   #copyright

Dublin

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: European Geography

   Dublin
   Baile Átha Cliath
                Coat of arms of Dublin
           Obedientia Civium Urbis Felicitas
   (Latin for "Happy the city where citizens obey")
   Location

   Location of Dublin
   Map highlighting Dublin

                         WGS-84 ( GPS) Coordinates:
                           53.3472° N 6.2592° W

   Statistics
       Province:     Leinster
        County:      ' Dublin Region'
         Area:       114.99 km²
   Population (2006) 505,739
   Website: www.dublincity.ie
   Dublin
   Dublin city location

   Dublin ( Irish: Baile Átha Cliath) is the capital and the largest city
   of the Republic of Ireland, located near the midpoint of Ireland's east
   coast, at the mouth of the River Liffey and forms the centre of the
   Dublin Region. Originally founded as a centre of Viking settlement, the
   city has been Ireland's capital city since mediæval times.

   Dublin City is the entire area administered by Dublin City Council.
   However, when most people talk about 'Dublin', they also refer to the
   contiguous suburban areas that run into the adjacent counties of Dun
   Laoghaire-Rathdown, Fingal and South Dublin. This area is sometimes
   known as 'Urban Dublin' or the ' Dublin Metropolitan Area'.

   The population within the city (i.e. the administrative area controlled
   by Dublin City Council) was 505,739 at the census of 2006. Beyond this,
   at the same census the Dublin Region population was 1,186,159, whilst
   the Greater Dublin Area had a figure of 1,661,185.

   A person from Dublin is known as a Dubliner or colloquially as a Dub.
   They can also be mildly pejoratively called a Jackeen by other Irish
   people. In a 2003 survey, Dublin was found to be the best capital city
   in Europe to live in, and the Republic of Ireland was also the best
   country to live in.

Name

   Aerial view of Dublin near O'Connell Street.
   Enlarge
   Aerial view of Dublin near O'Connell Street.

   The name Dublin is an anglicism of 'Dubh Linn' (Irish, meaning 'black
   pool'), though some doubt this derivation. Historically, in the old
   script used for the Irish language, 'bh' was written with a dot placed
   over the 'b' — thus appearing to be 'Dub Linn' or 'Dublinn'. The
   Norman-speaking English who arrived in Irish-speaking Ireland, omitted
   the 'dot' (or buailte in Irish), and spelled the town's name variously
   as 'Develyn' or 'Dublin'.

   Meanwhile, the city's name in Modern Irish — 'Baile Átha Cliath' ('The
   Town of the Ford of the Reed Hurdles') — actually refers to the
   settlement, founded in 988 by High King Mael Sechnaill II, which
   adjoined the town of Dubh Linn proper, at the Black Pool.

   Some sources have suggested that 'Dublin' is of Scandinavian origin,
   cf. Icelandic: 'djúp lind' ('deep pond'). However, the name 'Dubh Linn'
   pre-dates the arrival of the Vikings in Ireland, and the Old Norse (and
   modern Icelandic) name for Dublin is simply the words 'Dubh Linn'
   re-spelled as if they were Old Norse: 'Dyflinn' (correctly pronounced
   "Duev-linn" — indeed, the letter 'y' is still pronounced like the vowel
   in 'ewe' in Modern Norwegian, Swedish, etc., just as it was in Old
   Norse; Icelandic, while keeping the spelling, has changed this sound to
   /i/).

History

   The earliest reference to Dublin is in the writings of Ptolemy, the
   Greek astronomer and cartographer, around the year A.D. 140, who called
   it Eblana Civitas. The settlement 'Dubh Linn' dates perhaps as far back
   as the first century BC; 'Baile Átha Cliath' or simply 'Áth Cliath' was
   founded in 988, and the two towns eventually became one.

