Trinity College is Ireland's oldest university and it was founded in 1592. Due to its picturesque setting and the famous people connected with it - Oscar Wilde studied here - Trinity College is one of the city's main attractions. The Trinity library displays the world's most famous early medieval manuscript, the Book Of Kells.

As one of the oldest universities in the British Isles, Trinity College is a symbol for the importance of Dublin as an economic and political power in the 16th century. Originally set up in 1592 for the education of the protestant elite, Trinity opened its doors to Catholics in 1793. The college first admitted women to its courses in 1904. The majority of buildings on the Trinity campus date from the 18th century.

Facts about Trinity College:

• Trinity College Dublin is recognised internationally as Ireland's premier university and is ranked in 61st position in the top 100 world universities.
• The University of Dublin, Trinity College was founded in 1592
• There were 16,646 registered students in 2012/13
• The university's annual Trinity Ball is one of Dublin's major social events and ranks among the most lavish student nights in Europe.
• The most precious single item on the Trinity campus is undoubtedly the Book of Kells. The book is an illuminated manuscript from 800AD which is housed in the Old Library building of the university. 
• A librarian turns over a new page of The Book Of Kells every day. SO if you come here for a year, you would get to see the entire manuscript. 
• The Original Name Of Trinity College Was “Trinity College Near Dublin”. The capital was a lot smaller then.

If you're a foreigner in Ireland, you will have noticed that the Irish are quite proud of their flag, more than other countries :)  You have probably seem all types of merchandise with the Irish flag, haven't you?

As you know, the national flag is a tricolour of green, white and orange vertical stripes.

Why Orange?

The color orange is associated with Northern Irish Protestants because of William of Orange (William III), a King of England, Scotland and Ireland. 

Green for the Emerald Isle?

Green is the color for the Irish Catholics and the Republic of Ireland. Also, the green symbolises revolution. 

White for the peace between Protestants and Catholics

The white in the centre means a lasting truce between the 'Orange' and the 'Green', together in peace.

The current Irish flag was adopted as the national flag of Ireland since the independence from Britain on December 6, 1921.

If you're living in Dublin, there's no need to introduce O'Connell Bridge. You probably cross it daily!

However, there are a few facts and oddities about this bridge that maybe you didn't know about :)

O’Connell Bridge was originally made of rope and could only carry one man and a donkey at a time. It was replaced with a wooden structure in 1801. There are obviously no pictures of the time! To get an idea, the original O'Connell Bridge must have been something similar to this rope bridge, would you be happy to cross this daily?

The current concrete bridge was built in 1863 and was first called “Carlisle Bridge”. Here's an old picture from Carlisle Bridge in 1870. 

O’Connell Bridge is the only traffic bridge in Europe, which is wider than it is long. If you don't believe it, just take a look at this aerial picture!

There are two O'Connell Bridges in Dublin. The second one is across the pond in Stephen's Green, on the left-hand picture.

The historic name of the district was not Temple Bar but St. Andrews Parish. It was a suburb of medieval Dublin, located outside the city walls, but it fell into disuse because the land was exposed to attacks. The land was redeveloped again in the 1600s, to create gardens for the houses of wealthy English families.

There are two theories as to where Template Bar got its name from:
- Some sources agree that Temple Bar Street got its name from the Temple family, whose house and gardens were located there in the 17th century. 
- It's also said that the Temple Bar area had the first Jewish Temple in Ireland. The word 'bar' also means 'to ban, exclude or block' and in this case it refers to the refusal of Catholics to allow the Jewish to enter any premises in the neighbourhood.

As you can see, the origin of the Temple Bar may not be as cheerful as it is nowadays :)

Among some oddities, the Temple Bar was the centre of prostitution in Dublin in the 18th century. From the way some ladies dress in Temple Bar nowadays, you may think this has not changed that much! (kidding)

And in 1999, 'Stag' and 'Hen' parties were banned in the area due to drunken behaviour. As you can see this is not enforced anymore! Actually, Dublin is one of the most popular locations in Europe for these parties and lots of Irish and British travel to Dublin to celebrate theirs :)

If you have a walk by the River Dodder, among the fish and birds you will also see a Rhino! Of course this is a statue, made of bronze :)

This rhino was installed overnight in 2002 and it can be found next to the local pub the “Dropping Well”, in Churchtown, Dublin.

