Dublin Castle

Dublin Castle is one of the most famous, storied, notorious, and significant sites in all of Irish history.  Situated in the very center of Dublin, it dates all the way back to the early 1200's, when the Normans constructed a castle where the River Liffey and River Poddle join together.  This had been the site of earlier forts as well, for the structure here would command the crucial waterways that flow from the Irish Sea into Ireland itself.  From this time until Irish Independence in 1922, The Castle stood as a bulwark of British power, authority, and intelligence.  Many times Irish rebels tried and failed to capture the Castle--indeed the first killing of the Easter Rebellion in 1916 was a policeman guarding the central Cork Hill Gate.

Today The Castle is the ceremonial center of Irish political life.  State receptions and functions occur here, and the Castle is a curious mix of ancient and modern constructions.  Like Dublin itself, it contains multiple layers of Irish history.

The Upper Castle Yard--here the British ceremonially surrendered Irish rule to Michael Collins on January 16, 1922.

Bedford Tower, built in 1751, as the centerpiece of the newly refurbished Castle.

The Whole Gang in the Upper Castle Yard.

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