🇮🇪 Dublin · Dublino

Dublin (Irish: Baile Átha Cliath, "Town of the Hurdled Ford") is the capital city of Ireland. Its vibrancy, nightlife and tourist attractions are world renowned and it's the most popular entry point for international visitors to Ireland. As a city, it is disproportionately large for the size of the country with a population of over 2 million in the Greater Dublin Region (2022); nearly half of the Republic's population lives in this metropolitan area. The central sights can be navigated by foot, with a few outlying sights, and suburbs sprawling out for miles. The climate is mild, making Dublin a year-round destination. It's seldom freezing in winter, cool in summer and frequently has light showers. For more information, see County Dublin weather chart. Dublin is in a low-lying, fertile area, not boggy by Irish standards, and with good sea access. It became the core of the Gaelic kingdom of Leinster, and the Vikings established a large settlement by what is now Dublin castle, until ejected by Brian Boru at the Battle of Clontarf in 1014. This set a pattern that Dublin was fought for, not fought in. The Normans colonised the southwest and Leinster from the 12th century, and further out they battled with the Gaels, but Dublin sat snug within the "Pale" — the defensive palisade. Similarly with the Tudor conquests; then the city fell swiftly to Cromwell so his atrocities were elsewhere, and King William marched in unopposed after the Battle of the Boyne. 18th century Dublin was the second largest city in the British Isles, with a tight little Protestant clique ruling the place to London's liking. Industry and culture flourished, and the city acquired its graceful Georgian streets and squares, but Ireland was ruled as a colony. Britain's other colonies watched with great interest as the independence movement gathered pace. "The Troubles" of the late 19th and early 20th century involved ethnic conflicts, paramilitary gangs, and savage reprisals by the authorities. The outbreak of the First World War seemed to put a brake on this, with tens of thousands of Irishmen marching away to France and Flanders. Surely one big push on the Somme would win this war - but while the generals were planning this, armed insurrection broke out at Easter 1916. The rebels seized the central Post Office on O'Connell Street, read their proclamation of independence, then were bombarded until they surrendered. Initially they attracted little sympathy or support, especially as they were backed by arch-foe Germany, but the authorities snatched defeat from a quick win by the subsequent court-martials and executions by firing squad. Hundreds were arrested and 15 were shot. This and atrocities such as the Croke Park massacre were fatal to the legitimacy of British rule.