History of Dublin

The first evidence of a settlement in the Dublin area is from the 2nd century when Ptolemy wrote of a town called Eblana. Gaining official establishment in 988 A.D. after the Vikings had captured the town the century before. The township changed hands between the native Irish and the Danes until 1171 when King Henry II of England led his Anglo-Norman troops to victory and seized control of the area. The town grew quickly from its 9,000 inhabitants throughout the 17th century with an influx of Protestant refugees. By the 18th Century it had established itself as the 2nd city in the British Empire. The Act of Union in 1800 saw the abolishment of the Irish Parliament which was not re-established until 1922 after the successful Irish rebellion. Today Dublin has emerged as a thriving cosmopolitan centre for culture and business. Popular with tourists and multinational companies alike, there is always something to do and see in the capital of Ireland.