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| {{Infobox Irish Place| | |||
| name = Dublin | | |||
| gaeilge = Baile Átha Cliath | | |||
| crest image = Dublin_city_coa.gif | | |||
| motto = {{lang|la|''Obedientia Civium Urbis Felicitas''}} <br/> ]: literally, "The citizens' obedience is the city's happiness" (rendered more loosely as "Happy the city where citizens obey" by the council itself <ref></ref>) | | |||
| map image = Ireland map County Dublin City.png | | |||
| pin coords = left: 92px; top: 67px | | |||
| north coord = 53.3472 | | |||
| west coord = 6.2592 | | |||
| area = {{convert|114.99|sqkm|sqmi|0|abbr=on}} | | |||
| county = ] | | |||
| dailconstituency = ], ], ], ], ], ]| | |||
| EU constituency = ] | | |||
| IEpostcode = D1-24, D6W| | |||
| stdcode = +353 1 | | |||
| population = <small>Dublin City:<br>505,739<br>Dublin Urban Area:<br>1,045,769<br>]:<br>1,186,821<br>]:<br>1,661,185</small> | | |||
| census yr = 2006 | | |||
| province = ] | | |||
| web = www.dublincity.ie | | |||
| |}} | |||
| '''Dublin''' ({{IPAEng|ˈdʌblɨn, ˈdʊblɨn}}, or {{IPA|/ˈdʊbəlɪn/}}) ({{lang-ga|'Baile Átha Cliath'}},<ref>'{{lang|ga|Baile Átha Cliath}}' (or simply '{{lang|ga|Áth Cliath}}') and '{{lang|ga|Dubh Linn}}' are the two names of the city, the former being the one currently in official and common usage.</ref> {{IPA2|bˠalʲə a:ha klʲiəh] or ] and the capital of the ]. It is located near the midpoint of Ireland's east coast, at the mouth of the ] and at the centre of the ]. Founded as a ] settlement, the city has been Ireland's primary city for most of the island's history since ] times. Today, it is an economic, administrative and cultural centre for the island of ], and has one of the fastest growing populations of any European capital city.<ref></ref><ref></ref> | |||
| In a 2003 European-wide survey by the ], questioning 11,200 residents of 112 urban and rural areas, Dublin was the best capital city in ] to live in, and Ireland the most content country in Europe.<ref></ref> | |||
| ==Name== | |||
| ] over the ].]] | |||
| The name Dublin is a ] derivative of '{{lang|ga|Dubh Linn}}' (Irish, ''dubh'' -> black, and ''linn'' -> pool). Historically, in the traditional ] used for the Irish language, 'bh' was written with a dot over the 'b', ''viz'' 'Du{{unicode|ḃ}} Linn' or 'Du{{unicode|ḃ}}linn'. The French-speaking ]s omitted the dot and spelled the name variously as 'Develyn' or 'Dublin'. | |||
| Some sources doubt this derivation, and suggest that 'Dublin' is of ]n origin, cf. {{lang-is|djúp lind}} ('deep pond'). However, the name '{{lang|ga|Dubh Linn}}' pre-dates the arrival of the Vikings in Ireland, and the ] (and modern Icelandic) name for Dublin is simply the words 'Dubh Linn' re-spelled as if they were Old Norse: '{{lang|non|Dyflinn}}' (correctly pronounced "Duev-linn"). | |||
| The common name for the city in Modern Irish is '{{lang|ga|Baile Átha Cliath}}' ('The Settlement of the Ford of the Reed Hurdles'), which is a place-name referring to a fording point of the Liffey in the vicinity of Heuston Station. This place-name was applied to an early Christian monastery which is believed to have been situated in the area of Angier Street currently occupied by St Valentine's (R.C.) church. | |||
| The subsequent Scandinavian settlement was on the ], a tributary of the Liffey, to the East of ], in the area 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. The Dubh Linn and Poddle were covered during the early 1800s, and as the city expanded they were largely forgotten about. The Dubh Linn was situated in the area of the park of the Chester-Beaty Library in Dublin Castle. | |||
| ==History== | |||
| {{main|History of Dublin}} | |||
| ] | |||
| The writings of the Greek astronomer and cartographer ] provide perhaps the earliest reference to human habitat in the area now known as Dublin. In around A.D. 140 he referred to a settlement he called {{lang|la|'']''}}. The settlement 'Dubh Linn' dates perhaps as far back as the first century BC and later a monastery was built there, though the town was established in about 841<ref></ref> by the ]. | |||
| The modern city retains the Anglicised Irish name of the former and the original Irish name of the latter. After the ], Dublin became the key centre of military and judicial power, with much of the power centering on ] until independence. From the 14th to late 16th centuries Dublin and the surrounding area, known as ], formed the largest area of Ireland under government control. The Parliament was located in Drogheda for several centuries, but was switched permanently to Dublin after ] conquered the ] in 1504. ]<br><small>Seat of the ] and his court until 1922</small>]] | |||
