Dublinsideout
By: Kim en Veerle
Practical information
Dublin is the capital and largest city of Ireland. Dublin is in the province of Leinster on Ireland's east coast close at the River Liffey. The city has an population of 1,110,627 people. Dublin has a surface of 114.99 km2.
Nightclubs and Pubs
Dublin is one of Europe's most youthful cities. There are many pubs across the city centre, with the area around St. Stephen's Green and Grafton Street and especially Harcourt Street, Camden Street, Wexford Street and Leeson Street witch havethe most popular nightclubs and pubs.
Shops
Dublin is a popular shopping place for locals and tourists. The city has a lot of shopping districts especially around Grafton Street and Henry Street. The city centre is also the location of large department stores like Arnotts, Brown Thomas and Clerys.
Media
Dublin is the centre of media and communication in Ireland, it has a lot of newspapers, radio stations, television stations and telephone companies.
Tourist information
Top 10 visiting places
1. Guinness Store House
The Guinness Storehouse is a big building with seven floors. Along each floor, you get to see how Guinness is made.
2. Kilmainham Gaol
Kilmainham Gaol tells part of the history of Ireland. The leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising were executed here and a few Irish leaders were imprisoned here.
3. Trinity College Dublin
The Trinity College is best known for the Book of Kells but the Long Room is also a great place to visit. The college is full with history and you can have a tour.
4. Phoenix Park
This park is the largest park in Europe. It's more than twice the size of New York’s Central Park and in the park is Dublin's zoo.
5. National Gallery of Ireland
The entrance to this museum is free. And there are 2,500 paintings and 10,000 other works.
6. Leinster House
The Irish parlement lies here and it's a beautiful building full of history. You can have a tour here but you have to arrange in advance.
7. Croke Park
This is the the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). It's also the fourth largest sports stadium in Europe. There's a museum and you can have a tour of the stadium.
8. St. Patrick’s Cathedral
This's Ireland’s largest church and Jonathan Swift, the author of “Gulliver’s Travels” is buried here. There're also concerts here regularly.
9. Dublin Castle
The Dublin Castle was the seat of British rule in Ireland, and now it's a Irish government complex. The best thing in the Dublin Castle is the Chester Beatty Library. Dublin Castle also has a police museum.
10. Christ Church Cathedral
This is one of Dublin’s oldest buildings and has various rare manuscripts, historic artifacts and gold and silverware.
Here's a video of the top ten visiting places.
Best hotels in Dublin
1. Conrad Dublin
It's a 5 star hotel. Each room is very big and very chique. You have a fitniss centrum, boutique's, restaurant, free wifi, pool, hairdresser and more.
2. Dylan Hotel Dublin
It's a 5 star hotel. The rooms a very big and antique and made in a victorian style. There's is a lot of street entertainment near the hotel.
Hystory
People think Dublin started as a Viking settlement called Duiblinn. In the beginning of the 9th and 10th century there were two settlements, the Viking settlementcalled Dyflin witch came from the Irish name Duiblinn. And a Gaelic settlement called Áth Cliath. These two settlements are now modern city's in Ireland.
Dublin became the centre of the English power in 1169 till 1171 after a Norman invasion. On 15 May 1192 Dublin's first written Charter of Liberties was aproved by John, Lord of Ireland. On 15 June 1229 his son Henry gave the citizens the right to choose a Mayor. By 1400 many of the Norman poeple were taken into the Irish culture and speaking Irish. But there were still Norman who didn't go with the culture and language and were called The pale.
Recent news
Gay marriage
Ireland has voted to legalise same-sex marriage and is the first country in the world to do that by voting. Out of 3 million people, 1,201,607 people said yes to gay marriage and 734,300 people said no. So 62% voted for yes and 38% voted for no. When the results were know there was a huge street party around the gay district.
Literary items
Jonathan Swift
Johnathan Swift was born on 30 november in 1667 and he died on 19 oktober in 1745. Jonathan Swift is a writer and he is famous for writing the Gulivar’s Travels and dean of the famous St Patricks Cathedral.
James Joyce
James Joyce is a writer and was born on 2 februari in 1882 and died on 13 januari in 1941. He's seen as one of the most inportant writers in the 20e century. His most famous work is his roman Ulysses.
Bram Stoker
He was born on November 8 in 1847 and he died on April 20 in 1912. Bram Stoker is a Irish writer and famous for writing Dracula.