Founded over 1,000 years ago by the Vikings when their longships sail up the River Liffe. They called the settlement Dyflin. It was later named "Dubh Linn" (it's name in the Irish language of Gaelic). In the 12th century the English got it from the Vikings in a war. They made a town with thick walls, towers, gates, and two cathedrals. Johnathan Swift (author of Gulliver's Travels) was born there along with James Joyce, W.B. Yeats, Oscar Wilde, George Bernard Shaw, Sean O'Casey, Samuel Beckett, and Bram Stoker. Near the end of the 17th century a new town was built near the sea, away from the old one. It had a Royal Hospital, Phoenix Park (1760 acres making it the largest urban park in Europe), the Bank of Ireland, the Customs House, Four Courts, City Hall, the Leinster House, and Trininty College which was founded in 1592. After the Act of Union 1801 when Ireland's parliament changed to Westminster, London, the character of the city changed. From 1845-1849 the Great Potato Famine occured. This was when their staple crop got a disease and millions of poor people died along with a few rich. But during this time the National Museum, National Art Gallery, Natural History Museum, National Library, and General Post Office were built. In 1916 the Easter Rising started with the Proclamation of Independence. This war to free Ireland from English rule lasted six years. In 1922 Ireland became an independent state and a republic in 1947. Since then the IRA (Irish Republican Army) has risen up and tried to annex Northern Ireland. The current IRA head is Sinn Fein.