   The modern city retains the Anglicised Irish name of the former and the
   original Irish name of the latter. After the Norman invasion of
   Ireland, Dublin became Ireland's capital, with much of the power
   centring on Dublin Castle until independence. From the 14th to late
   16th centuries, Dublin and the surrounding area - known as the Pale -
   was the largest area of Ireland under government control.
   Dublin CastleSeat of the Lord Lieutenant and his court until 1922
   Enlarge
   Dublin Castle
   Seat of the Lord Lieutenant and his court until 1922

   From the 17th century the city expanded rapidly, helped by the Wide
   Streets Commission. Georgian Dublin was, for a time, the second city of
   the British Empire after London. Much of Dublin's most notable
   architecture dates from this time. The Easter Rising of 1916 left the
   capital in an unstable situation and the Anglo-Irish War and Irish
   Civil War left the capital in ruins, with many of its finest buildings
   destroyed. The Irish Free State rebuilt much of the city's buildings
   and moved parliament to Leinster House, but took no bold tasks such as
   remodelling. After The Emergency (World War II), Dublin remained a
   capital out of time, modernisation was slow and finally the 1960s saw
   change begin. In recent years the infrastructure of Dublin has changed
   immensely, with enormous private and state development of housing,
   transport, and business. (See also Development and Preservation in
   Dublin). Some well-known Dublin street corners are still named for the
   pub or business which used to occupy the site before closure or
   redevelopment.

   Since the beginning of English rule in the 12th century, the city has
   served as the capital of the island of Ireland in the varying
   geopolitical entities:
     * the Lordship of Ireland ( 1171– 1541)
     * the Kingdom of Ireland ( 1541– 1800)
     * the island as part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
       Ireland ( 1801– 1922)
     * the Irish Republic ( 1919– 1922)

   From 1922, following the partition of Ireland, it served as the capital
   of the Irish Free State ( 1922– 1937) and now as the capital of the
   Republic of Ireland. (Many of these states co-existed or competed
   within the same timeframe as rivals within either British or Irish
   constitutional theory.)

Climate

   Average temperature (red) and precipitations (blue) in Dublin
   Enlarge
   Average temperature (red) and precipitations (blue) in Dublin

   Dublin enjoys a maritime temperate climate characterised by mild
   winters, cool summers, and a lack of temperature extremes. Contrary to
   popular belief, Dublin does not experience as high rainfall as the West
   of Ireland, which receives twice that of the capital city. Dublin has
   fewer rainy days, on average, than London. The average maximum January
   temperature is 8°C (46°F), the average maximum July temperature is 20°C
   (68°F). The sunniest months, on average, are May and June, with 6 hours
   of sunlight daily (though actual daylight in these months is a lot
   more). The wettest months, on average, are December and August, with 74
   mm (2.9 inches) of rain. The driest month is April, with 45 mm (1.7
   inches) of rain. The total average annual rainfall (and other forms of
   precipitation) is 762 mm (29.5 inches), this is lower than the average
   rainfall in Sydney, New York City and even Dallas. Due to Dublin's high
   latitude, it experiences long summer days (around 19 hours of daylight)
   and short winter days (as short as 9 hours of daylight). Dublin, like
   the rest of Ireland, is relatively safe from common natural disasters
   (tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, tidal waves/tsunamis etc).

   Strong winds from Atlantic storm systems can affect Dublin, though
   usually less severe than other parts of Ireland. Severe winds are most
   likely during mid-winter, but can occur anytime, especially between
   October and February inclusive. During one of the stormiest periods of
   recent times, a gust of 151 km/hr (94 mph) was recorded at Casement
   Aerodrome on 24 December 1997.

   Dublin has a microclimate, which makes the city a few degrees warmer
   than surrounding areas. There is also a slight temperature difference
   between the city centre and the city's suburbs, with the city centre
   slightly warmer, as it is more built up. There are even slight
   differences between the city centre and the Airport, just 12 kilometres
   north.