As to why there’s a rhino in there, nobody seems to know... 

This legend comes from a book first written in the 11th century AD by Christian monks and it explains the origin of Ireland and the Irish (the Gaels).

According to the legend, the Gaels came from Egypt and at some point they reached Iberia (nowadays Spain) by sea and conquered it. There, Breogán founded a city called Brigantia, and built a tower from the top of which his son Íth could see Ireland. This city, Brigantia, would be nowadays the city of Corunna in Galicia (which was then known as Brigantium) and Breogán's tower is likely based on the Tower of Hercules (which was built at Corunna by the Romans).

Íth sailed to the island with a group of men. He was welcomed by the three kings who ruled Ireland at the time. According to some evidence, these kings were the main pagan gods of Ireland. Íth was killed and his men returned to Iberia (Spain). Íth's brother, Míl Espáine (Miles Hispaniae, 'soldier of Spain'), and his sons were known as the Milesians. They went to Ireland to avenge Íth's death and invade the country. After they landed, they met Banba, Fódla and Ériu, the wives of Ireland's three kings. Each sister said that the Gaels would have good fortune if they named the land after her.

One of the sisters, Ériu, offered her help in defeating the three kings in exchange for becoming the High Queen of all Ireland. With her support, the Milesians won the battle agains the three kings.

Then, the land they had invaded was named after the sister Ériu. Her modern name is often modified to Éire or Erin. If you look at the name of this country, Ireland, it comes from Eire's land.

The 'Wake' means when a friend or relative dies, and it is normally a great loss both for the family and also for the circle of friends we make during our lifetime.

In Ireland, the funeral can sometimes take place three or four days after death. During those days, the deceased is usually held by the undertakers until the funeral, although many people still prefer to have their loved one in their house. This means there's a room dedicated to that purpose, with candles and a statue of a Virgin or Christ.

The day before the funeral, the coffin is taken to church, sometimes on the shoulders of relatives and friends. This is known as the removal. 

The funeral takes place the following morning and after the ceremony, the body is removed to a cemetary or crematorium (there is only one in Ireland at present in Dublin's northside suburb Glasnevin).

After the cemetary, all the guests will go to a pub and generally spend the rest of the day there, and in some cases the night too. This tradition may sound shocking for non-Irish, however the idea behind this is to help the family through their difficult day by drink and distraction. The deceased is fondly remembered throughout the day, toasted many times, and anecdotes and good words are said about him or her.

Before the Ha'penny Bridge was built, in 1816, there were seven ferries that allowed to cross the Liffey, linking Northern and Southern Dublin. These ferries were the only option to cross the river. As they were in a bad condition and it was decided that a bridge should be built to allow crossing the river.

The company who built the bridge was granted the right to charge a toll from anyone crossing it for 100 years. Initially, the toll charge was half a penny, on any direction, which was the charges of the ferries that this bridge was replacing. There were also turnstiles (gates) on either end of the river, where the toll was charged.

The charge was dropped in 1919. 

This beautiful bridge is officially named the Liffey Bridge, although this name is not so popular.

The bridge is also known for having love locks, which are periodically removed for security and damage reasons. In 2013 the council removed over 300kg of locks from this bridge!

Celtic Cross

The Celtic cross is a symbol of both culture and faith. One Christian legend says that the first Celtic cross was formed by St Patrick while bringing Christianity to the Druids. The Druids used to worship a large circular stone. St Patrick, drew a large cross through the middle of it in order to make it a religious symbol. By doing this, the two cultures combined to create the Celtic cross: The cross represents Christianity and the circle is the Celtic representation of eternity, no beginning and no end.

Triquetra

Also known as The Trinity Knot, the triquetra is made of a continuous line, interweaving around itself, symbolising no beginning or end, an eternal spiritual life. 

Triskele

The triskele is one of the most ancient Irish symbols, over 5,000 years old. 

The fact that the triskele consists of three spirals, or sometimes three legs, adheres to the Celtic belief that everything happens in threes; past, present, future: mother, father, child; body, mind, spirit.

