Dublin: history, culture, and economic challenges of the Irish capital

Dublin: capital and geography

Dublin is the capital of the Republic of Ireland. In Irish is called Baile Átha Cliath that means “town of the fortified ford”. Dublin is the biggest and most populated city of the island of Ireland. Is found at the mouth of the river Liffey, in the center of the east coast of the island and of what today is called Dublin Region.
Dublin is marked by rivalry between areas divided by the pass of the Liffey, that is those northern areas (Northside) and those southern ones (Southside). The Northside is considered as the area of the working class of the town, while the Southside as that of the middle class and of the more wealthy class.

Dublin is the main centre of Irish education, with three universities(the University of Dublin what is the oldest university of Ireland, the National University of Ireland and the Dublin City University).

Climate and industry

The city of Dublin has a temperate climate, marked by mild winters, cool summers and the absence extremes peak of temperature. Contrary what we usually think, Dublin isn’t a very rainy city, at least compared to the rest of Ireland. A characterizing and historical fact of the industry of Dublin is surely St. James's Gate Brewery, where is produced, since 1759, the famous stout (malt beer) Guinness.

After the mid-nineties (in which the Republic of Ireland was called the Celtic Tiger) a considerable number of companies have settled in Dublin.

Historical architecture of Dublin

Dublin is a city full of historic buildings, among the most important there are: the Dublin Castle, Leinster House, L' Half Penny Bridge, St. Patrick's Cathedral and The Spire.

The Dublin Castle, is a castle built in 1200, is found on the south bank of the Liffey. Leinster House is the seat of parliament of Irish Free State and of Republic of Ireland. The Half Penny Bridge is a pedestrian bridge linking the two banks of the Liffey and is certainly the best known of the city; its official name is Liffey Bridge. St. Patrick’s Cathedral is the bigger of two Protestant cathedrals of Dublin. The Spire is a steel tower 120 meters high found in O'Connell Street.

Famous Dubliners and economic crisis

Among the Dubliners become famous have to be remembered Oscar Wilde, nineteenth-century writer, Bram Stoker, writer became famous as author of Dracula, and Brendan Gleeson, a famous actor.

Ireland, until two years ago, had the second income per capita of European Union, now the second deficit highest after Greek. Now Ireland is going through a delicate stage in it's history, a grave economic crisis. The crisis follows about twenty years of boom, that have marked between 1988 and 2007 the age of the Celtic tiger, the period of the economic heyday of the island.