   The city is not noted for its temperature extremes due to its mild
   climate. The lowest recorded temperature was −12°C (10.4°F). The other
   extreme was 31°C (88°F), being the highest recorded. The main
   precipitation in winter is rain. The city can experience some snow
   showers during the months of November–April inclusive, but lying snow
   is rare (on average, only 4/5 days of the year). Hail occurs more often
   than snow, and is most likely during the winter/spring months. Another
   rare type of weather is thunder and lightning, which is most common
   around the summer months. Typically, the coldest months in Dublin are
   December, January and February. However, temperatures in Summer in
   recent years have been rising to substantially above average figures
   (e.g. 31°C/88°F recorded in July 2006, over 11°C higher than the
   maximum average for that month), especially during heat waves in 2003
   and 2006.
   Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
   Average high 8^°C (46^°F) 8^°C (46^°F) 10^°C (50^°F) 13^°C (55^°F)
   15^°C (59^°F) 18^°C (64^°F) 20^°C (68^°F) 19^°C (66^°F) 17^°C (63^°F)
   14^°C (57^°F) 10^°C (50^°F) 8^°C (46^°F) 13^°C (55^°F)
   Average low 1^°C (34^°F) 2^°C (36^°F) 3^°C (37^°F) 4^°C (39^°F) 6^°C
   (43^°F) 9^°C (48^°F) 11^°C (52^°F) 11^°C (52^°F) 9^°C (48^°F) 6^°C
   (43^°F) 4^°C (39^°F) 3^°C (37^°F) 6^°C (43^°F)
   Total rainfall 67mm (2.6") 55mm (2.1") 51mm (2") 45mm (1.7") 60mm
   (2.3") 57mm (2.2") 70mm (2.7") 74mm (2.9") 72mm (2.8") 70mm (2.7") 67mm
   (2.6") 74mm (2.9") 762mm (29.5")

Culture

General situation

   Dublin is a major European cultural centre and the origin of many
   prominent literary figures including Jonathan Swift, Bram Stoker, Oscar
   Wilde, William Butler Yeats, James Joyce, J.M. Synge, George Bernard
   Shaw, Seán O'Casey, Samuel Beckett, Brendan Behan, and Roddy Doyle.
   Dubliners is a collection of short stories by James Joyce about
   incidents and characters typical of residents of the city in the early
   part of the 20th century. Ulysses, also by Joyce, is a novel set in
   Dublin, full of topographical detail and is both acclaimed and
   controversial.

   The National Print Museum of Ireland, the Irish Museum of Modern Art,
   both the National Gallery and the National Library of Ireland, the Hugh
   Lane Municipal Gallery, the Chester Beatty Library and three centres of
   the National Museum of Ireland are located in Dublin.

   While there are a number of galleries and art centres located in the
   city centre, such as The City Arts Centre, Four, The Douglas Hyde
   Gallery, The Project Arts Centre and The Royal Hibernian Academy.

   Temple Bar is a popular night life location and attracts many people
   from Great Britain and beyond for weekend visits.

   The city is one of the most youthful in the world — an estimated 50% of
   inhabitants are younger than 25.

Multicultural Dublin

   Despite having a long tradition of emigration that continued up until
   the early 1990s, Dublin now has a sizeable number of immigrants
   especially from Poland, China, the United Kingdom, Nigeria and Romania.
   There are also considerable numbers from fellow E.U. member states, the
   United States, Australia, New Zealand, and Russia, while over the last
   decade a large number of Irish who previously emigrated, have returned
   to settle in the city.

Education

   Henrietta StreetA streetscape in Georgian Dublin
   Enlarge
   Henrietta Street
   A streetscape in Georgian Dublin
   Front Square and Campanile, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland [1]
   Enlarge
   Front Square and Campanile, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland

   Dublin is the primary centre of education in Ireland, with three
   universities and several other higher education institutions.
   Altogether, there are twenty third-level institutes in the city. The
   University of Dublin is the oldest university in Ireland dating from
   the 16th Century. Its sole constituent college, Trinity College, was
   established by Royal Charter under Elizabeth I and was closed to Roman
   Catholics until Catholic Emancipation; the Catholic hierarchy then
   banned Roman Catholics from attending it until 1970. The National
   University of Ireland has its seat in Dublin which is also the location
   of the associated constituent university of University College Dublin
   (UCD), the largest university in Ireland; although it is located in Dun
   Laoghaire-Rathdown, just outside the city of Dublin boundary. Dublin
   City University (DCU) is the most recent university created in Dublin
   and specialises in business, engineering, and science courses,
   particularly with relevance to industry. The Royal College of Surgeons
   in Ireland (RCSI) is an independent medical school located on St.
   Stephen's Green in the city centre. The National University of Ireland,
   Maynooth, another constituent university of the NUI, is located in
   neighbouring Co. Kildare, about 25 km from Dublin's city centre.

   Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) is a modern technical college and
   is the country's largest non-university third level institution; it
   specialises in technical subjects but also offers many arts and
   humanities courses. It is soon to move to a new campus at Grangegorman.
   Two suburbs of Dublin, Tallaght and Blanchardstown have respective
   Institutes of Technology ( Institute of Technology, Tallaght) (
   Institute of Technology, Blanchardstown). The National College of Art
   and Design (NCAD) and Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and
   Technology (DLIADT) support training and research in art, design and
   media technology.

   There are also various other smaller specialised colleges, including
   private ones, in the city. Examples include The Gaiety School of Acting
   which hosts a two year intensive degree in acting, and Griffith College
   Dublin, which is the largest independent institute of third level
   education in the country, and located in the old Griffith Barracks.

Exhibitions

     * 1853 — Great Industrial Exhibition (1853)
     * 1865 — International Exhibition of Arts and Manufactures (1865)
     * 1874 — International Exhibition of Arts and Manufactures (1874)

Northside and Southside

   The River Liffey divides the city
   Enlarge
   The River Liffey divides the city

   Traditionally, a north south division has existed in Dublin with the
   dividing line provided by the River Liffey. The Northside is seen by
   some as working-class, while the Southside is seen as middle and upper
   middle class. Dublin postal districts reflect the North/South divide,
   with odd numbers being used for districts on the Northside, e.g:
   Phibsboro is in Dublin 7, and even numbers for ones on the Southside,
   e.g: Sandymount is in Dublin 4.

   This division dates back centuries, certainly to the point when the
   Earl of Kildare built his residence on the then less regarded
   Southside. When asked why he was building on the South Side, he replied
   "Where I go, fashion follows me", and indeed he was promptly followed
   by most other Irish peers.

   The Northside/Southside divide is punctuated by examples of Dublin
   "sub-culture" stereotypes, with upper-middle class constituents seen as
   tending towards an accent and demeanour synonymous with (but not
   exclusive to) the Dublin 4 postcode on the Southside (see Dublin 4,
   Ross O'Carroll-Kelly), and working-class Dubliners seen as tending
   towards accents and demeanour associated with (but not exclusive to)
   Northside and inner-city Dublin neighbourhoods. (see Scanger)

   This simplification of economic and social communities in Dublin
   ("southside rich, liberal and snobby"/"northside poor, industrial and
   common") does not survive more than a few real-world examples however.
   For example, the President of Ireland's residence, Áras an Uachtaráin,
   is on the Northside, although its postal district is Dublin 8, a
   Southside number. Similarly, some of Dublin's working-class suburbs
   such as Tallaght, Kimmage, Ballinteer, Dolphin's Barn, Crumlin,
   Inchicore, Ringsend, Irishtown, Clondalkin and Ballyfermot, are in fact
   located south of the river and seven wealthy suburbs, Clontarf,
   Glasnevin, Howth, Malahide, Portmarnock, Sutton and Castleknock are
   found on the Northside.

   The north-south divide has mellowed considerably in the past number of
   years. This is primarily due to the favourable economic conditions
   currently in Ireland and the emergence of the Celtic Tiger economy in
   Ireland. Correspondingly, Dublin has progressed to become one of the
   wealthiest cities in Europe.

   The economic divide in Dublin is east-west as well as north-south (the
   east side of the city generally being wealthier than the west side,
   although this too is only a rough guide). There are significant social
   divisions evident between the coastal suburbs in the east of the city,
   including those on the northside, and the newer developments further to
   the west. In reality, however, colloquial usage by natives of Dublin
   has the River Liffey constitute the socio-economic boundary.

   In 2006, the Economist Intelligence Unit ranked Dublin as the 16th most
   expensive city in the world, and the Mercer World-wide quality of
   living survey rated Dublin as the city with the 24th best quality of
   life in the world .

