Dublin

This article is about the capital of Ireland. For other uses, see Dublin (disambiguation). Dublin Baile Átha Cliath From upper left: Samuel Beckett Bridge, Grand Canal Theatre, International Financial Services Centre, Four Courts, The Custom House, and Dublin Castle. Flag Coat of arms Motto: Obedientia Civium Urbis Felicitas "The citizens' obedience is the city's happiness"1 Dublin Location of Dublin in Ireland Coordinates: 53°20′52″N 6°15′35″W / 53.34778°N 6.25972°W / 53.34778; -6.25972Coordinates: 53°20′52″N 6°15′35″W / 53.34778°N 6.25972°W / 53.34778; -6.25972 Country  Ireland Province Leinster Government  - Type City Council  - Headquarters Dublin City Hall  - Lord Mayor Gerry Breen  - Dáil Éireann Dublin Central Dublin North Central Dublin North West Dublin South Central Dublin South East  - European Parliament Dublin constituency Area  - City 114.99 km2 (44.4 sq mi)  - Urban 921 km2 (355.6 sq mi) Population  - City 506,211  - Density 4,398/km2 (11,390.8/sq mi)  - Urban 1,045,769  - Metro 1,661,185  - Demonym Dubliner, Dub  - Ethnicity (2006 Census) Ethnic groups 90.85% White 81.25% White Irish 9.23% White Other 0.37% Irish Traveller   3.34% Asian/Asian Irish   1.12% Black/Black Irish   1.47% Bi-Racial/Other   3.22% Not Stated Time zone WET (UTC0)  - Summer (DST) IST (UTC+1) Postal districts D1-18, 20, 22, 24, D6W Area code(s) 01 Website www.dublincity.ie Dublin ( /ˈdʌblɪn/; locally /ˈdʊblən/ or /ˈdʊbələn/; Irish: Baile Átha Cliath, pronounced [bˠalʲə aːha klʲiəh] or Áth Cliath, [aːh cliə(ɸ)]) is the largest and capital city of Ireland.2 The English name is derived from the Irish name Dubh Linn, meaning "black pool". It is a primate city with an urban population of over 1 million, containing almost 25% of the country's population.3 Dublin is situated near the midpoint of Ireland's east coast, at the mouth of the River Liffey, and at the centre of the Dublin Region. Originally founded as a Viking settlement, it evolved into the Kingdom of Dublin and became the island's primary city following the Norman invasion. The city expanded rapidly from the 17th century, and for a brief period was the second largest city within the British Empire and the fifth largest in Europe. After the Act of Union in 1800, Dublin entered a period of stagnation, but remained the economic centre for most of the island. Following the partition of Ireland in 1922, the new parliament, the Oireachtas, was located in Leinster House. Dublin became the capital of the Irish Free State and later of the Republic of Ireland. Similar to the other cities of Cork, Limerick, Galway, and Waterford, Dublin is administered separately from its respective county and has its own city council. The city is currently ranked 29th in the Global Financial Centres Index and is listed by the GaWC as a global city, with a ranking of Alpha, placing Dublin among the top 30 cities in the world.45 It is a historical and contemporary cultural centre for the country, as well as a modern centre of education, the arts, administration, economy and industry. Contents 1 Etymology 2 History 3 Government 3.1 Local 3.2 National 4 Geography 4.1 Landscape 4.2 Climate 5 Places of interest 5.1 Landmarks 5.2 Parks 6 Economy 7 Transport 8 Education 9 Demographics 10 Culture 10.1 The arts 10.2 Entertainment 10.3 Shopping 10.4 Media 10.5 Sport 11 Twinning 12 See also 13 References 14 Further reading 15 External links // Etymology The name Dublin is derived from the Irish name Dubh Linn, meaning "black pool". The common name for the city in modern Irish is Baile Átha Cliath, meaning "town of the hurdled ford". Áth Cliath is a place name referring to a fording point of the River Liffey in the vicinity of Father Mathew Bridge (Church Street).6 Baile Átha Cliath was an early Christian monastery which is believed to have been situated in the area of Aungier Street currently occupied by Whitefriar Street Carmelite Church. Christ Church Cathedral is the elder of Dublin's two mediæval cathedrals, the other being St. Patrick's Cathedral. The subsequent Scandinavian settlement was on the River Poddle, a tributary of the Liffey, to the east of Christchurch, in an area now known as Wood Quay. The Dubh Linn was a lake used by the Scandinavians to moor their ships and was connected to the Liffey by the Poddle. These lakes were covered during the early 18th century, and as the city expanded they were largely forgotten about. The Dubh Linn was situated where the Castle Garden is now located, opposite the Chester Beatty Library in Dublin Castle. Táin Bó Cuailgne also known as The Cattle Raid of Cooley refers to Dublind rissa ratter Áth Cliath, meaning Dublin, which is called Ath Cliath. In Irish (except in Ulster Irish), Dubh is correctly pronounced as Duv or Duf. The city's original pronunciation is preserved in Old Norse as Dyflin, Old English as Difelin, and modern Manx as Divlyn. Historically, in the Gaelic script, bh was written with a dot over the b, rendering 'Duḃ Linn' or 'Duḃlinn'. Those without a knowledge of Irish omitted the dot and spelled the name as Dublin. History Main article: History of Dublin The writings of the Greek astronomer and cartographer Ptolemy provide perhaps the earliest reference to human habitation in the area now known as Dublin. In around AD 140 he referred to a settlement he called Eblana Civitas. The settlement 'Dubh Linn' dates perhaps as far back as the 1st century BC and later a monastery was built there, though the town was established in about 8417 by the Norse. The modern city retains the Anglicised Irish name of the former and the original Irish name of the latter. Dublin was ruled by the Norse for most of the time between 841 and 999, when it was sacked by Brian Boru, the King of Cashel.8 Although Dublin still had a Norse king after the Battle of Clontarf in 1014, Norse influence waned under a growing Celtic supremacy until the Norman invasion of Ireland which was launched from Wales in 1169-1172.8 The last high king (Ard Rí) of Dublin also had local city administration via its Corporation from the Middle Ages. This represented the city's guild-based oligarchy until it was reformed in the 1840s on increasingly democratic