If you’re looking for a city of over a million people that still manages to feel like a friendly, small neighborhood, Dublin has all that and more. Today the city boasts a booming economy and status as one of the premier destinations in Europe. However, the Dubliners have never been people that let things go to their heads and they remain friendly and welcoming as well as practical and down-to-earth.
Dublin is home to University College Dublin, the largest single university institution in Ireland. Founded in 1851 as the Catholic University of Ireland, the school has a long and proud tradition and was associated with many famous people, including several celebrated literary figures such as Gerard Manley Hopkins, Austin Clarke, and James Joyce. James Joyce is probably the most famous Irish author of all time and tours of the city revolve around his novels. The best known are Dubliners, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man and Ulysses. Tours of the city are arranged so that you can walk where the characters of Joyce walked and experience the world that inspired his writing.
As part of the University of Dublin, Trinity College stands as one of the most prestigious schools as well as one of the biggest attractions of the city. Trinity College embodies the city’s ability to combine modern functionality with historical significance and a welcoming atmosphere. It has a fascinating history as home to some amazing scholars including Edmund Burke, Jonathan Swift, Samuel Beckett, Bram Stoker, and Oscar Wilde. It is also a popular destination for those interested in The Book of Kells. The Book of Kells was completed around 800 AD by a group of Columban monks living on Iona, a remote island off the west coast of Ireland. This manuscript contains transcriptions of the four Gospels with extensive illustrations and ornamentations on almost all of its 680 pages. It is the most elaborate and best preserved of the manuscripts from the early Middle Ages and demonstrates the type of illustration and scribe work that Irish monks were famous for during that time period.
Dublin Castle is another notable attraction. The center of British power in Ireland at one point, this castle was built on the orders of King John in the 13th century and more closely resembles a palace than the Anglo-Norman fortress that once stood in its place. The Record Tower is the only remaining evidence of this Viking foundation. Dublin is also noted for several other attractions such as the Guinness Brewery, Dublin Zoo, Phoenix Park, the National Gallery, St. Patrick’s Cathedral and more. Phoenix Park is actually one of the biggest city parks in the world, easily outdistancing New York’s Central Park and London’s Hampstead Heath. The National Gallery is free and showcases approximately 2,000 works from all the major European schools of painting and featuring Irish landscape art and portraits.
Another aspect of the city that is attractive to many students is the energy and opportunities present with the economic boom of the past decade. European Union membership and general economic success have transformed Dublin into a multicultural center with a thriving economy. But don’t be intimidated. Dublin still remains deeply in touch with its past and decidedly Irish. You will be hard pressed to find more welcoming or laid back people anywhere else in the world.</div>
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