Sport

   Croke ParkThe home to the Gaelic Athletic Association
   Enlarge
   Croke Park
   The home to the Gaelic Athletic Association

   The headquarters of almost all of Ireland's sporting organisations are
   located in Dublin. Croke Park, an 82,500-capacity stadium near
   Drumcondra, is the base of the Gaelic Athletic Association and hosts
   Gaelic Football and Hurling games during the summer months and on St.
   Patrick's Day, and International rules football in alternating years.
   The Dublin branch of the Gaelic Athletic Association play their league
   games at Parnell Park.

   Lansdowne Road is a 48,000 capacity stadium owned by the Irish Rugby
   Football Union and is also the venue for home games of the Republic's
   national football (soccer) team. Lansdowne Road is due to be demolished
   at the end of 2006 and replaced with a state of the art 50,000
   all-seater stadium.

   Dalymount Park, in Phibsboro and the traditional Home of Irish Soccer,
   is now used only for home games of local club Bohemian FC. Rivals
   Shelbourne FC play at Tolka Park, in Drumcondra, while St Patrick's
   Athletic play in Richmond Park in Inchicore on the south west edge of
   the city. Shamrock Rovers, Ireland's most successful club, are
   originally from Milltown but have spent the last two decades in search
   of a home, and hope to complete a new stadium in Tallaght sometime in
   2006. The other senior soccer clubs are University College Dublin F.C.,
   based in Belfield, and the now defunct Dublin City F.C. (formerly Home
   Farm F.C.).

   The National Aquatic Centre, located in Blanchardstown, is the first
   building to open in the Sports Campus Ireland. There are several race
   courses in the Dublin area including Shelbourne Park ( Greyhound
   racing) and Leopardstown ( Horse racing). The world famous Dublin Horse
   Show at the RDS, Ballsbridge, which hosted the Show Jumping World
   Championships in 1982. There are also Basketball, Handball, Hockey and
   Athletics stadia within the city — most notably Morton Stadium in
   Santry, which held the athletics events of the 2003 Special Olympics.

   The Dublin Marathon has been run in the city since 1980.

Entertainment

   There is a vibrant night life in Dublin — the most internationally
   notorious area for these activities is the Temple Bar area south of the
   Liffey. This area has become synonymous with stag and hen parties and
   tourists, causing many locals to steer clear of the area. Temple Bar
   was, however, originally redeveloped as Dublin's cultural quarter and
   retains part of this spirit in the form of street performers, drummers,
   and many intimate small music venues. The area south east of Stephen's
   Green--Harcourt Street, Camden Street, Wexford Street and Leeson
   Street--has also become a centre for some of the most popular
   nightclubs and pubs in Dublin.

   There are several theatres within the city centre, the largest of which
   include the Abbey Theatre, the Gate Theatre, the Olympia Theatre, and
   the Gaiety Theatre, which opens its doors after the evening theatre
   production to host a variety of live music, dancing, and films. The
   Gaiety's bars are open later than any others in the city. The largest
   theatre in the city is the Mahony Hall in The Helix at Dublin City
   University in Glasnevin.

   There are two large cinemas in the city centre; The Savoy Cinema and
   the Cineworld Cinema are located north of the Liffey. Alternative and
   special-interest cinema can be found in the Irish Film Institute in
   Temple Bar, and in the Screen Cinema on d'Olier St. Numerous larger
   cinemas can be found in the city's suburbs.

Government

City

   Dublin City Hallformerly the Royal Exchange
   Dublin City Hall
   formerly the Royal Exchange

   The City is governed by Dublin City Council (formerly called Dublin
   Corporation) which is presided over by the Lord Mayor of Dublin, who is
   elected for a yearly term and resides in the Mansion House. Dublin City
   Council is based in two major buildings. Council meetings take place in
   the headquarters at Dublin City Hall, the former Royal Exchange taken
   over for city government use in the 1850s. Many of its administrative
   staff are based in the controversial Civic Offices on Wood Quay.

   The City Council is a unicameral assembly made up of 52 members. These
   members are elected every five years from Local Election Areas. The
   party with the majority of seats decides who sits on what committee,
   what policies are followed, and who becomes Lord Mayor. Chaired by the
   Lord Mayor, the Council passes an annual budget for spending on
   housing, traffic management, refuse, drainage, planning, etc. The
   Dublin City Manager is responsible for the implementation of decisions
   of the City Council.