Spiral

The Spiral is a common natural pattern and to the Celts it represents the sun or the radiation of ethereal energy. 

The Awen

Awen is a Celtic word meaning inspiration or essence. Awen is considered a symbol of inspiration and divine illumination for poets, writers and artists. It's also translated as “flowing spirit” and it is a popular symbol for tattoos, jewellery and art work.

Brigid's Cross

This symbol has come to be known as the cross of St Brigid but is actually much older than Christianity. 
According to Celtic mythology, Brigid was a goddess associated to the birth of lambs and flowers. With the introduction of Christianity to Ireland, the goddess Brigid became St. Brigid, one of Ireland’s patron saints.

Claddagh Ring

This is a popular design in jewelries in the whole country and there's a beautiful legend associated to its origin:

Richard was engaged to be married when, one fateful day, the fishing boat he was on was attacked by pirates who kidnapped the entire crew and sold them into slavery in Northern Africa. Richard was bought by a goldsmith and was put to work as a goldsmith’s apprentice. There he stayed, learning the craft and never forgetting the girl he’d left behind.

Richard was awarded his freedom after many years of service and set off on the long journey home. On his return to Ireland he found that his true love had never lost hope that they would be reunited and had waited for him all the years of his absence.

He used his new found skills as a goldsmith to invent the Claddagh ring for her. Finally the couple were married and lived happily ever after in the village of Claddagh.

Easter Lily

The Easter Lily is a powerful symbol of peace in Ireland. It is traditionally worn over the Easter period, as an act of remembrance for people who died fighting for their country.

The Easter Lily was sold in front of churches on Sundays in the period before Easter, as a way of raising money to help support the families of the men that had died in Ireland’s fight for independence. It would then be worn as a mark of respect for those who had lost their lives, and also as a sign of hope and peace for the future.

The Green Man

The Green Man is an ancient Celtic symbol that symbolises the coming of Spring and represents rebirth and vegetation. It's represented in many cultures throughout the world as a head made of foliage.

The Harp

The harp is one of the oldest musical instruments in the world and also the national emblem of Ireland. It is believed the harp was introduced to pre-Christian Europe from Egypt while trading goods.

During the 16th century the Irish Harp was seen as a threat to the British Crown and lots of harps were burnt and harpists were executed. The harp music was only recovered 200 years later.

Shamrock

The shamrock is a national flower of Ireland that has had significance in the country since the days of the Druids.

The shamrock, national flower of Ireland, is a small clover that was an important symbol to the ancient Irish Druids. The Celts believed that everything important in the world came in threes; the three dominions of earth, sky and sea, the three ages of man, and phases of the moon; so they worshipped this plan with three leaves as well.

St. Patrick also used the shamrock to spread the Christianity among the Druids. Also in the 19th century, the shamrock became a symbol of rebellion against the British Crown.

Tree of Life

The three of life symbolises a connection to the other world. It is often drawn with the branches reaching the sky and the roots into the earth, symbolising the link between heaven and earth.

The Celtic tree of Life is often drawn showing the branches reaching skyward and the roots spreading out into the earth below symbolising the Druid belief in the link between heaven and earth.

Did you know that 50% of Dublin’s residents are under-25 years of age. No wonder it’s such a party town!

There are twelve Dublin in the United States and six in Australia.

Dublin was originally called Dubh Linn, meaning Black Pool. The pool to which the name referred is the oldest known natural treacle lake in Northern Europe and is believed to have been where the Dublin Castle gardens are nowadays.

Dublin is Europe’s most popular destination with travelling stag and hen parties. There is an estimated six hundred pre wedding parties every weekend in the capital.

There are forty six rivers In Dublin City: the river flowing through Rathmines is called the River Swan (beside the Swan Centre). The Poddle was once known as the ‘Tiber’ and was also known as the River Salach (dirty river), which is the origin of the children’s song “Down by the river Saile”. It is also the river whose peaty, mountain water causes the Black Pool mentioned above.

Dublin is the IT Call Centre capital of Europe with over 100,000 people employed in the industry. Many large tech companies have operational bases in Dublin, including multinationals like Google, Facebook, Yahoo, Twitter, Dell, Hostelworld, Amazon and Instagram!