| Dublin also had local city administration via its ] from the Middle Ages. This represented the city's guild-based ] until it was reformed in the 1840s on increasingly democratic lines. | |||
| From the 17th century the city expanded rapidly, helped by the ]. ] was, for a short time, the second city of the British Empire after London. Much of Dublin's most notable architecture dates from this time. The ] brewery was also established at this time. The 1800s were a period of decline relative to the industrial growth of ]; by 1900 the population of Belfast was nearly twice as large. Whereas Belfast was prosperous and industrial, Dublin had become a city of squalor and class division, built on the remains of lost grandeur, as best described in the novel 'Strumpet City', by James Plunkett, and in the works of Sean O'Casey. Dublin was still the primary centre of administration and transport for much of Ireland, though completely bypassed by the ]. The ] of 1916 occurred in the city centre, bringing much physical destruction. The ] and ] contributed even more destruction, leaving many of its finest buildings in ruins. The ] rebuilt many of the buildings and moved parliament to ]. Through ] (World War II), until the 1960s, Dublin remained a capital out of time: the city centre in particular remained at an architectural standstill. Interestingly enough, this made the city perfect ideal for historical film production, with many productions including '']'', and '']'', capturing the cityscape at this time. This became the foundation of later successes in cinematography and film-making. With increasing prosperity, modern architecture was introduced to the city, though a vigorous campaign started in parallel to restore the Georgian greatness of Dublin's streets, rather than lose the grandeur forever. Since 1995, the landscape of Dublin has changed immensely, with enormous private and state development of housing, transport, and business. (See also ]). Some well-known ] are still named for the pub or business which used to occupy the site before closure or redevelopment. | |||
| ] was burned down during the civil war, and was subsequently restored]] | |||
| Since the beginning of ] rule in the 12th century, the city has served as the capital of the island of Ireland in the varying ] entities: | |||
| * the ] (1171–1541) | |||
| * the ] (1541–1800) | |||
| * the island as part of the ] (1801–1922) | |||
| * the ] (1919–1922),<ref>It should be noted that this state was unilaterally declared and was not recognised by any other country apart from ]. The control did not extend to all of the island, particularly unionist areas in the north east.</ref> | |||
| From 1922, following the partition of Ireland, it became the capital of the ] (1922–1949) and now is the capital of the ]. (Many of these states co-existed or competed within the same timeframe as rivals within either British or Irish constitutional theory.) One of the memorials to commemorate that time is the ]. | |||
| ==Culture== | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ===Literature, theatre and the arts=== | |||
| The city has a world-famous literary history, having produced many prominent literary figures. Indeed, as birthplace of ], ] and ], Dublin has produced three winners of the ] - more than any other city in the world.<ref></ref> Other, influential writers and playwrights from Dublin include ], ] and the creator of ], ]. It is arguably most famous, however, as the location of the greatest works of ]. '']'' is a collection of short stories by Joyce about incidents and characters typical of residents of the city in the early part of the 20th century. His most celebrated work, '']'', is also set in Dublin and full of topographical detail. Additional widely celebrated writers from the city include ], ], ], ], and ]. Ireland's biggest libraries and literary museums are found in Dublin, including the ] and ]. | |||
| There are several theatres within the city centre, and various world-famous actors have emerged from the Dublin theatrical scene, including ], ], ], ] and ]. The best known theatres include the ], the ], the ] and the ]. The ] 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 ] was founded in 1904 by a group that included ] 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 ], Yeats himself and ]. The ] was founded in 1928 to promote European and American Avante Guarde works. The largest theatre is the Mahony Hall in ] at ] in ]. | |||
| ] | |||