National

   Leinster House18th century ducal palace now the seat of parliament
   Leinster House
   18th century ducal palace now the seat of parliament

   The national parliament of the Republic of Ireland (called the
   Oireachtas) consists of the President of Ireland and two houses, Dáil
   Éireann (Chamber of Deputies) and Seanad Éireann (Senate). All three
   are based in Dublin. The President of Ireland lives in Áras an
   Uachtaráin, the former residence of the Governor-General of the Irish
   Free State in the city's largest park, Phoenix Park. Both houses of the
   Oireachtas meet in Leinster House, a former ducal palace on the south
   side of the city. The building has been the home of Irish parliaments
   since the creation of the Irish Free State on December 6, 1922.
   Government BuildingsFormerly the Royal College of Science
   Enlarge
   Government Buildings
   Formerly the Royal College of Science

   The Irish Government is based in the Government Buildings, a large
   building designed by Sir Aston Webb, the architect who created the
   Edwardian facade to Buckingham Palace. Initially what is now Government
   Buildings was designed for use as the Royal College of Science, but in
   1921 the House of Commons of Southern Ireland met there. Given its
   location next to Leinster House, the Irish Free State government took
   over part of the building to serve as a temporary home for some
   ministries. However both it and Leinster House (originally meant to be
   a temporary home of parliament) became the permanent homes of the
   government and parliament respectively.

   The previous old Irish Houses of Parliament of the Kingdom of Ireland
   are located in College Green.

Economy & Infrastructure

Transport

   Space Radar Image of Dublin with the Wicklow Mountains to the bottom
   left[2].
   Enlarge
   Space Radar Image of Dublin with the Wicklow Mountains to the bottom
   left .

   Dublin is at the centre of Ireland's transport system. Dublin Port is
   the country's most important sea port. Dublin Airport is the busiest
   airport by far on the island, registering nearly 19 million passengers
   in 2005, making it the 14th busiest airport in Europe with the
   capital's airport offering onward flights to other airports in Ireland,
   Europe, North America and the Middle East. Heuston Station and Connolly
   Station are the city's major railway stations, Heuston connects with
   the towns and cities in the south and west of the Republic while
   Connolly serves the Sligo, Wexford and Belfast routes.

Road network

   Dublin is also the main hub of the country's road network. The M50
   motorway (the busiest road in Ireland), a semi- ring road runs around
   the south, west and north of the city, connecting the most important
   national primary routes in the State that fan out from the capital to
   the regions. A toll of €1.80 applies on what is called the West-Link,
   two adjacent concrete bridges that tower high above the River Liffey
   near the village of Lucan. Construction of the M50 took almost 20
   years, with the final section opening in June 2005. A court case
   regarding the destruction of medieval ruins at Carrickmines Castle
   delayed the final completion of the route. The M50 currently has two
   traffic lanes going either direction but plans are afoot to increase
   that to three. The National Roads Authority also intends to increase
   capacity at many of the motorway's busiest junctions by building
   triple-grade interchanges instead.
   Dublin's Ha'penny Bridge Beyond it, the dome of the 18th century Custom
   House and Liberty Hall
   Enlarge
   Dublin's Ha'penny Bridge
   Beyond it, the dome of the 18th century Custom House and Liberty Hall

   To complete the ring road, an eastern bypass is also proposed for the
   city of Dublin. The first half of this project is currently under
   construction, the Dublin Port Tunnel. It is scheduled to open in late
   2006 and will mainly cater for heavy vehicles. When finished, Dublin
   City Council hopes to ban all unnecessary trucks and lorries from the
   city quays.

   Though originally intended to be a two-lane single-bore system catering
   specifically to HGV traffic, the Port Tunnel has been built to motorway
   standard as two separate tunnels to cater for all traffic (although HGV
   traffic will not be tolled). The tunnels are deeper than originally
   planned to reduce disturbance to residential areas, and were built one
   kilometre longer and with more ancillary works to facilitate this.