In Celtic times there were four national roads called Slighe (ways or roads) that converged at a Ford on the river Liffey. The ford was known as Ath Cliath, which translates as Hurdle Ford, so Baile Ath Cliath (Irish name for Dublin) is the Town of the Hurdle Ford. 

The first vikings that arrived to Ireland settled on the south side between the Hurdle Ford and the Black pool. Dubh linn was the viking settlement on the south side. The vikings founded Dublin in 988. Before that settlement, there was Baile Atha Cliath,  named after a fording point in the river Liffey, as explained earlier. 

Dublin is home to the relics of St. Valentine! Their arrival came about when an Irish Carmelite named John Spratt visited Rome in 1835. A gifted preacher, Spratt was also setting up a church on Dublin’s Whitefriar Street. So successful was his sermon in Rome, he was gifted with the remains of St. Valentine by Pope Gregory XVI. The following year, they arrived here, and astonishingly, went into storage until the 1950s! At that point, they were given a place of prominence with a special altar and shrine constructed in the Carmelite church on Whitefriar Street. Traditionally, couples visit the church and ask Valentine to watch over them in their lives together.

There are over 1,000 pubs in Dublin to drink in and 10 million glasses of Guinness are produced daily

Dublin's O'Connell Bridge is the only bridge in Europe which is as wide as it is long

The Phoenix park is the largest urban park in Europe

The prestigious "Oscar" statuette used at the Academy Awards was designed by Cedric Gibbons, who was born in Dublin in 1823

Bram Stoker who wrote the famous novel Dracula, was born in Clontarf the title is said to come from the Irish words "Droch Ola"which means bad blood

Did you know the Camino de Santiago  first stop is in Dublin? It’s thought that in Medieval times, the figure of St. James appealed to the Irish society, although only members of the aristocracy got to experience it. Today, the Camino Society at St. James Church issues the Pilgrim Passport. You’ll get your first stamps there. Look out for the Camino’s symbol – the scallop shell – on the wall of the church.

Dublin has more gyms and sports clubs than almost every other European city.

Have you noticed all the colour doors in some areas of Dublin, specially around Dublin 1 and 2?

There are two theories as to why there are so many colour doors. The first theory dates back from the 1700s and has to do with Queen Victoria of England and the death of her husband Prince Albert. When he died, Queen Victoria ordered all houses in the British Empire to have black flags outside their doors in respect to her husband's death. As a protest, an Irish man decided to paint his door a different colour and his idea spread across Ireland.

The other theory and more often told in the pubs has to do with drunken Irish men and their wives. A long time ago, Irish women were tired of seeing their husbands knock on the wrong door when they were drunk after a wild night out and decided to paint their doors, so the houses wouldn't look so similar at night.

Which one seems more real to you? :)

Located close to Phoenix Park, in Inchicore, there's Kilmainham Gaol ('gaol' meaning 'jail' in modern English).

Kilmainham Gaol was founded in 1796 and it operated as a prison until 1924. During its long history, the prison contained criminals, women and children, and also political prisoners. During the famine, some people committed crimes in order to be admitted into the prison, where they received at least a basic diet. The prison was so crowded at the time (with 5 or more prisoners incarcerated in tiny cold cells) that some prisoners had to sleep in the corridors.

Among the prisoners were political leaders like Charles Stuart Parnell (do you recognise Parnell Street in Dublin?) or James Connolly (what about Connolly Station?). Some of these politicians were executed in the jail's yard.

A few films have been shot in this prison, including In The Name of the Father and The Wind That Shakes The Barley. The Dublin rock band U2 also filmed a music video in the jail. 

Nowadays, the prison is one of the most interesting historical attractions in Dublin and it can be visited with a guided tour. You will see more information in the following link, enjoy!

According to the legend, he chased the snakes into the sea after they attacked him during a 40-day fast he was undertaking on top of a hill.

You may believe this to be true, but the true explanation is that Ireland never had snakes, the same way that there are no snakes on Iceland, Greenland or the Antarctica.

"At no time has there ever been any suggestion of snakes in Ireland, so [there was] nothing for St. Patrick to banish", says naturalist Nigel Monaghan, keeper of natural history at the National Museum of Ireland in Dublin, who has searched extensively through Irish fossil collections and records.