| Dublin is also the focal point for much of Irish Art and the Irish artistic scene. The ], a world-famous manuscript produced by Celtic Monks in A.D. 800 and an example of ], is on display in ]. The ] houses the famous collection of manuscripts, miniature paintings, prints, drawings, rare books and decorative arts assembled by American mining millionaire (and honorary Irish citizen) ] (1875-1968). The collections date from 2700 B.C. onwards and are drawn from Asia, the Middle East, North Africa and Europe. Work by local artists is often put on public display around ], the main public park in the city centre. In addition large art galleries are found across the city, including the ], the ], the ], ], ], ] and ]. | |||
| Three centres of the ] are in Dublin. | |||
| ===Nightlife and entertainment=== | |||
| ] | |||
| There is a vibrant nightlife in Dublin and it is reputedly one of the most youthful cities in Europe - with estimates of 50% of inhabitants being younger than 25.<ref></ref><ref></ref> Furthermore in 2007, it was voted the friendliest city in ].<ref> March 13, 2007</ref> Like the rest of Ireland, there are pubs right across the city centre, on almost every street. The area around ] - especially Harcourt Street, Camden Street, Wexford Street and Leeson Street - is a centre for some of the most popular nightclubs and pubs in Dublin. | |||
| The most internationally notorious area for nightlife is the ] area just south of the River Liffey. To some extent, the area has become a hot spot for tourists, including stag and hen parties from ], causing some (though by no means all) locals to steer clear at night. Nonetheless, it was developed as Dublin's cultural quarter (an idea proposed by local politician ]), and does retain this spirit as a centre for small arts productions, in the form of street performers and intimate small music venues. | |||
| Live music is popularly played on streets and at venues throughout Dublin in general and the city has produced several rock bands of international success, including ], ], and ]. The two best known cinemas in the city centre are the ] and the ] Cinema, both north of the Liffey. Alternative and special-interest cinema can be found in the ] in Temple Bar, and in the Screen Cinema on d'Olier Street. Across suburban Dublin are located large modern multiscreen cinemas. | |||
| ===Sport=== | |||
| ]<br><small>Europe's 4th biggest stadium and home to the Gaelic Athletic Association.</small>]]The headquarters of almost all of Ireland's sporting organisations are in Dublin, and the most popular sports in Dublin are those that are most popular throughout Ireland: ], ], ] and ]. | |||
| The city is host to the 4th largest stadium in the European Union, and 6th largest in Europe as a whole,<ref> 2006]</ref> ], the 82,500-capacity headquarters of the ]. It traditionally hosts ] and ] games during the summer months, as well as ] in alternating years. It also hosts concerts, with acts such as ] and ] having played there in recent years. The ] branch of the Gaelic Athletic Association play their league games at ]. | |||
| ] stadium (previously owned by the ]) was the venue for home games of both the ] and the ]. Until recently, it had a mixed standing and seating capacity of 49,000. However, as part of a joint venture between the ] and the ], it is currently being demolished and is expected to be replaced with a 50,000 all-seated stadium by 2009.<ref></ref> Accordingly, ] and ] home internationals have been temporarily moved to ]. | |||
| ] is the home of the ] team, which plays in the ]. They also play some important league and ] matches at Lansdowne Road and have recently played these matches in the RDS. | |||
| ], in ] and the traditional Home of Irish Soccer, is now used only for home games of local club ]. Rivals ] play at ], in ], while ] play in ] in ] on the south west edge of the city. ], Ireland's most successful club, are originally from ] but have spent the last two decades in search of a home, and hope to complete a new stadium in ] in 2007. The other senior soccer clubs are ], based in ], and the now defunct ] (formerly Home Farm F.C.). | |||
| ] in Blanchardstown is the first building to open in the ]. There are several race courses in the Dublin area including Shelbourne Park (]) and Leopardstown (]). The world famous Dublin Horse Show takes place at the ], ], which hosted the ] in 1982. The national boxing arena is located in Harold's Cross, though larger fights take place in the Point Depot in the docklands area. There are also ], ], ] and ] stadia — most notably ] in ], which held the athletics events of the 2003 ]. | |||
| The ] has been run since 1980. | |||
| In recent years rugby league as a sport in Dublin has began to become popular, with two teams, the Dublin Blues and the North Dublin Eagles, from Ireland's Lucozade elite League being based in the nation's capital. Such popularity has been increased with the Irish National Team's success in their qualifiers for the Rugby League World Cup to be held in Australia in 2008. | |||
| ===Shopping=== | |||