lines. In 1348, the city was hit by the Black Death,9 a lethal plague that ravaged Europe in the mid-14th century.10 Dublin Castle was the fortified seat of British rule in Ireland until 1922. From the 17th century the city expanded rapidly, helped by the Wide Streets Commission. The population grew from about 10,000 in 1600 to over 50,000 in 1700, and this in spite of another plague epidemic in 1649-51.11 Georgian Dublin was, for a short time, the second city of the British Empire after London and the fifth largest European city. Much of Dublin's most notable architecture dates from this time. In 1759, the founding of the Guinness brewery at St. James's Gate resulted in a considerable economic impact for the city. For much of the time since its foundation, the Guinness brewery was the largest employer in the city but Catholics were confined to the lower echelons of employment at Guinness and only entered management level in the 1960s. After Irish independence the Guinness Corporate headquarters were moved to London in the 1930s to avoid Irish taxation and a rival brewery to Dublin was opened in London at Park Royal to supply the UK. In 1742 Handel's "Messiah" was performed for the first time in New Musick Hall in Fishamble Street with 26 boys and five men from the combined choirs of St.Patrick's and Christ Church cathedrals participating. The GPO on O'Connell Street was at the centre of the 1916 Easter Rising. After the Act of Union, 1800, the seat of government moved to the Parliament of the United Kingdom in London. Dublin entered a period of decline, but remained the centre of administration and a transport hub for much of Ireland. Dublin played no major role in the Industrial Revolution. Ireland had no significant sources of coal, the fuel of the time, and Dublin was not a centre of ship manufacture, the other main driver of industrial development in Britain and Ireland.8 Belfast developed faster than Dublin during this period on a mixture of international trade, factory-based linen cloth production and shipbuilding.12 The Easter Rising of 1916, the War of Independence (Anglo-Irish War), and Irish Civil War resulted in a significant amount of physical destruction in the city centre. The Government of the Irish Free State rebuilt the city centre and located the new Oireachtas (Parliament) in Leinster House. Since the beginning of Anglo-Norman rule in the 12th century, the city has functioned as the capital in varying geopolitical entities: Lordship of Ireland (1171–1541), Kingdom of Ireland (1541–1800), island as part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (1801–1922), and the Irish Republic (1919–1922).13 From 1922, following the partition of Ireland, it became the capital of the Irish Free State (1922–1949) and now is the capital of the Republic of Ireland. One of the memorials to commemorate that time is the Garden of Remembrance. Since 1997, the landscape of Dublin has changed immensely, with enormous private sector 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. Government Local Mansion House has been the official residence of the Lord Mayor since 1715. Dublin City Council is presided over by the Lord Mayor, who is elected for a yearly term. Council meetings occur at Dublin City Hall, while most of its administrative activities are based in the Civic Offices on Wood Quay. The council is a unicameral assembly of 52 members, elected every five years from Local Election Areas. The party, or coalition of parties, with the majority of seats adjudicates committee members, introduces policies, and appoints the 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 implementing City Council decisions. The current Lord Mayor is Cllr. Gerry Breen.14 In 2008, the Government announced plans for local government reform, involving plans for an elected Mayor of Dublin with executive powers. The Environment Minister John Gormley said that the new mayor would make local government services more efficient for the capital's inhabitants.15 The plan also included local plebiscites, petition rights, participatory budgeting and city meetings.16 Although a bill to bring about the changes was published in October 2010,17 the legislation had not completed its passage through the Oireachtas when the Green Party left the government, leading to a general election in early 2011.18 National The Oireachtas is the national parliament of Ireland and is based in Dublin. It comprises the President of Ireland, the upper house Seanad Éireann (Senate), and the lower house Dáil Éireann (House of Representatives). The President resides in Áras an Uachtaráin in the Phoenix Park. Both houses of the Oireachtas meet in Leinster House, a former ducal palace on Kildare Street. It has been the home of the Irish parliament since the creation of the Irish Free State. The old Irish Houses of Parliament of the Kingdom of Ireland are in College Green. Government Buildings house the Department of the Taoiseach, the Council Chamber, the Department of Finance and the Office of the Attorney General. It consists of a main building (completed 1911) with two wings (completed 1921) and was designed by Thomas Manley Dean and Sir Aston Webb as the Royal College of Science. In 1921 the House of Commons of Southern Ireland met here. Given its location next to Leinster House, the Irish Free State government took over the two wings of the building to serve as a temporary home for some ministries, while the central building became the College of Technology until 1989.19 Both it and Leinster House, intended to be temporary, became permanent homes of parliament. Geography Landscape Satellite image of Dublin showing the River Liffey entering the Irish Sea. Dublin is situated at the mouth of the River Liffey and encompasses a land area of approximately 115 km2. It is bordered by a low mountain range to the south and surrounded by flat farmland to the north and west.20 A north-south division has traditionally existed, with the River Liffey as the divider. The Northside is generally seen as working-class, while the Southside is seen as middle to upper middle class. The 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 