One suggestion is that "snakes" referred to the serpent symbolism of the Druids during that time in Ireland. The Druids had big tattoos of snakes on their arms. In the legend of St. Patrick banishing snakes, the story goes to the core of Patrick's sainthood and his mission of christianising Ireland.

By Irish Coffee we don't mean a warm cup of coffee with foam on top. Irish Coffee has an additional ingredient which you won't find on other coffees... whisky!

Imagine drinking coffee and whisky in the morning. For sure you'll wake up with lots of energy!

The original Irish Coffee was invented in 1942 in Shannon, Limerick, by restaurant owner Joe Sheridan. On a stormy night, he had several customers who couldn't return home due to the storm and he gave them coffee with a bit of whisky. Surprised, the customers asked him if this was Latin American coffee, to which he replied 'It's Irish coffee!'

You will find more details and the recipe on the link below:

http://www.foodandwine.com/fwx/drink/secrets-behind-perfect-irish-coffee

Enjoy!

According to Irish mythology, Brasil, also known as Hy-Brasil or Bracile, was a phantom island located in the West of Ireland.

Irish mythology describes it as an island surrounded by mist except for one day every seven years, when it became visible but unreachable. 

The island was first 'seen' or mentioned by sailors. An Irish monk, Saint Brendan, first mentioned this island in 565, and described it as a piece of land in the Atlantic which was surrounded by mist and impossible to reach.

Despite many failed attempts to find the island of Brasil, this island appeared on many maps around the 14th century and it was always located close to Galway Bay

Nowadays it's believed that the name Brazil comes from the tree 'Pau Brasil', commonly found in this country. However, it seems that the native population of Brazil named the tree Araboutan or Ibira Piranga, therefore the name Brasil doesn't seem to have come from this tree.

What we know for sure is that nowadays satellites are not showing any secret island on the west coast of Ireland :)

Molly Malone supposedly lived in 17th century Dublin, she was a fishmonger working around the Grafton Street area and is said to have been a real beauty. However, to her contemporaries she was not only known as a fishmonger. Because of the immense poverty of those days the young woman was forced to sell her beauty to strangers in order to survive. Although there are many stories about her, it seems Molly Malone died with cholera in 1699 in a street of Dublin, still of young age. Later on, Molly Malone became one of the symbols of Dublin.

You've probably seen her statue hundreds of times. Her statue was located in Grafton Street and it was moved to Suffolk Street in 2014.

The Irish traditional song "Cockles and Mussels" made Molly world-famous: It has been interpreted by many bands and is today regarded as Dublin's inofficial hymn. The lyrics tell us about Molly Malone and her sad end:

In Dublin's fair city,
where the girls are so pretty,
I first set my eyes on sweet Molly Malone,
As she wheeled her wheel-barrow,
Through streets broad and narrow,
Crying, "Cockles and mussels, alive alive oh!"

"Alive-a-live-oh,
Alive-a-live-oh",
Crying "Cockles and mussels, alive alive oh".

She was a fishmonger,
And sure 'twas no wonder,
For so were her father and mother before,
And both wheeled their barrow,
Through streets broad and narrow,
Crying, "Cockles and mussels, alive, alive oh!"

(chorus)

She died of a fever,
And no one could save her,
And that was the end of sweet Molly Malone.
Now her ghost wheels her barrow,
Through streets broad and narrow,
Crying, "Cockles and mussels, alive, alive oh!"

(chorus)

Have you already visited Phoenix Park, the largest urban park in Europe? Let's read a little bit about it for your next visit!

The origin of Phoenix Park dates back as far as the 12th century, after the Normans conquered Dublin.  In 1662, the park was a Royal Hunting Park and contained pheasants and wild deer, which made it necessary to enclose the entire area with a wall. At the time, Phoenix Park was much larger as it stretched across the Liffey to the south. The park was reduced to its present size and opened to the people of Dublin in 1745.

Nowadays, the park houses the residence of the President of Ireland, the headquarters of the Garda Síochána (the police force of Ireland), Dublin Zoo and several small parks, sport facilities and monuments.

Dublin Zoo
Dublin Zoo was opened to the public on 1 September 1831, making it the third oldest zoo in the world. Though not one of the biggest zoos in the world, it's worth a visit if you're staying in Dublin for a while.