| ] | |||
| Dublin is a popular shopping spot for both Irish people and tourists. | |||
| Dublin city centre has several shopping districts, including ] and ] and the adjacent ], ] and newly refurbished ] (all popular meet-up spots for decades). On Grafton street, the most famous shops include ] and its sister shop ], being akin to ] in New York City, for example. Brown Thomas also contains "mini-stores" such as Hermes and Chanel on its Wicklow Street frontage. This is Dublin's nearest equivalent to a Designer shopping street such as ] in London or ] in New York City. | |||
| Dublin city is the location of large department stores, such as ] on O'Connell Street, ] on Henry Street, ] on Grafton Street and Debenhams (formerly Roches Stores) on Henry Street. | |||
| A major €750 m development for Dublin city centre has been given the green light. The development of the so-called Northern Quarter will see the construction of 47 new shops, 175 apartments and a four-star hotel. ] gave ] planning permission for the plans to change the area bounded by Henry Street, ], ] and ]. The redevelopment will also include 14 new cafes along with a 149-bed hotel. It is expected that work on the new area will start in the second half of 2008. Prince's Street, which runs off ], will become a full urban street and pedestrian thoroughfare. | |||
| Since the mid 1990s, suburban Dublin has seen the completion of several modern retail centres. These include ], ] in ] (] Red Line), Liffey Valley Shopping Centre in ], OmniPark in ], Northside Shopping Centre in ], and Pavilions Shopping Centre in ]. | |||
| ===Multicultural Dublin=== | |||
| ] | |||
| Despite having a long tradition of emigration that continued up until the early 1990s, Dublin now has a sizeable number of immigrants. Foreign nationals in Dublin are primarily young and single<ref> July 12, 2007</ref> and the biggest numbers come from across the European Union, particularly ], ] and ] but also from right across the European continent. There are also considerable and growing numbers from outside Europe, particularly ], ], ], ], ], ] and ]. This immigration has stimulated a new diversity in Dublin that, while still relatively moderate when compared to other European capital cities such as ] and ], has brought a new dimension to life in the city and looks set to grow considerably in the future. 10% of the ]'s population is now made up of foreign nationals, and Dublin is home to a disproportionate number of new arrivals to the country - for example, 60% of Ireland's Asian population lives in Dublin even though less than 40% of the overall population live in the ].<ref> 26 July 2007</ref> One tangible manifestation of this multiculturalism is in the spread of new ethnic food stores, notably on Parnell Street and Moore Street. | |||
| ===Northside and Southside=== | |||
| ] and ].]] | |||
| A north-south division has traditionally existed in Dublin for some time, with the dividing line being the ]. The ] is seen by some as working-class, while the '']'' is seen as middle and upper middle class. But this is not a clear divide in reality by any means. ] have odd numbers for districts on the Northside — for example, ] is in Dublin 7 — and even numbers for the Southside — for example, ] is in Dublin 4. An exception to the rule is Dublin 8, which straddles the river. | |||
| This division dates back some centuries, certainly to the point when the ] built his residence on the then less-regarded Southside. When asked why he was building on the Southside, he replied "Where I go, fashion follows me", and he was promptly followed by most other ]. | |||
| 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 ], ]''), and working-class Dubliners seen as tending towards accents and demeanour associated with (but not exclusive to) Northside and inner-city Dublin neighbourhoods often exemplified by the works of modern writer ]. | |||
| ] | |||
| 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, ], is on the Northside, although its postal district is Dublin 8, a "Southside" number. Similarly, some of Dublin's majority working-class suburbs such as ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and ], are south of the river while wealthier suburbs such as ], ], ], ], ], ] and ] are on the Northside. Areas of the north inner city such as ], the ] and ] are also associated with affluence in recent times. | |||
| 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 ] economy in Ireland, and to pressure on housing stock. 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 generally being wealthier than the west. There are significant social divisions between the coastal suburbs in the east of the city, including those on the Northside, and the newer developments further to the west. | |||