the Southside, and working-class Dubliners seen as tending towards characteristics associated with Northside and inner-city areas. Dublin's economic divide is east-west as well as north-south. There are also 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.21 Climate Dublin experiences a maritime temperate climate with mild winters, cool summers, and no temperature extremes. The average maximum January temperature is 7.6 °C (46 °F), while the average maximum July temperature is 18.9 °C (66 °F).22 Summer temperatures have risen above historical averages in recent years e.g. 31 °C (88 °F) in July 2006, over 12°C (20°F) higher than the average maximum. Recent heat waves include the European heat waves of 2003 and 2006. The coldest months are typically January, February and March. The winter of 2009/2010 was the coldest since 1963 with a record low of −12.4 °C (10 °F) recorded at Casement Aerodrome. On average, the sunniest months are May and June, the wettest month is December with 76 mm (3 in) of rain, and the driest month is February with 50 mm (2 in). Dublin records the least amount of rainfall in Ireland, with the average annual precipitation being 732.7 mm (29 in).22 The main precipitation in winter is rain, however snow showers do occur between November and March. Hail is more common than snow, and is most likely during the winter and spring months.22 The city experiences long summer days and short winter days. Strong Atlantic winds are most common in autumn. These winds can affect Dublin, but due to its easterly location it is least affected compared to other parts of the country. Climate data for Dublin Airport (1961-1990 averages) Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year Average high °C (°F) 7.6 (45.7) 7.5 (45.5) 9.5 (49.1) 11.4 (52.5) 14.2 (57.6) 17.2 (63) 18.9 (66) 18.6 (65.5) 16.6 (61.9) 13.7 (56.7) 9.8 (49.6) 8.4 (47.1) 12.8 (55) Average low °C (°F) 2.5 (36.5) 2.5 (36.5) 3.1 (37.6) 4.4 (39.9) 6.8 (44.2) 9.6 (49.3) 11.4 (52.5) 11.1 (52) 9.6 (49.3) 7.6 (45.7) 4.2 (39.6) 3.4 (38.1) 6.4 (43.5) Rainfall mm (inches) 69.4 (2.732) 50.4 (1.984) 53.8 (2.118) 50.7 (1.996) 55.1 (2.169) 56.0 (2.205) 49.9 (1.965) 70.5 (2.776) 66.7 (2.626) 69.7 (2.744) 64.7 (2.547) 75.6 (2.976) 732.7 (28.846) Avg. rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm) 18 14 16 14 16 14 13 15 15 16 16 18 185 Sunshine hours 56 71 112 156 183 180 167 158 129 96 72 53 1,433 Source: Met Éireann Places of interest Landmarks Spire of Dublin Dublin has many landmarks and monuments dating back hundreds of years. One of the oldest is Dublin Castle, which was first founded as a major defensive work on the orders of King John of England in 1204, shortly after the Norman invasion of Ireland in 1169, when it was commanded that a castle be built with strong walls and good ditches for the defence of the city, the administration of justice, and the protection of the King’s treasure.23 Largely complete by 1230, the castle was of typical Norman courtyard design, with a central square without a keep, bounded on all sides by tall defensive walls and protected at each corner by a circular tower. Sited to the south-east of Norman Dublin, the castle formed one corner of the outer perimeter of the city, using the River Poddle as a natural means of defence. One of Dublin's newest monuments is the Spire of Dublin, or officially titled "Monument of Light".24 It is a 121.2 metres (398 ft) conical spire made of stainless steel and is located on O'Connell Street. It replaces Nelson's Pillar and is intended to mark Dublin's place in the 21st century. The spire was designed by Ian Ritchie Architects,25 who sought an "Elegant and dynamic simplicity bridging art and technology". During the day it maintains its steel look, but at dusk the monument appears to merge into the sky. The base of the monument is lit and the top is illuminated to provide a beacon in the night sky across the city. Other popular landmarks and monuments include the Mansion House, the Anna Livia monument, the Molly Malone statue, Christ Church Cathedral, St Patrick's Cathedral, and Áras an Uachtaráin. Parks Dublin has more green spaces per square kilometre than any other European capital city, with 97% of city residents living within 300 meters of a park area. The city council provides 2.96 hectares (7.3 acres) of public green space per 1,000 people and 255 playing fields. The council also plants approximately 5,000 trees annually and manages over 1,500 hectares (3,700 acres) of parks.26 St Stephen's Green There are many park areas around the city, including the Phoenix Park, Herbert Park and St Stephen's Green. The Phoenix Park is 2–4 km west of the city centre, north of the River Liffey. Its 16 km perimeter wall encloses 707 hectares (1,750 acres) one of the largest walled city parks in Europe.2728 It includes large areas of grassland and tree-lined avenues, and since the 17th century has been home to a herd of wild Fallow deer. The residence of the President of Ireland (Áras an Uachtaráin), which was built in 1754, is located in the park. The park is also home to Dublin Zoo, the official residence of the United States Ambassador, and Ashtown Castle. Music concerts have also been performed in the park by many singers and musicians. St Stephen's Green is adjacent to one of Dublin's main shopping streets, Grafton Street, and to a shopping centre named for it, while on its surrounding streets are the offices of a number of public bodies and the city terminus of one of Dublin's Luas tram lines. St Anne's Park is a public park and recreational facility, shared between Raheny and Clontarf, both suburbs on the North Side of Dublin. The park, the second largest municipal park in Dublin, is part of a former 2 km² (500 acre) estate assembled by members of the Guinness family, beginning with Benjamin Lee Guinness in 1835 (the largest municipal park is nearby (North) Bull Island, also shared between Clontarf and Raheny). Economy Main article: Economy of Dublin Dublin has been at the centre of Ireland's phenomenal economic growth over the last decade (known as the Celtic Tiger period) and subsequent contraction. In 2009, Dublin was listed as the