   The capital is also surrounded by what have been termed by Dublin City
   Council as an inner and outer orbital route. The inner orbital route
   runs roughly around the heart of the Georgian city from St. Stephen's
   Green to Mountjoy Square and from the King's Inns to St Patrick's
   Cathedral. The outer orbital route runs largely along the natural
   circle formed by Dublin's two canals, the Grand Canal and the Royal
   Canal, as well as the North and South Circular Roads.

Public transport

   Around 46% of Greater Dublin's commuters walk, cycle or use public
   transport to get to work (as of 2002). The public transport system is
   made up of hundreds of bus routes, five suburban rail lines ( one
   electrified) and two light rail lines. Plans under the government's
   Transport 21 initiative are underway to build two high capacity metro
   lines, extend the electrified DART lines westward and to expand on the
   highly successful Luas light rail system. The public transport network
   is overlooked by the Dublin Transportation Office.

   Greater Dublin Rail Map

Bus

   A DART train, forming part of the Dublin Suburban Rail network.
   Enlarge
   A DART train, forming part of the Dublin Suburban Rail network.

   The bulk of the public transport system in Dublin is made up of bus
   services operated by Bus Átha Cliath (Dublin Bus), which operates a
   network of nearly 200 daytime routes (identified by number and
   sometimes suffixed with a letter, e.g. 40, 40A, 40B, 40C, 40D) and 24
   "Nitelink" overnight services which run on Monday to Saturday nights,
   which are identified by a number suffixed with "N" e.g. 40N). Apart
   from some tourist buses, all Dublin Bus' services are one-person
   operated, and daytime fares are determined by the number of fare stages
   travelled through — fares are payable in coin and only the exact fare
   is acceptable — if passengers overpay, they are issued "change tickets"
   which must be presented at the Dublin Bus office in O'Connell Street to
   be converted to cash. Alternatively, various pre-paid tickets and
   passes can be bought from Dublin Bus or its agents, and are processed
   by a validating machine on the right of the entrance door of the bus.
   Nitelink buses charge a flat fare regardless of the distance travelled.
   Dublin bus has been criticised for over crowding and under serviced
   routes. A number of smaller other bus companies provide services in
   Dublin as well.

Suburban Rail / DART

   The Dublin Suburban Rail network is a system of five rail lines serving
   mainly commuters in the Greater Dublin Area, though some trains go even
   further to commuter towns such as Drogheda. One of these lines runs
   along Dublin Bay and is known as the Dublin Area Rapid Transit (DART)
   line and is the only electrified railway in the country. Over 80,000
   people use the DART line alone every day.

   Plans are underway to greatly expand the DART suburban railway network
   by boring a tunnel through Dublin City Centre allowing the creation of
   two separate DART lines. Each will run from the North West & South West
   of the city, through the city centre and then extend South and North
   respectively. This plan is made possible with the Dublin Interconnector
   rail project.
   Luas Tram
   Enlarge
   Luas Tram

Light Rail / Tram

   A two-line light rail/ tram network called the Luas opened in 2004 and
   has proved popular in the (limited) areas it serves, although the lack
   of a link between the two lines is widely criticised. There are,
   however, ambitious plans for the Luas, with seven projects (including a
   link between the two lines) planned for the future. It is estimated
   that around 80,000 people use the Luas daily.

   In 2006 in was announced by the Railway Procurement Agency that the
   Luas system reached profitability ahead of schedule, after only a year
   of operation. The Luas is now the only mass transit in the country to
   operate without Government assistance, and among the few in Europe

The Future

   The Irish Government has launched a national transport plan which is
   expected to cost the government €34.4 billion over the next 10 years.
   Most of this will go towards the Dublin Port Tunnel, seven new Luas
   projects, two Metro lines, DART extensions and an underground station
   at St. Stephen's Green integrating all services. Another project is the
   Interconnector which will be an underground tunnel connecting Connolly
   and Heuston stations by rail, via St. Stephen's Green. This map shows
   how the Greater Dublin Area rail network is projected to look by 2015.
   By the time Transport 21 is complete, it is estimated that over 365
   millon passenger journeys will be made in the Greater Dublin Area on
   all forms of public transport annually, or 1 million daily (on
   average).

Industry and Economy

   Probably the most famous industry in Dublin is brewing: Guinness has
   been brewed at the St. James's Gate Brewery since 1759.

