for independence were unsuccessful, and concern for independence was eclipsed by the concerns of the Potato Famine in the century that followed. Half of the population was decimated, and grain distribution policies that allowed thousands to die of starvation fueled the movement toward Home Rule by 1900.
Daniel O’Connell, a Catholic lawyer who became Dublin’s first catholic mayor, was instrumental in the passage of the Emancipation Act of 1829, and known as the “Liberator” because of his efforts on behalf of all Irish Catholics.
World War I delayed the implementation of Home Rule in Ireland, but the Easter Rising of Easter Monday in 1916 pushed the British rulers to the limits of their patience and the leaders of the rising are known as some of the most beloved martyrs in the history of the country. More than 300 citizens were killed in the Easter Rising, which took place in the center of Dublin at the General Post Office on O’Connell Street and the surrounding area.
The following years concentrated Irish history in Dublin, notably through the Civil War. The Sinn Fein party increased in power, and urban guerilla warfare became commonplace under the leadership of Michael Collins and the Irish Volunteers. There was instigation and retaliation, resulting in the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty, which reserved six Ulster counties from the free state and forced them to swear allegiance to the British monarchy.
In 1949, the Republic of Ireland was formed, and the City of Dublin remained mostly isolated from the political problems of Northern Ireland, aside from bombings and retaliations in 1966 and 1972.
The long and turbulent history of the city of Dublin is told by its attractions and places of interest, the artwork and exhibits in its galleries and museums. Dublin was declared European City of Culture in 1991, and has since experienced a surge of development and economic prosperity known as the Celtic Tiger. A wide range of activities and attractions bring millions of tourists to this lively cosmopolitan center every year.