fourth-richest city in the world,29 and according to one source, is the world's 25th most expensive city.30 It is also listed as the tenth most expensive city in the world in which to live.31 However, it had the second highest wages for a city in the world, ahead of both New York City and London, though behind Zurich but as of 2009 has dropped to tenth highest.32 In 2005, around 800,000 people were employed in the Greater Dublin Area, of whom around 600,000 were employed in the services sector and 200,000 in the industrial sector.33 International Financial Services Centre Guinness has been brewed at the St. James's Gate Brewery since 1759. Since the advent of the Celtic Tiger years, however, a large number of global pharmaceutical, information and communications technology companies have located in Dublin and the Greater Dublin Area. For example, Microsoft, Google, Amazon, eBay, PayPal, Yahoo!, Facebook and Pfizer (among others) now have European headquarters and/or operational bases in the city. Intel and Hewlett-Packard have large manufacturing plants in Leixlip, County Kildare, 15 km (9 mi) to the west. Banking, finance and commerce are also important in the city. There are currently more than 430 financial operations allowed to trade within the International Financial Services Centre. According to the official website it is home to more than half of the world's 50 largest banks.34 Many international firms have established major headquarters in the city, such as Citibank and Commerzbank. Also located in Dublin is the Irish Stock Exchange (ISEQ), Internet Neutral Exchange (INEX) and Irish Enterprise Exchange (IEX). The economic boom led to a sharp increase in construction, with large redevelopment projects such as the Dublin Docklands and Spencer Dock. Completed projects include the Convention Centre, The O2, and the Grand Canal Theatre. Proposed projects such as the Point Village Watchtower, Heuston Gate, and U2 Tower, are currently delayed due to the difficult economic climate.35 Transport The Luas tram. Main article: Transport in Dublin Dublin is the main hub of the country's road network. The M50 motorway, a semi-ring road which runs around the south, west and north of the city, connects important national primary routes in the state to the regions. As of 2008, a toll of €2 applies on the West-Link, two adjacent bridges that tower above the River Liffey near the town of Lucan. The West-Link Toll Bridge was replaced by the eFlow barrier-free tolling system in August 2008, with a three-tiered charge system based on electronic tags and car pre-registration.36 To complete the ring road, an eastern bypass is also proposed for the city of Dublin. The first half of this project is the Dublin Port Tunnel which opened in late 2006 and mainly caters to heavy vehicles. The plan to build the eastern bypass around Dublin has been effectively shelved by the Department of Transport as there are no funds available for the expected €1 billion project. The capital is also surrounded by an inner and outer orbital route. The inner orbital route runs roughly around the heart of the Georgian city and 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. Dublin is served by an extensive network of nearly 200 bus routes which serve all areas of the city and suburbs. The majority of these are controlled by Dublin Bus (Bus Átha Cliath), but a number of smaller companies also operate. Fares are generally calculated on a stage system based on distance travelled. There are several different levels of fares, which apply on most services. Certain routes (particularly Xpresso) use a different fare system. 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 and Dundalk. One of these is an electrified line that runs along Dublin Bay and is known as the Dublin Area Rapid Transit (DART) line. A two-line light rail/tram network called the Luas opened in 2004 and has proved popular in the areas it serves. Five new luas lines are planned, the last of which will be opened in 2014, with the two existing lines set to be joined up by 2012.37 Dublin Bikes There are plans to begin building work on the Dublin Metro (subway / underground) system set out in the Irish government's 2005 Transport 21 plan within the next few years. Although not confirmed, it is believed that the metro will be fully segregated from all traffic which will mean it will not disrupt traffic when in operation, unlike an on-street Luas tram or the DART. The Metro North will bring rail access to areas and institutions currently lacking it, such as the Mater Hospital, Drumcondra (Croke Park, inter-city and suburban rail stop), Dublin City University, Ballymun, Swords and Dublin Airport. The Metro West will serve the large suburbs of Tallaght, Clondalkin and Blanchardstown. Dublin Bikes is a public bicycle rental scheme which has been operated in the city of Dublin since 2009. The scheme uses 450 French-made38 unisex bicycles with a silver colour.39 Dublin was the 17th city to begin using this scheme (predecessors include Copenhagen, Lyon, and Paris), though Dublin City Council suggested the Dublin launch was better.3940 The scheme is sponsored by JCDecaux.41 A car sharing scheme commenced service during summer 2010. Several bases are planned around the city, Pleasants Street, off Camden Street, is the first in operation. The service is managed with the support of the council by Mendes GoCar based in Cloughjordan.42 Education Trinity College Dublin is the primary centre of education in Ireland, with three universities and many other higher education institutions. There are 20 third-level institutes in the city. Dublin will be European Capital of Science in 2012.4344 The University of Dublin is the oldest university in Ireland dating from the 16th century, and is located in the city centre. Its sole constituent college, Trinity College, was established by Royal Charter in 1592 under Elizabeth I and was closed to Roman Catholics until Catholic Emancipation. The Catholic hierarchy then banned Roman Catholics from attending it until 1970. It is situated in the city centre, on College Green, and has 15,000 students. The National University of Ireland (NUI) 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 with over 22,000 students. UCD's main campus at Belfield is located about 5 km south east of the city centre. The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) is a medical school which is a recognised college of the NUI, it is situated at St. Stephen's Green in the city centre. The National University of Ireland, Maynooth, another constituent university of the NUI, is in neighbouring Co. Kildare, about 25 km (16 mi) from the city centre. The Institute of European Affairs is also in Dublin. Research administration building, Belfield campus, University College Dublin. Dublin City University (DCU) specialises in business, engineering, and science courses, particularly with relevance to industry. It has around 10,000 students, and is located about 7 km north of the city. 