| ==Education== | |||
| ] | |||
| Dublin is the primary centre of education in Ireland, with three universities and several other higher education institutions. There are 20 third-level institutes in the city.<ref></ref> The ] is the oldest university in Ireland dating from the 16th century. Its sole constituent college, ], was established by ] under ] and was closed to Roman Catholics until ]; the Catholic hierarchy then banned Roman Catholics from attending it until 1970. The ] has its seat in Dublin, which is also the location of the associated ''constituent university'' of ] (UCD), the largest university in Ireland; although it is located in ], just outside the city boundary. ] (DCU) is the most recent university and specialises in business, engineering, and science courses, particularly with relevance to industry. The ] (RCSI) is a medical school which is a recognised college of the ], it is situated at ] in the city centre. The ], another constituent university of the NUI, is in neighbouring ], about {{convert|25|km|mi|0|abbr=on}} from the city centre. | |||
| ] (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 ]. Two suburbs of Dublin, ] and ] have Institutes of Technology: ], and ]. | |||
| The ] (NCAD) and ] (DLIADT) support training and research in art, design and media technology. | |||
| There are also various other smaller specialised colleges, including private ones:<br /> | |||
| *] is located at the former Griffith Barracks on the South Circular Road, offering courses in Accountancy, Business, Law, Computing, Media & Journalism and Design. | |||
| *] hosts both a two year intensive degree in acting and a three year undergraduate ] degree in acting in conjunction with ], and ], located on Aungier Street. | |||
| *The ] provides specialised courses in film, performing arts, information technology, photography, interactive media and music technology (including a Master's degree and ] courses). | |||
| ==Population== | |||
| The city of Dublin is the entire area administered by ], but can also refer to the contiguous suburban areas that run into the adjacent counties of ], ] and ]. This area is sometimes known as 'Urban Dublin' or the ']'. | |||
| The population of the administrative area controlled by Dublin City Council was 505,739 at the census of 2006. At the same census, the ] population was 1,186,159, and the ] 1,661,185. The city's population is expanding rapidly, and the ] is estimated by the ] to reach 2.1 million by 2021. Today, approximately 40% of the population of Ireland live within a {{convert|100|km|mi|-0|abbr=on}} fan radius of this east coast city.<ref> 2 April 2007</ref> | |||
| ==Economy and infrastructure== | |||
| ===Industry, employment and standard of living=== | |||
| Dublin has been at the centre of Ireland's phenomenal economic growth over the last 10-15 years, a period (often of double-digit growth) referred to as the ] years. Living standards in the city have risen dramatically, although the cost of living has also soared. Dublin is now the planet's 16th most expensive city (8th most expensive city in Europe, excluding Russian cities).<ref> 2007</ref> However, it has the fourth highest wages for a city in the world, ahead of both ] and ], though behind ], ] and ].<ref></ref> | |||
| Historically, ] has probably been the industry most often associated with the city: ] has been brewed at the ] 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 ]. For example, ], ], ], ], ] and ] (among others) now have European headquarters and/or operational bases in the city and its suburbs. ] and ] have large manufacturing plants in ], ], {{convert|15|km|mi|0|abbr=on}} to the west. | |||
| ] (on ])]] | |||
| Banking, finance and commerce are also important in the city — the ] alone handles over €1 trillion a year. Many international firms have established major headquarters in the city (eg. ], ]). Also located in Dublin is the ] (ISEQ), ] (INEX) and ] (IEX). | |||
| The economic boom years have 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 , 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 tallest building, ], is only {{convert|59.4|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} tall; already under construction in the city is , a {{convert|117|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} building (134 m including spire). The {{convert|120|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} and the {{convert|120|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} ] Watchtower have been approved. Construction has started on the latter. Also the ] will be the tallest building on the Island of ] when it is finished. | |||
| 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.<ref>{{PDFlink||256 ]<!-- application/pdf, 262611 bytes -->}}</ref> | |||
