Ireland’s beautiful, lively capital is friendly for a large city. It’s a place of decadence, revelry, and it packs quite the alcohol-soaked punch if you plan to spend it drinking in the world-renowned city pubs. However, there’s more to Dublin than a keg of Guinness. In fact, the city boasts a rich music, art, culture, and literary history that is still alive today.
Here are eleven cool facts that you probably didn’t know about Dublin, Ireland…
1. Dublin Natives
Or “Dubliners”, speak “Dublinese”, a mix of Dublin slang and curse words like this phrase: “I’m on the lash,” which translates to “I’m out drinking!”
2. What’s in a Name?
Dublin or “Dubh Linn” is an Old Irish Gaelic phrase that translates to “Black Pool”.
3. Famous Dubliners
Celebrated city natives include play write and Nobel Prize laureate, George Bernard Shaw, and writer and poet, James Joyce.
4. A Viking Settlement
Dublin was founded by Vikings, who settled in what they called the “Norse Kingdom of Dublin” in the 9th century.
5. City Size
The city of Dublin covers a land area of 44.5 square miles.
6. Trinity College Grads
Dublin’s famous Trinity College boasts many celebrated graduates—including Oscar Wilde, Jonathan Swift, and Bram Stoker (who wrote Dracula).
7. Youthful Population
Dublin has the youngest population in all of Europe. Approximately 50-percent of the population is less than 25-years of age.
8. Pubs, Pubs, and More Pubs
The City of Dublin contains 666 licensed pubs—and the legal drinking age is 18!
9. The City’s Oldest Drinking Hole
Dublin’s oldest known pub is the Brazen Head, established in 1198 AD as a coach house.
10. Ireland’s National Treasure
Ireland’s National Treasure is “The Book of Kells”, a sacred manuscript, which consists of the Four Gospels of the New Testament. The beautiful, gold book was made by Celtic Monks around 800 AD, and today lies in the Trinity College Library.
11. Always a Full Pint
There are 10-million pints of Guinness produced daily in Dublin.