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 be relocated to a new campus at Grangegorman. Two suburbs of Dublin, Tallaght and Blanchardstown have Institutes of Technology: Institute of Technology, Tallaght, and Institute of Technology, Blanchardstown. Portobello College has its degrees conferred through the University of Wales.45 Dublin Business School (DBS) is Ireland's largest private third level institution with over 9,000 students. The college is located on Aungier Street. 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. The National College of Ireland (NCI) is also based in Dublin. The Economic and Social Research Institute, a social science research institute, is based on Sir John Rogerson's Quay, Dublin 2. The Irish public administration and management training centre has its base in Dublin, the Institute of Public Administration provides a range of undergraduate and post graduate awards via the National University of Ireland and in some instances, Queen's University Belfast. There are also smaller specialised colleges, including Griffith College Dublin, The Gaiety School of Acting and the New Media Technology College. Demographics The City of Dublin is the area administered by Dublin City Council, but the term "Dublin" normally refers to the contiguous urban area which includes parts of the adjacent local authority areas of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, Fingal and South Dublin. Together, the four areas form the traditional County Dublin. This area is sometimes known as the Dublin Region. The population of the administrative area controlled by the City Council was 505,739 in the 2006 census, while the population of the urban area was 1,045,769. The County Dublin population was 1,186,159, and that of the Greater Dublin Area 1,661,185. The city's population is expanding rapidly, and it is estimated by the CSO that it will reach 2.1 million by 2020.46 Since the late 1990s, Dublin has experienced a significant level of net immigration, with the greatest numbers coming from the European Union, especially the United Kingdom, Poland and Lithuania.47 There is also a considerable number from outside Europe, particularly China and Nigeria. One section of central Dublin is now known as Little Africa.48 Dublin is home to a greater proportion of new arrivals than any other parts of the country. 60% of Ireland's Asian population lives in Dublin even though less than 40% of the overall population live in the Greater Dublin Area.49 By 2006, the percentage of foreign-born population had increased to 14.5% for the state and 17.3% in Dublin.50 Panoramic view of Dublin. Culture National Museum of Ireland The arts Dublin has a world famous literary history, having produced many prominent literary figures, including Nobel laureates William Butler Yeats, George Bernard Shaw and Samuel Beckett. Other influential writers and playwrights include Oscar Wilde, Jonathan Swift and the creator of Dracula, Bram Stoker. It is arguably most famous as the location of the greatest works of James Joyce, including Ulysses, which is set in Dublin and full of topical detail. Dubliners is a collection of short stories by Joyce about incidents and typical characters of the city during the early 20th century. Other renowned writers include J. M. Synge, Seán O'Casey, Brendan Behan, Maeve Binchy, and Roddy Doyle. Ireland's biggest libraries and literary museums are found in Dublin, including the National Print Museum of Ireland and National Library of Ireland. In July 2010, Dublin was named as a UNESCO City of Literature, joining Edinburgh, Melbourne and Iowa City with the permanent title.51 Book of Kells There are several theatres within the city centre, and various world famous actors have emerged from the Dublin theatrical scene, including Noel Purcell, Sir Michael Gambon, Brendan Gleeson, Stephen Rea, Colin Farrell, Colm Meaney and Gabriel Byrne. The best known theatres include the Gaiety, Abbey, Olympia, Gate, and Grand Canal. The Gaiety specialises in musical and operatic productions, and is popular for opening its doors after the evening theatre production to host a variety of live music, dancing, and films. The Abbey was founded in 1904 by a group that included Yeats with the aim of promoting indigenous literary talent. It went on to provide a breakthrough for some of the city's most famous writers, such as Synge, Yeats himself and George Bernard Shaw. The Gate was founded in 1928 to promote European and American Avant Garde works. The Grand Canal Theatre is a new 2,111 capacity theatre which opened in March 2010 in the Grand Canal Dock. Apart from being the focus of the country's literature and theatre, Dublin is also the focal point for much of Irish Art and the Irish artistic scene. The Book of Kells, a world-famous manuscript produced by Celtic Monks in AD 800 and an example of Insular art, is on display in Trinity College. The Chester Beatty Library houses the famous collection of manuscripts, miniature paintings, prints, drawings, rare books and decorative arts assembled by American mining millionaire (and honorary Irish citizen) Sir Alfred Chester Beatty (1875–1968). The collections date from 2700 BC onwards and are drawn from Asia, the Middle East, North Africa and Europe. Work by local artists is often put on public display around