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Dublin

Capital of IrelandDublin lies on Ireland's east coast, on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, which divides the city into the Northside and the Southside. The Dublin Mountains rise to the south.

Why it's the capital

Vikings set up a fortified base here in 841, and in later centuries Dublin was the heart of the Pale, the strip of land under English control. After independence in 1922 it became the capital of the Irish Free State, renamed Ireland in 1937.

Fun facts

  1. The name comes from Irish words meaning 'black pool': dubh means 'black' and linn means 'pool'.
  2. The Old Library of Trinity College holds the Book of Kells, a decorated manuscript made by Irish monks around 800 AD.
  3. The Spire on O'Connell Street is a stainless steel cone about 121 m tall, completed in 2003.

Finding it on the globe

Look at Ireland's east coast for a C-shaped bay of the Irish Sea, Dublin Bay: the capital sits on it.

Easy to mix up

Belfast is the capital of Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom. Dublin is the capital of Ireland.

Sources: Wikipedia: Dublin, Wikipedia: Dublin Bay, Wikipedia: Belfast