The official date of the founding of Dublin is the year 988 as a Viking settlement. There is, however, evidence of habitation dating back to the 2nd Century. The town changed several times between the Danes and the rebellious Irish before the Danes were expelled by Henry II, King of England. Dublin remained a small, medieval town until the 17th Century when Oliver Cromwell took the city and it became a magnet for Protestant settlers from all over Europe. Dublin enjoyed immense growth in the 18th Century until it became the second city (after London) of the British Empire.

The Act of Union in 1800 diminished the influence of Dublin to a great extent, which it did not regain until Irish Independence in 1922. Dublin was the scene of some of the most intense fighting of the 1916 Rebellion and the revolution of 1919 to 1921. Today it is the cultural, political, and economic center of the Irish Republic.

Dublin Castle

Dublin Castle was built on the site of an old Anglo-Norman fortress by order of the English King John. The Record Tower, built on the foundation of an older Viking fortress, is all that remains of the older fortress.

Dublin Castle served as the center of English rule and was the residence of the British Viceroys. The castle is now used by the Irish government for such state occasions as the inauguration of the Irish President.

One can visit the Castle and wonder about the gardens. A hired tour guide will show a visitor such places as the Garda Police Museum, the Chapel Royal, the undercroft, and the state apartments. One of the highlights of the tour is St. Patrick’s Hall, where the Irish Presidents are inaugurated, with it’s painting ceilings and Waterford crystal chandeliers.