Dublin

Dublin, the capital and largest city of Ireland, has both a rich history and vibrant present.
 
The Temple Bar district, featured in this design, is a lively riverside locale popular for its cobbled lanes, music pubs, restaurants, and boutique shops.
 
There is some debate around the origins of Dublin. One theory is that Dublin began as a Gael settlement in the 7th century, and the other is that it was a Viking settlement at about the same time.
 
Regardless, the area itself has been inhabited by humans since prehistoric times, as determined by fish traps dating back over 6000 years, found in excavations during the construction of the Convention centre Dublin.
 
The name Dublin comes from the irish word Duibhlinn, meaning Dark Pool, a reference to the tidal pool where the River Poddle entered the Liffey, at the rear of Dublin Castle.
 
Dublin’s significant literary history cannot be overstated, and includes William Butler Yeats, George Bernard Shaw, Samuel Beckett, Oscar Wilde, and Jonathan Swift. Dublin is also the setting for Ulysses, and Dubliners, by James Joyce.
 
In July 2010, Dublin was named as a UNESCO City of Literature.