Dublin City Guide - History

AD841 A permanent Viking settlement marks the origin of Dublin
989 Maél Sechnaill II, an Irish High King, captures Dublin
1170 Diarmait Mac Murchada takes control of the city
1171 England's Henry II grants a charter to the city of Dublin
1204 The construction of Dublin Castle and the city walls begins
1254 Dedication of St Patrick's Cathedral
1366 The Statute of Kilkenny makes it illegal for the Anglo-Irish to mix with 'the Irish enemy'
1487 Lambert Simnel, a pretender to the English throne, is crowned King of England in Christchurch Cathedral by Irish leaders
1536 Following his excommunication from the Roman Catholic Church, Henry VIII is declared the official Head of the Church in Ireland by the Irish parliament
1592 Queen Elizabeth I founds Trinity College, Dublin, to try to stop Catholics from studying in Europe and practising 'Popery'
1649 Oliver Cromwell conquers Dublin
1710 The Mansion House, the home of the Lord Mayor of Dublin, is built by Joshua Dawson
1782 Grattan's Parliament in Dublin ensures parliamentary independence for Ireland
1847 Dublin is flooded with people fleeing the Great Famine in the countryside
1916 The Easter Rising sparks the War of Independence (1919-21)
1973 Ireland joins the European Economic Community (now the EU)
1991 Dublin is elected European City of Culture
1996 Ireland holds the Presidency of the European Union for the third time
1998 Dublin hosts the start of the Tour de France