Far from the dark aura that is emitted from James Joyce’s ‘Dubliners’, the city is the picturesque setting of rebellion, history, and hearty natives.
Upon stepping into the bustling city centre, Dublin’s colourful persona is radiant. The cobbled streets ooze intrigue while the architecture is rich in reverence for the stories they behold. Though it contradicts the very definition of avaricious, the recognition of its unique personality makes it undeniably charming.
This charm, however, was only developed in the aftermath of much hardship and endurance. Much of this struggle, like many other countries, is caused by the almost primordial existence of the British Empire. Legally decreed in the fifteenth century, the English Poynings’ Law declared Ireland [as one entity] as inferior. It was a possession to be abused and utilised for economic and political purposes by English nobility. Exacerbated by the rule of Oliver Cromwell in 1649, numerous towns, such Drogheda, were massacred in an anti-Catholic campaign. Stealing land out from under the natives, the English would award these lands to loyal subjects and those that they were indebted to.
This disaster was compounded by constant resource deprivation, oppressive forces, and extended periods of starvation. While many European countries had faced some form of revolution from the eighteenth to nineteenth century, namely France, Ireland was subject to the Great Famine of 1845. Killing around one million natives and causing many to emigrate, the total population of Ireland was reduced by 20-25%.
Though this struggling socio-political backdrop can still be witnessed in Ireland today, most visibly in Northern Ireland, the growth and individualisation of Dublin cannot be ignored. In the midst of hard times and troubles, this city persevered and is now an innovative hub. They, like many other European countries, achieved this through revolution, both in conventional and non-conventional manners.
The revolutionary form that is universally recognised most commonly begins with an uprising, traditionally sourcing from the people themselves, that establishes significant change. In 1916 Dublin, this materialised through the Easter Rising. Rebelling against British rule to ensure an independent Ireland, initially planned by the Irish Republican Brotherhood, the rebels seized the General Post Office (GPO). Clashing with British forces, this rebellion effectively marked the beginning of Ireland’s revolutionary period.
Though the natives secured many physical victories through battles and rebellions, a new cultural revolution was occurring throughout Dublin; most vitally, a literary revolution. Already surmounted with unparalleled mythical tales of woes and triumphs, Dublin has been the home of many literary geniuses. From the aforementioned James Joyce to Samuel Beckett, many of these Irish writers have won Nobel Prizes for literature, Beckett included. Signifying much more than an indefinite period of literacy excellence, Dublin’s cultural importance and appeal has helped shape the world.
This is further evident from a business perspective. With Facebook creating a new headquarter in 2016, several law firms (such as Clyde & Co) expanding their reach to this city, and the growth of the tourism sector, business is booming in Ireland. This may be attributed to the fact that it has one of the youngest populations in Europe. Encouraging consumer consumption, increasing education levels, and an increasing job market, Dublin is both a city and a lifestyle. Containing several outstanding universities, such as Trinity College Dublin and University College Dublin, it’s making waves in several industries. Famed for its accepting and progressive attitude, Dublin Airport received almost 29 million passengers last year alone.
Not only will tourist sites, like GPO, Molly Malone, and the EPIC Museum, encourage you to visit and soak up the culture, the friendly atmosphere is one like no other. Its transport system, connected conveniently with the pay-per-ride leap card, is quick, easy, and rarely as cramped as many other cousin transport systems. Its wonderfully simple cuisine, including the classic ‘bangers and mash’, Irish stew, and slow-cooked beef, sported at pubs like O’Neill’s and the Stag’s Head, combines indulgence with familiarity.
Filled to the brim with kindness, humour, and pints of Guinness (interestingly, which is most heavily consumed in Nigeria), Dublin is a place with a past and a future. Propped cosily in the corner, this is Europe’s best kept revolutionary hideaway.