St. Stephen's Green, the main public park in the city centre. In addition large art galleries are found across the city, including the Irish Museum of Modern Art, the National Gallery, the Hugh Lane Municipal Gallery, The City Arts Centre, The Douglas Hyde Gallery, The Project Arts Centre and The Royal Hibernian Academy. Three branches of the National Museum of Ireland are located in Dublin: Archaeology in Kildare Street, Decorative Arts and History in Collins Barracks and Natural History in Merrion Street.52 Dublin has long been a city with a strong underground arts scene. Temple Bar was the home of many artists in the 1980s, and spaces such as the Project Arts Centre were hubs for collectives and new exhibitions. The Guardian noted that Dublin's independent and underground arts flourished during the economic recession of 2010.53 Dublin also has many acclaimed dramatic, musical and operatic companies, including Festival Productions, Lyric Opera Productions, The Pioneers Musical & Dramatic Society, The Glasnevin Musical Society, Second Age Theatre Company, Opera Theatre Company, and Opera Ireland. Ireland is well known for its love of baroque music, which is highly acclaimed at Trinity College.54 Perhaps the most famous Dublin theatre company is the renowned Rathmines and Rathgar Musical Society, which has been in existence since 1913. It produced full scale productions of popular musicals and operettas including Oklahoma!, Carousel, The Mikado, Guys and Dolls, The Pirates of Penzance, Me and My Girl, My Fair Lady, The Yeoman of the Guard, Gigi, Fiddler on the Roof, The Gondoliers, Anything Goes, The Merry Widow, Iolanthe, The Producers and HMS Pinafore. At present, the society is performing a tribute concert to the works of Rodgers and Hammerstein at the National Concert Hall. The society will recreate their 1913 production of The Mikado this November 2010 at the National Concert Hall. Entertainment Dublin has a vibrant nightlife and is reputedly one of Europe's most youthful cities, with an estimate of 50% of citizens being younger than 25.5556 There are many pubs across the city centre, with the area around St. Stephen's Green and Grafton Street, especially Harcourt Street, Camden Street, Wexford Street and Leeson Street, having the most popular nightclubs and pubs. Temple Bar The best known area for nightlife is Temple Bar, south of the River Liffey. To some extent, the area has become popular among tourists, including stag and hen parties from Britain.57 It was developed as Dublin's cultural quarter and does retain this spirit as a centre for small arts productions, photographic and artists' studios, and in the form of street performers and small music venues. However, it has been criticised as overpriced, false and dirty by Lonely Planet.58 In general, it is regarded by locals as tourist orientated with false "ye olde Irish" pretensions. The areas around Leeson Street, Harcourt Street, South William Street and Camden/George's Street are popular nightlife spots for locals. Live music is popularly played on streets and at venues throughout Dublin in general, and the city has produced several musicians and groups of international success, including U2, Westlife, The Dubliners, The Thrills, Horslips, The Boomtown Rats, Boyzone, Ronan Keating, Thin Lizzy, Paddy Casey, Sinéad O'Connor, The Script and My Bloody Valentine. The two best known cinemas in the city centre are the Savoy Cinema and the Cineworld Cinema, both north of the Liffey. Alternative and special-interest cinema can be found in the Irish Film Institute in Temple Bar, in the Screen Cinema on d'Olier Street and in the Lighthouse Cinema in Smithfield. Large modern multiscreen cinemas are located across suburban Dublin. The O2 venue in the Dublin Docklands has played host to many world renowned performers. Shopping Clerys on O'Connell Street. Dublin is a popular shopping destination for both locals and tourists. The city has numerous shopping districts, including Grafton Street, Henry Street, Stephen's Green Shopping Centre, Jervis Shopping Centre, and the Ilac Shopping Centre. The most famous shops on Grafton Street include Brown Thomas and its sister shop BT2. Brown Thomas also houses several boutiques such as Hermès, Tiffany's, Chanel and Louis Vuitton. Dublin is also the location of large department stores, such as Clerys on O'Connell Street, and Arnotts on Henry Street. A major €800m development for the city centre, known as the "Northern Quarter" is currently in doubt. It involved the construction of 47 new shops, 175 apartments and a four-star hotel. Dublin City Council gave Arnotts planning permission for the plans to change the area bounded by Henry Street, O'Connell Street, Liffey Street and Abbey Street. Following appeals to An Bord Pleanála, the extensive scale of the development was reduced. Prince's Street, which runs off O'Connell Street, was to become a full urban street and pedestrian thoroughfare.59 In July 2010 the project was effectively abandoned as Anglo Irish Bank and Ulster Bank took control of Arnotts due to the large debts incurred in pursuing the development.60 The Carlton cinema site further up O'Connell Street is currently undergoing redevelopment by Crossidge Developments, who were responsible for the construction of Dundrum Town Centre, and will be anchored by British department store John Lewis.61 The city retains a thriving market culture, despite new shopping developments and the loss of some traditional market sites. Several historic locations, including Moore Street, remain one of the city's oldest trading districts.62 There has also been a significant growth in local farmers' markets and other markets.6364 In 2007, Dublin Food Co-op relocated to a larger warehouse in The Liberties area, where it is home to many market and community events.6566 Suburban Dublin has several modern retail centres, including Dundrum Town Centre, Blanchardstown Centre, The Square in Tallaght, Liffey Valley Shopping Centre in Clondalkin, Northside Shopping Centre in Coolock, Nutgrove Shopping Centre in Rathfarnham, and Pavilions Shopping Centre in Swords. Media Dublin is the centre of both media and