About County Dublin
County Dublin is Ireland's capital county, home to the city that has been the centre of Irish political, cultural and economic life for a thousand years. Dublin's Viking foundations, its Georgian squares, its literary tradition and its turbulent modern history make it one of Europe's most layered and fascinating cities. But for Irish-Americans and the diaspora, Dublin often carries a different significance, it was the gathering point for many who left, and the repository of the records that can help trace where families came from.
History
Dublin was founded by the Vikings in the 9th century, transformed by the Normans in the 12th, and made the capital of English colonial administration for centuries. The 1916 Rising and the subsequent War of Independence played out on Dublin's streets, and the city's GPO remains the most potent symbol of Irish independence. James Joyce, Samuel Beckett and a century of writers have made Dublin one of the great literary cities of the world.
How Dublin families left Ireland
Dublin was both an origin point and a transit point for emigration. Many families from across Ireland gathered in Dublin before sailing from the Liffey quays or making their way to Cobh. The National Library of Ireland and the National Archives, both in Dublin, hold the most comprehensive collections of genealogical records in the country.
Places worth visiting in County Dublin
- The National Library of Ireland, the most important archive for tracing Irish family history
- Kilmainham Gaol, where the leaders of 1916 were executed, now Ireland's most powerful museum
- The EPIC Museum, the notable interactive museum of the Irish diaspora in Dublin's Docklands
- Glasnevin Cemetery, where much of Irish history is buried, with notable records of Dublin families
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