Dublin’s fair city was properly established by the arrival of the Vikings in the 9th century. In fact the name Dublin comes from the Irish for black pool, denoting the spot of water where the Vikings first over-wintered with their boats. In the middle ages, the Anglo-Normans arrived and the city expanded greatly with the building of Dublin Castle and the city walls and the rebuilding of the two large cathedrals.

From 1800, the seat of political power was re-established in London and Dublin went into slow decline until the 1980s. As it enters the 21st century, Dublin is a thriving commercial centre where old and new building styles and attitudes to life mix happily. Now with one of the most youthful populations in Europe and with over 1,000 pubs it has developed a reputation as a hip place to party and a great place to visit.