Dublin: An Introduction

Situated on the East Coast of Ireland in Dublin Bay on the Irish Sea, Dublin is the capital of Ireland. The River Liffey with flows through Dublin City Center originates in the Wicklow Mountains and is a very important as a drainage system.

The history of Dublin dates back 1000 years with the formation of Dubh Linn (Black Pool) by Vikings. Until the middle of the 17th Century Dublin remained a small town. During the 18th century Dublin grew rapidly as part of the Pale (a thin strip of land along the east coast of Ireland which was settled by England.) The great Georgian buildings are part of Dublin today were built during this period.

Economically Dublin has always been important with Ireland's largest port. Today Dublin is Ireland's largest commercial center. Among the most important industries are tourism and shopping.

Culturally, Dublin has always had strong traditions with many prominent literary figures having lived in Dublin. Among the most famous are William Butler Yeats, George Bernard Shaw and Samuel Becket. The Abbey Theatre on Abbey Street in Dublin City Center was initially established by William Butler Yeats.

If you visit Dublin among the attractions you can expect to enjoy include: The Spire, The National Gallery of Ireland, Grafton Street, St. Stephens Green and many others.

You can rent a car from e Car Rental Ireland from our Dublin City Center offices on Lombard Street. For information about other tourist attractions in Ireland please see our about Ireland page. If you have any questions about this page or any of the services we offer please do not hesitate to contact us by email. This section about Ireland also has information about the following towns and cities: Dublin, Cork, Galway, Waterford, Limerick, The Main Irish Towns, Killarney, Belfast, Kilkenny and Kinsale.