County Dublin – from Viking settlement to Ireland's first shire
The Vikings arrived in the mid-9th century and founded the settlement that would become Dublin. Over time they mixed with the local people to become Norse-Gaels, and Dublin grew into a major trading hub. After the Norman invasion in the late 1100s, Dublin became the first part of the island to be shired, making it Ireland's longest-established county.
People lived here far earlier: in 2007, five wooden fish traps from the Late Mesolithic, around 6,000 BCE, were discovered near Spencer Dock at the mouth of the Liffey. Today County Dublin is home to Ireland's capital and a vibrant, diverse population on the east coast. Do you have a Dublin story, memory or family tale? Share it with the community!