| Economic growth is expected to slow in the coming years, with the Irish central bank predicting medium-term growth rates of around 3–5%.<ref></ref> While this represents a slowdown relative to the early Celtic Tiger years, it is still stronger than growth in most other wealthy countries. | |||
| ===Transport=== | |||
| {{main|Transport in Dublin}} | |||
| ]]] | |||
| ====Road network==== | |||
| Dublin is also the main hub of the country's road network. The ] (the busiest road in Ireland), a semi-] 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 €1.90 applies on what is called the ], two adjacent concrete bridges that tower high above the River Liffey near the village of ]. | |||
| To complete the ring road, an eastern bypass is also proposed for the city of Dublin. The first half of this project is the ] which opened in late 2006 and mainly caters to heavy vehicles. | |||
| 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 ] and the ], as well as the North and South Circular Roads. | |||
| ====Bus==== | |||
| {{main|Dublin Bus}} | |||
| {{wrapper}} | |||
| |] train, forming part of the ] network.]] | |||
| |- | |||
| |[[Image:Loop Line Railway entering Pearse Station in Westland Row, Dublin.jpg|thumb|right|240px|A train entering [[Dublin Pearse railway station|Pearse | |||
| Station]]]] | |||
| |} | |||
| The bulk of the public transport system in Dublin is made up of bus services operated by ] (Dublin Bus) but a number of smaller operators provide services as well. | |||
| ====Suburban Rail and DART==== | |||
| The ] network is a system of five rail lines serving mainly commuters in the ], though some trains go even further to commuter towns such as ]. One of these is an electrified line that runs along ] and is known as the ] (DART) line. | |||
| ====Luas==== | |||
| A two-line ]/] network called the ] 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. 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. | |||
| ====Metro==== | |||
| {{main|Dublin Metro}} | |||
| Building work has not yet begun on the Dublin Metro (subway / underground) system set out in the Irish government's 2005 ] plan. 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 ] Tram or the ]. The ''Metro North'' will bring rail access to areas and institutions currently lacking it, such as the ], ] (], inter-city and suburban rail stop), ], ], ] and ]. The ''Metro West'' will serve the large suburbs of ], ] and ]. | |||
| ====Air and sea transport==== | |||
| Dublin is at the centre of ]. ] is the country's busiest ] and ] is the busiest airport on the island. | |||
| ===Communications and media=== | |||
| Dublin is the centre of both media and communications in Ireland, with many newspapers, radio stations, television stations and telephone companies having their headquarters there. ] (RTÉ) is Ireland's national state broadcaster, and has its main offices and studios in Donnybrook, Dublin. ] is the broadcaster's capital-based soap, located in the fictional Dublin suburb of ''Carraigstown''. ], ], ] and ] are also based in Dublin. Dublin is home to national commercial radio networks ] and ], as well as local stations. The main infrastructure and offices of ] and telecommunciations companies, such as the former state telephone company ], as well as mobile/cellular operators ], ] and ] are all located in the capital. Dublin is also the headquarters of important national newspapers such as '']'' and '']''. | |||
| ==Government== | |||
| ===City=== | |||
| ]<br /><small>formerly the Royal Exchange</small>]] | |||
| The City is governed by '']'' (formerly called '']''), which is presided over by the ], who is elected for a yearly term and resides in the ]. Dublin City Council is based in two major buildings. Council meetings take place in the headquarters at ], 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 ]. | |||
| The City Council is a unicameral assembly of 52 members, 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=== | |||
| ]<br><small>18th century ducal palace now the seat of parliament that houses both the ] & ]</small>]] | |||
| The national parliament of the Republic of Ireland, the '']'', consists of the President of Ireland and two houses, ] (Chamber of Deputies) and ] (Senate). All three are based in Dublin. The ] lives in ], the former residence of the ] in the city's largest park, ]. Both houses of the Oireachtas meet in ], a former ducal palace on the south side. The building has been the home of Irish parliaments since the creation of the ] on ], ]. | |||
| ]<br><small>Formerly the ]</small>]] | |||