communications in Ireland, with many newspapers, radio stations, television stations and telephone companies based there. RTÉ is Ireland's national state broadcaster, and is based in Donnybrook. Fair City is RTÉ's soap opera, located in the fictional Dublin suburb of Carraigstown. TV3, City Channel and Setanta Sports are also based in the city. The headquarters of An Post and telecommunications companies such as Eircom, as well as mobile operators Meteor, Vodafone, O2 and 3 are all located there. Dublin is also the headquarters of important national newspapers such as The Irish Times and Irish Independent, as well as local newspapers such as The Evening Herald. Dublin is home to national commercial radio networks Today FM and Newstalk, and numerous local stations. The most popular radio stations in Dublin, by adult (15+) listenership share, are RTÉ Radio 1 (30.3%), FM104 (13.3%), 98FM (11.9%), RTÉ 2fm (10.4%), Q102 (7%), Spin 1038 (7%), Newstalk (6.8%), Today FM (5.7%), RTÉ lyric fm (2.7%), Dublin's Country Mix 106.8 (2.6%) and Phantom FM (1.8%). Among the under 35s, this figures are very different with FM104 (24.9%), Spin 1038 (17.3%) and 98FM (15.6%) being the most popular.67 There are two Irish language radio stations which can be picked up in the Dublin area: RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta, and Raidió na Life 106.4fm, both of which have studios in the city. Sport Croke Park The city is host to Croke Park, the headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association. With a capacity of 82,300, it is the fourth largest stadium in Europe after Nou Camp in Barcelona, Wembley in London, and the San Siro in Milan.6869 It traditionally hosts Gaelic football and hurling games, as well as international rules football. The Dublin team play most of their home league hurling and Gaelic Football games at Parnell Park. Lansdowne Road stadium was the venue for home games of both the Irish Rugby Union Team and the national football team. As part of a joint venture between the Irish Rugby Football Union, the FAI and the Government, it was replaced by the 50,000 all-seater Aviva Stadium, which opened in May 2010.70 On 29 January 2009, UEFA confirmed that the Aviva Stadium will host the 2011 Europa League Final.71 Dublin is home to six League of Ireland clubs, five in the Premier Division and one in the First Division. Dalymount Park in Phibsboro, which is the former venue of Republic of Ireland international soccer matches, is the home stadium of the Bohemians. Their rivals and current League Champions Shamrock Rovers play at Tallaght Stadium, St Patrick's Athletic play at Richmond Park, and University College Dublin play their home games at the UCD Bowl. Sporting Fingal also play at Dalymount, while Shelbourne is based at Tolka Park. Tolka Park, Dalymount Park, UCD Bowl and Tallaght Stadium, along with the Carlisle Grounds in Bray, hosted all Group 3 games in the intermediary round of the 2011 UEFA Regions' Cup. Aviva Stadium The National Aquatic Centre in Blanchardstown is Ireland's largest indoor water leisure facility. The Dublin area has several race courses including Shelbourne Park and Leopardstown. The Dublin Horse Show takes place at the RDS, which hosted the Show Jumping World Championships in 1982. The national boxing arena is located in The National Stadium on the South Circular Road. There are also basketball, handball, hockey and athletics stadia, most notably Morton Stadium in Santry, which held the athletics events of the 2003 Special Olympics. Australian Rules Football has had a presence in the city since 1999 and there are now three clubs in the Capital; the Dublin Demons, the South Dublin Swans and the West Dublin Saints. All three clubs play in the Aussieproperty.com Premiership and many of their players have represented Ireland's National Aussie Rules Team, the Irish Warriors. Ireland's domestic Rugby League competition has been running since 1997.72 The North Dublin Eagles play in Ireland's Carnegie League. Recent popularity has been increased with the Irish Wolfhound's success in the Rugby League World Cup which was held in Australia in 2008. The Dublin Marathon has been run since 1980 on the last Monday in October. The Women's Mini Marathon has been run since 1983 on the first Monday in June, which is also a bank holiday in Ireland. It is said to be the largest all female event of its kind in the world.73 Twinning See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in the Republic of Ireland Dublin is twinned with the following places:74 San Jose, California, United States75 Liverpool, United Kingdom76 Barcelona, Spain7778 See also Global city Dublin English List of people from Dublin List of European metropolitan areas by GRP References ^ "Dublin City Council ''Dublin City Coat of Arms'' (retrieved 15 February 2009". 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The Irish Experience. http://www.irishexperience.net/. Retrieved 2010-06-17.  ^ TalkingCities ^ Article on stag/hen parties in Edinburgh, Scotland (which mentions their popularity in Dublin), mentioning Dublin, Accessed Feb 15 2009. ^ "New Lonely Planet guide slams Ireland for being too modern | Ireland Vacations". IrishCentral. http://www.irishcentral.com/travel/New-Lonely-Planet-guide-slams-Ireland-for-being-too-modern-82150002.html. Retrieved 2010-06-17.  ^ McDonald, Frank (29 July 2008). "Arnotts granted planning permission for scaled-down city centre scheme". The Irish Times. http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/0729/1217279096592.html. Retrieved 18 January 2009.  ^ O'Brien, Ciara (28 July 2010). "Anglo to take control of Arnotts". The Irish Times.  ^ Carlton Cinema Becomes 'Dublin Central' ^ Doyle, Kevin (17 December 2009). "Let us open up for Sunday shoppers says Moore Street". The Herald. http://www.herald.ie/national-news/city-news/let-us-open-up-for-sunday-shoppers-says-moore-street-1979287.html. Retrieved 28 December 2009.  ^ McKenna, John (7 July 2007). "Public appetite for real food". The Irish Times. http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/health/2007/0703/1183326703779.html. Retrieved 28 December 2009.  ^ Van Kampen, Sinead (21 September 2009). "Miss Thrifty: Death to the shopping centre!". The Irish Independent. http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/independent-woman/fashion-beauty/miss-thrifty-death-to-the-shopping-centre-1892296.html. Retrieved 28 December 2009.  ^ Mooney, Sinead (7 July 2007). "Food Shorts". The Irish Times. http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/magazine/2007/0707/1183410407879.html. Retrieved 28 December 2009.  ^ Dublin Food Co-op website ref. Markets / News and Events / Recent Events / Events Archive ^ "Radio Listenership Up-Date" (PDF). http://www.mii.ie/attachments/wysiwyg/6051/RadioListenershipUpdate.pdf. 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W3.bcn.es. 2009-06-18. http://w3.bcn.es/XMLServeis/XMLHomeLinkPl/0,4022,229724149_257345983_3,00.html. Retrieved 2009-06-23.  ^ "Barcelona internacional - Ciutats agermanades" (in Spanish). © 2006-2009 Ajuntament de Barcelona. http://w3.bcn.es/XMLServeis/XMLHomeLinkPl/0,4022,229724149_257215678_1,00.html. Retrieved 2009-07-13.  Further reading John Flynn and Jerry Kelleher, Dublin Journeys in America (High Table Publishing, 2003) ISBN 0-9544694-1-0 Hanne Hem, Dubliners, An Anthropologist's Account, Oslo, 1994 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 0-300-09064-1 External links Find more about Dublin on Wikipedia's sister projects: Definitions from Wiktionary Images and media from Commons Learning resources from Wikiversity News stories from Wikinews Quotations from Wikiquote Source texts from Wikisource Textbooks from Wikibooks Dublin travel guide from Wikitravel Dublin City Council - Official website of the local authority for Dublin Dublin Tourist Board - Official tourism site Transport for Dublin - public transport website Sampling Dublin’s Theater Scene - slideshow by The New York Times v · d · eDivisions of the former County Dublin, Ireland County seats: Dublin · Dún Laoghaire · Tallaght · Swords Cities Dublin Counties Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown · Fingal · South Dublin Districts Northside · Southside See also Dublin Regional Authority · Dublin Metropolitan Area · Greater Dublin Area · List of townlands in County Dublin v · d · eCities in Ireland Republic of Ireland Dublin • Cork • Kilkenny* • Limerick • Galway • Waterford Northern Ireland Belfast • Derry • Armagh • Newry • Lisburn *not an administrative city v · d · e Capital cities of the Member States of the European Union Amsterdam · Athens · Berlin · Bratislava · Brussels · Bucharest · Budapest · Copenhagen · Dublin · Helsinki · Lisbon · Ljubljana · London · Luxembourg City · Madrid · Nicosia · Paris · Prague · Riga · Rome · Sofia · Stockholm · Tallinn · Valletta · Vienna · Vilnius · Warsaw v · d · eEuropean Capitals of Culture 1985 Athens · 1986 Florence · 1987 Amsterdam · 1988 West Berlin · 1989 Paris · 1990 Glasgow · 1991 Dublin · 1992 Madrid · 1993 Antwerp · 1994 Lisbon · 1995 Luxembourg City · 1996 Copenhagen · 1997 Thessaloniki · 1998 Stockholm · 1999 Weimar · 2000 Reykjavík · Bergen · Helsinki · Brussels · Prague · Kraków · Santiago de Compostela · Avignon · Bologna · 2001 Rotterdam · Porto · 2002 Bruges · Salamanca · 2003 Graz · 2004 Genoa · Lille · 2005 Cork · 2006 Patras · 2007 Luxembourg City and Greater Region · Sibiu · 2008 Liverpool · Stavanger · 2009 Linz · Vilnius · 2010 Essen · Istanbul · Pécs · 2011 Turku · Tallinn · 2012 Maribor · Guimarães · 2013 Košice  · Marseille v · d · eCapitals of European states and territories Capitals of non-sovereign territories or constituent nations shown in SmallCaps Western Northern Central Southern Eastern Amsterdam, Netherlands Andorra la Vella, Andorra Belfast, Northern Ireland Brussels, Belgium 5 Douglas, Isle of Man4 Cardiff, Wales Dublin, Ireland Edinburgh, Scotland Lisbon, Portugal London, United Kingdom, England Luxembourg, Luxembourg Madrid, Spain Monaco, Monaco Paris, France Saint Helier, Jersey4 Saint Peter Port, Guernsey4 Copenhagen, Denmark Helsinki, Finland Longyearbyen, Svalbard Mariehamn, Åland Islands Oslo, Norway Reykjavík, Iceland Riga, Latvia Stockholm, Sweden Tallinn, Estonia Tórshavn, Faroe Islands Vilnius, Lithuania Belgrade, Serbia Berlin, Germany Bern, Switzerland Bratislava, Slovakia Budapest, Hungary Ljubljana, Slovenia Prague, Czech Republic Vienna, Austria Warsaw, Poland Vaduz, Liechtenstein Zagreb, Croatia Ankara, Turkey 1 Athens, Greece Gibraltar, Gibraltar4 Nicosia, Cyprus 2, Northern Cyprus 2, 3 Podgorica, Montenegro Pristina, Kosovo 3 Rome, Italy San Marino, San Marino Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina Skopje, Republic of Macedonia Tirana, Albania Valletta, Malta Vatican City, Vatican City Astana, Kazakhstan 1 Baku, Azerbaijan 1 Bucharest, Romania Chişinău, Moldova Kiev, Ukraine Minsk, Belarus Moscow, Russia 1 Sofia, Bulgaria Stepanakert, Nagorno-Karabakh Republic 3 Sukhumi, Abkhazia 3 Tbilisi, Georgia 1 Tiraspol, Transnistria 3 Tskhinvali, South Ossetia 3 Yerevan, Armenia 1 1 Transcontinental country.  2 Entirely in Southwest Asia but having socio-political connections with Europe.  3 Partially recognised country.  4 Crown Dependency or Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom.  5 Also the seat of the European Union, see Location of European Union institutions and Brussels and the European Union. v · d · eHost cities of the Eurovision Song Contest 1950s Lugano · Frankfurt · Hilversum · Cannes 1960s London · Cannes · Luxembourg · London · Copenhagen · Naples · Luxembourg · Vienna · London · Madrid 1970s Amsterdam · Dublin · Edinburgh · Luxembourg · Brighton · Stockholm · The Hague · London · Paris · Jerusalem 1980s The Hague · Dublin · Harrogate · Munich · Luxembourg · Gothenburg · Bergen · Brussels · Dublin · Lausanne 1990s Zagreb · Rome · Malmö · Millstreet · Dublin · Dublin · Oslo · Dublin · Birmingham · Jerusalem 2000s Stockholm · Copenhagen · Tallinn · Riga · Istanbul · Kiev · Athens · Helsinki · Belgrade · Moscow 2010s Oslo  · Düsseldorf v · d · eBaronies of Dublin Balrothery East · Balrothery West · Castleknock · Coolock · Dublin · Dublin City · Nethercross · Newcastle · Rathdown · Uppercross · Other baronies of Ireland: complete list · by county