Ireland

Dublin is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Ireland, hosting the national parliament (the Oireachtas), the president’s residence, and key government departments. Located on the River Liffey, it has been Ireland’s political and economic center since independence in 1922, with origins as a Viking settlement called Dubh Linn. Fun fact: Dublin’s Irish name is Baile Átha Cliath (“town of the hurdled ford”). It’s famed for literary giants like James Joyce and Oscar Wilde and today is a major tech hub. Memory tip: D for Dublin, D for Dáil (Ireland’s lower house of parliament). Cork, Galway, and Limerick are important cities, but not the capital.