| The Irish Government is based in the '']'', a large building designed by Sir ], the architect who created the ] facade of ], as the ]. In 1921 the ] met here. 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. Both it and Leinster House, meant to be a temporary home of parliament, became permanent homes. | |||
| The old ] of the ] are in ]. | |||
| ==Climate== | |||
| ] | |||
| 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 ]. The average maximum January temperature is 8 °C, the average maximum July temperature is 20 °C. The sunniest months, on average, are May and June. The wettest months, on average, are December and August, with 74 mm of rain. The driest month is April, with 45 mm. The total average annual rainfall (and other forms of precipitation) is 762 mm, lower than ], ] and even ]. Due to Dublin's high latitude, it experiences long summer days (around 19 hours of daylight) and short winter days (as short as nine hours). Like the rest of Ireland it is relatively safe from common ]s such as tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes and tsunamis. | |||
| 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. During one of the stormiest periods of recent times, a gust of {{convert|151|km/h|mph|0|abbr=on}} was recorded at ] on ] ]. | |||
| An ] effect means Dublin is 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 slight differences between the city centre<ref></ref> and the Airport,<ref></ref> just {{convert|12|km|mi|0|abbr=on}} north. | |||
| The city is not noted for its temperature extremes due to its mild climate. Typically, the coldest months are December, January and February. Temperatures in summer in recent years have been rising to substantially above average figures, e.g. 31 °C in July 2006, over 11 °C higher than the average maximum. Recent heat waves include the ] and ]. | |||
| The main precipitation in winter is rain. The city can experience some snow showers during the months from November to April, but lying snow is rare (on average, only 4/5 days). ] occurs more often than snow, and is most likely during the winter and spring months. Another rare type of weather is ] and ], most common in summer. | |||
| {| class="wikitable" | |||
| ! style="background: #99CCCC; color: #000080" height="17" | Month<ref>Weather and climate data from .</ref> | |||
| ! style="background: #99CCCC; color:#000080;" abbr="January" | Jan | |||
| ! style="background: #99CCCC; color:#000080;" abbr="February" | Feb | |||
| ! style="background: #99CCCC; color:#000080;" abbr="March" | Mar | |||
| ! style="background: #99CCCC; color:#000080;" abbr="April" | Apr | |||
| ! style="background: #99CCCC; color:#000080;" | May | |||
| ! style="background: #99CCCC; color:#000080;" abbr="June" | Jun | |||
| ! style="background: #99CCCC; color:#000080;" abbr="July" | Jul | |||
| ! style="background: #99CCCC; color:#000080;" abbr="August" | Aug | |||
| ! style="background: #99CCCC; color:#000080;" abbr="September" | Sep | |||
| ! style="background: #99CCCC; color:#000080;" abbr="October" | Oct | |||
| ! style="background: #99CCCC; color:#000080;" abbr="November" | Nov | |||
| ! style="background: #99CCCC; color:#000080;" abbr="December" | Dec | |||
| ! style="background: #99CCCC; color:#000080;" | Year 2005-2006 | |||
| |- | |||
| ! style="background: #99CCCC; color:#000080;" | Average high | |||
| | style="background: #FFFFCC; color:#000000;" | 8<small><sup>°</sup></small>C<br> (46<small><sup>°</sup></small>F) | |||
| | style="background: #FFFFCC; color:#000000;" | 8<small><sup>°</sup></small>C<br> (46<small><sup>°</sup></small>F) | |||
| | style="background: #FFFFCC; color:#000000;" | 10<small><sup>°</sup></small>C<br> (50<small><sup>°</sup></small>F) | |||
| | style="background: #FFFF99; color:#000000;" | 13<small><sup>°</sup></small>C<br> (55<small><sup>°</sup></small>F) | |||
| | style="background: #FFFF99; color:#000000;" | 15<small><sup>°</sup></small>C<br> (59<small><sup>°</sup></small>F) | |||
| | style="background: #FFCC66; color:#000000;" | 18<small><sup>°</sup></small>C<br> (64<small><sup>°</sup></small>F) | |||
| | style="background: #FFA500; color:#000000;" | 20<small><sup>°</sup></small>C<br> (68<small><sup>°</sup></small>F) | |||
| | style="background: #FFA500; color:#000000;" | 19<small><sup>°</sup></small>C<br> (66<small><sup>°</sup></small>F) | |||
| | style="background: #FFCC66; color:#000000;" | 17<small><sup>°</sup></small>C<br> (63<small><sup>°</sup></small>F) | |||
| | style="background: #FFFF99; color:#000000;" | 14<small><sup>°</sup></small>C<br> (57<small><sup>°</sup></small>F) | |||
| | style="background: #FFFFCC; color:#000000;" | 10<small><sup>°</sup></small>C<br> (50<small><sup>°</sup></small>F) | |||
| | style="background: #FFFFCC; color:#000000;" | 8<small><sup>°</sup></small>C<br> (46<small><sup>°</sup></small>F) | |||
