City of Dublin

The "virutal tour" ends in Dublin -- the capital of the Republic of Ireland, and, with a population of about 1 million, the largest city on the island. Dublin was founded by Viking raiders in 840, and retaken by the Irish in 1014. But in 1170 the British arrived, and the city became the center of their rule of Ireland. When the War of Independence ended in 1921 so did British control of Dublin, but its architecture and development reflect 750 years of English influence. Dublin is split by the River Liffey, the dark water that (mythically) forms the lifeblood of revered Guinness Beer. Most of the tourist-oriented areas are south of the river, and seemed pretty safe. I spent five days in Dublin, but unfortunately there was a fair amount of rain. It's a great city -- I had lots of fun in the pubs, walking around the colorful mazes of sidestreets, and enjoyed good music at night. I also learned much about the final successful push for a free Irish nation at the National Museum.