Dublin - a very brief history

The first evidence we have of settlement around the Dublin area is from a map made by the Greek scholar Ptolemy. He named the area "Eblana."

The Vikings set up the first permanent settlement there, calling it "Dubh Linn" or Black Pool. The "Thingmote," or hill of assembly, became the administrative center for both the Viking and Norman powers until William III’s victory at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690.

During the Protestant years, the Irish Parliament House sprang up near the old Viking center. That period’s Protestant English culture can be seen to this today in the architecture of Dublin’s tidy Georgian squares.

Dublin has been the capital of Ireland since the late 17th century. Its blend of cultures has produced extraordinary literary and intellectual communities. Dublin has produced so many great writers like Swift, Burke, Joyce and Beckett, that nearly every street contains some kind of literary landmark.

Of course, pubs continue to be the center of much of Dublin’s public life and its famous music scene.

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Dublin Tour Bus Model

Much-loved Irish vehicles, recreated in miniature! These sturdy, die-cast models are remarkably crafted, right down the last detail. Designed in Ireland. Boxed.