| | style="background: #FFFF99; color:#000000;" | '''13<small><sup>°</sup></small>C<br> (56<small><sup>°</sup></small>F)''' | |||
| |- | |||
| ! style="background: #99CCCC; color:#000080;" height="16;" | Average low | |||
| | style="background: #FFFFFF; color: black;" | 1<small><sup>°</sup></small>C<br> (34<small><sup>°</sup></small>F) | |||
| | style="background: #FFFFFF; color: black;" | 2<small><sup>°</sup></small>C<br> (36<small><sup>°</sup></small>F) | |||
| | style="background: #FFFFFF; color: black;" | 3<small><sup>°</sup></small>C<br> (37<small><sup>°</sup></small>F) | |||
| | style="background: #FFFFFF; color: black;" | 4<small><sup>°</sup></small>C<br> (39<small><sup>°</sup></small>F) | |||
| | style="background: #FFFFCC; color: black;" | 6<small><sup>°</sup></small>C<br> (43<small><sup>°</sup></small>F) | |||
| | style="background: #FFFFCC; color: black;" | 9<small><sup>°</sup></small>C<br> (48<small><sup>°</sup></small>F) | |||
| | style="background: #FFFF99; color: black;" | 11<small><sup>°</sup></small>C<br> (52<small><sup>°</sup></small>F) | |||
| | style="background: #FFFF99; color: black;" | 11<small><sup>°</sup></small>C<br> (52<small><sup>°</sup></small>F) | |||
| | style="background: #FFFFCC; color: black;" | 9<small><sup>°</sup></small>C<br> (48<small><sup>°</sup></small>F) | |||
| | style="background: #FFFFCC; color: black;" | 6<small><sup>°</sup></small>C<br> (43<small><sup>°</sup></small>F) | |||
| | style="background: #FFFFFF; color: black;" | 4<small><sup>°</sup></small>C<br> (39<small><sup>°</sup></small>F) | |||
| | style="background: #FFFFFF; color: black;" | 3<small><sup>°</sup></small>C<br> (37<small><sup>°</sup></small>F) | |||
| | style="background: #FFFFCC; color: black;" | '''6<small><sup>°</sup></small>C<br> (42<small><sup>°</sup></small>F)''' | |||
| |- | |||
| ! style="background: #99CCCC; color:#000080;" | Total rainfall | |||
| | style="background: #67CEEB;" | 67<small> mm</small> (2.6<small>"</small>) | |||
| | style="background: #80FFC0;" | 55<small> mm</small> (2.1<small>"</small>) | |||
| | style="background: #80FFC0;" | 51<small> mm</small> (2<small>"</small>) | |||
| | style="background: #C0FFC0;" | 45<small> mm</small> (1.7<small>"</small>) | |||
| | style="background: #67CEEB;" | 60<small> mm</small> (2.3<small>"</small>) | |||
| | style="background: #80FFC0;" | 57<small> mm</small> (2.2<small>"</small>) | |||
| | style="background: #6695ED;" | 70<small> mm</small> (2.7<small>"</small>) | |||
| | style="background: #6695ED;" | 74<small> mm</small> (2.9<small>"</small>) | |||
| | style="background: #6695ED;" | 72<small> mm</small> (2.8<small>"</small>) | |||
| | style="background: #6695ED;" | 70<small> mm</small> (2.7<small>"</small>) | |||
| | style="background: #67CEEB;" | 67<small> mm</small> (2.6<small>"</small>) | |||
| | style="background: #6695ED;" | 74<small> mm</small> (2.9<small>"</small>) | |||
| | style="background: #FFFFFF;" | '''762<small> mm</small> (29.5<small>"</small>)''' | |||
| |} | |||
| ==Crime== | |||
| Official statistics from An Garda Síochána for 2001-2005<ref> 1999-2006</ref> show that the overall headline crime rate for the metropolitan area per 1,000 of population is the highest in the country. During the 1980s and 1990s, a heroin epidemic swept through working class areas of the inner city and outlying suburbs. Dublin had 80 homicides from 2004 to the end of 2006. 32 were gang-related. In 2007, as of mid July, there have been 15 homicides, in which 4 were gangland shootings. Dublin also has the largest number of fatal stabbings in Ireland<ref>Irish Times 30/10/2007<\ref>. | |||
| ==Sister cities== | |||
| * ''']''',] | |||
| * ''']''', ] | |||
| * ''']''', ] | |||
| * ''']''', ], ] | |||
| * ''']''', ], ] | |||
| * ''']''',] | |||
| ==Tourist attractions== | |||
| {{seealso|:Category:Visitor attractions in County Dublin}} | |||
| ==Footnotes== | |||
| {{reflist|2}} | |||
| ==See also== | |||
| ] on O'Connell Street which was blown up by the ]]] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
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| ==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) | |||
| *], ''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 0300090641 | |||
| *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) | |||
| ==External links== | |||
| {{sisterlinks|Dublin}} | |||
| * via ] | |||
| *{{Wikitravel}} | |||
| * | |||
| * | |||
| * — community portal for Dublin | |||
| * | |||
| * | |||
| {{IrishCities}} | |||
| {{Capital cities of the European Union}} | |||
| {{European Capital of Culture}} | |||
| {{coor title dms|53|20|34|N|6|15|58|W}} | |||
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Revision as of 19:34, 7 November 2007
POO IS SEXY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111!!!2!!!!!!