   During the Celtic Tiger years of the mid to late nineties a large
   number of pharmaceutical and information technology companies have
   located in Dublin and its suburbs and there are many Information and
   Communications Technology companies operating in and around the city.
   Microsoft's EMEA Operations Centre is located in Sandyford Industrial
   Estate to the south of the city and Google and Amazon have established
   operational bases in the city. Intel and Hewlett-Packard have large
   manufacturing plants in Leixlip, County Kildare, a suburb to the west
   of Dublin. Google, Yahoo! and PayPal (among others) also have their
   European headquarters in Dublin. Dublin is internationally recognised
   for its large amount of high-tech industrial estates, business centres
   and financial centres - which have led it to be known as the " Silicon
   Valley of Europe".
   The Spire viewed from Henry Street
   Enlarge
   The Spire viewed from Henry Street

   Dublin is at the centre of Ireland's economy, and the Greater Dublin
   Area contributes over €60 billion ($75.7 billion) to the total Irish
   GDP, or around 45%. Banking, finance and commerce are also important in
   the city - the IFSC alone handles over €1 trillion ($1.2 trillion) a
   year. And many international firms have established major headquarters
   in the city (eg. Citibank, Commerzbank). Also located in Dublin is the
   Irish Stock Exchange (ISEQ), Internet Neutral Exchange (INEX) and Irish
   Enterprise Exchange (IEX).

   In 2005, around 800,000 people were employed in the Greater Dublin
   Area, of which around 600,000 were employed in the services sector and
   200,000 were employed in the industrial sector.

   The Celtic Tiger boom has led to a sharp increase in construction,
   which is now also a major employer, especially for immigrants.
   Redevelopment is taking place in large projects such as Dublin
   Docklands, Spencer Dock, "A New Heart for Dublin" and others,
   transforming once run-down industrial areas in the city centre. Dublin
   City Council seems to now have loosened the former limits on
   "high-rise" structures. The current tallest building, Liberty Hall, is
   only 59.4m tall; already under construction in the city is Heuston
   Gate, a 117m building (134m including spire). The 120m Britain Quay
   Tower and the 120m Point vilage tower have been approved.Construction
   has now started on the latter. Approval has now also been given for a
   tower 1 and a half times the size of liberty hall in Sandyford,south
   Dublin.

Sister Cities

     * Spain Barcelona, Spain
     * Hungary Budapest, Hungary
     * United Kingdom Liverpool, United Kingdom
     * Japan Matsue, Japan
     * United States San Jose, United States of America

Tourist Attractions

   The Garden of Remembrance commemorates the Irish fight for independence
   during the Anglo-Irish War.
   Enlarge
   The Garden of Remembrance commemorates the Irish fight for independence
   during the Anglo-Irish War.

   Please note - This is an incomplete list
     * Dublinia
     * Dublin Castle
     * Dublin Zoo
     * Guinness Storehouse
     * Kilmainham Gaol
     * National Gallery
     * National Museum
     * Temple Bar
     * Modern Art Museum Kilmainham
     * Áras an Uachtaráin (President's Residence)

Additional reading

     * Pat Liddy, Dublin A Celebration - From the 1st to the 21st Century
       (Dublin City Council, 2000) ( ISBN 0-946841-50-0)
     * Maurice Craig, The Architecture of Ireland from the Earliest Times
       to 1880 (Batsford, Paperback edition 1989) ( ISBN 0-7134-2587-3)
     * Frank McDonald, Saving the City: How to Halt the Destruction of
       Dublin (Tomar Publishing, 1989) ( ISBN 1-871793-03-3)
     * Edward McParland, Public Architecture in Ireland 1680-1760 (Yale
       University Press, 2001) ( ISBN 0-300-03064-1)
     * Hanne Hem, Dubliners, An Anthropologist's Account, Oslo, 1994
     * John Flynn and Jerry Kelleher, Dublin Journeys in America (High
       Table Publishing, 2003) ( ISBN 0-9544694-1-0)

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dublin"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
   of authors and sources) and is available under the GNU Free
   Documentation License. See also our Disclaimer.