The Papal Cross
In the middle of the park you will see this huge white cross, the Papal Cross. It was erected for the visit of Pope John Paul II on 29 September 1979. Over one million people attended an open air mass in the park at the time.

The deer
Deer were introduced into the park in the 1660s and the current 400–450 deer descend from the original herd.

Oddities
There is a working railway line and station under the Park which was used during World War Two.

In 1882 three politicians were murdered in the park. 

In the 12th Century the lands of the park belonged to the Knights Templars.

The Park is home to the largest Viking graveyard in the world outside of Scandinavia.

Phoenix Park is also home to the oldest settlement in Dublin. On the southern edge of the park are the remains of a 5,500-year-old Neolithic village.

Wellington Monument is Europe's largest 'Phallic Symbol' Obelisk. 

The name Phoenix Park is derived from a corruption of the Irish words Fionn Uisce which means fair water. Several ancient springs in the park all are still releasing mineral waters to this day.

The Government is working with UNESCO to have the park designated as a world heritage site. 

This referendum is the opportunity to show that the LGBT people are equal to the rest of the society and that they are valued and cared for.

The result of this referendum shows that everybody deserves to get married to whom they want, as well as create a family.

It also proves that LGBT people are equal to the rest of people.

Here's some facts that will make think twice to those promoting hate:

- 50% of LGBT young people consider suicide owing to stigma and homophobic bullying – a YES vote sends a powerful message to them that they are valued and cared for. They really need to hear this!

- Young people have told us that a ‘NO’ vote would be ‘devastating’ to them and prove they are secondary citizens in their own country

- YES on May 22nd will let parents know that being gay is ok and will allow them to respond positively if their children come out as gay.

- Promoters of the NO vote use Family Values as their main reason, meaning that every child deserves to grow with a mother and a father. The truth is that every child deserves to grow in a loving and happy family, who promotes love, equality and respect.

- We all know that nowadays a big percentage of marriages end up in divorce, even when with children involved. If you're living in Dublin city centre, or in other areas like Tallaght, you've probably seen lots of Irish knackers with children, who will obviously turn into knackers as they grow old. It seems the Promoters of the NO vote are too busy to handle 'family values' among knackers.

Vote YES and you can step forward into a bright future. Let’s make Ireland a more equal place for ourselves and our LGBT friends.  Let’s rewrite the rules, so you can tell your children that you did this – you made history.  It’s time to give love an equal right. 

While foreigners cannot take part in this referendum - which would definitely mean a YES in the referendum results - you can talk and convince your Irish friends and host families and tell them that a YES vote matters to you. 

Whether you stay in Ireland only for a few months or for many years, you are spending your money, time and paying your taxes just like any Irish, and deserve the right to see Ireland evolving into a fair country.

VOTE YES on Friday May 22nd
Change forever what it means to grow up LGBT in Ireland

You've probably seen these yellow boats in the city centre, jammed with tourists who don't feel ashamed to wear those viking hats and roaring at pedestrians.

Did you know that those yellow boats are actually World War II amphibious vehicles? These World War II vehicles (DUKWs), known as Duck Boats, can travel by land and water, and the guides deliver informative and entertaining comments in English. You'll be able to wear a viking hat while on the tour!

This post is not meant to promote the viking tours, but we think they're a funny way to sightsee Dublin city centre with your friends or family.

For more information about the Viking tours, please visit their official site here: http://vikingsplash.com/

Now you'll see the viking tour boats from a different perspective!

The Poolbeg Chimneys are part of Dublin's skyline and you've probably see them hundred of times from the city centre. 

They're no longer in use and it was decided to not demolish them, as they're seen as one of the most familiar landmarks in Dublin. The chimneys are among the tallest structures in Ireland and are visible from most of Dublin city. They measure around 207m each and they're featured in several music videos and commercials in Dublin. 

These chimneys are actually part of a power station owned and operated by the Electricity Supply Board of Ireland (ESB).
They are even more impressive up close and you can see them nearby from the Sandymount beach. While you're there, you can walk pretty close to the chimneys and reach the Poolbeg lighthouse and the end of the path.

They're worth a look!