0 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:21,000 Hello and welcome to That's Ireland. I'm Aidan and I'm going to be showing you around some 1 00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:29,000 of Ireland's towns, villages and natural beauty spots. We start our tour here in Dublin, Ireland's 2 00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:34,000 capital city. I'm on O'Connell Bridge and behind me is O'Connell Street, one of Europe's 3 00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:45,000 widest urban streets. 4 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:51,000 Dublin is a city with a strong political history. I'm standing outside the General Post Office. 5 00:00:51,000 --> 00:00:57,000 This building is a symbol of Irish nationalism. It is here where the proclamation of the Republic, 6 00:00:57,000 --> 00:01:02,000 declaring Ireland's independence from the United Kingdom, was first read out on April 7 00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:11,000 24th, 1916. We declare the rights of the people of Ireland to the ownership of Ireland. This 8 00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:16,000 event signified the start of what is known as the Easter Rising or Rebellion, a major 9 00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:25,000 turning point in Ireland's history. 10 00:01:25,000 --> 00:01:31,000 This is Dublin Castle in the heart of historic Dublin. The castle was built to defend the 11 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:41,000 city and to protect the King's treasure. 12 00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:45,000 I'm here with Joe Darcy, a Dublin tour guide. Hello Joe. 13 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:46,000 Hello Aidan. 14 00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:50,000 Joe, tell us something about the history of the castle and the role it plays in Ireland's 15 00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:51,000 history. 16 00:01:51,000 --> 00:01:56,000 The English, or the Anglo-Normans as they were at the time in the late 12th century, 17 00:01:56,000 --> 00:02:01,000 they captured the town of Dublin and in the early 13th century they built a huge castle 18 00:02:01,000 --> 00:02:07,000 here and this Dublin Castle became the centre of English or British rule over Ireland for 19 00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:15,000 the next 700 years. The medieval castle was burnt in a dreadful fire in 1684, so it was 20 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:19,000 rebuilt towards the end of the 17th century and early 18th century, so the castle you 21 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:22,000 see around you now dates from then. 22 00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:27,000 Thanks for talking to us Joe. Let's go and see a bit more of Dublin City. 23 00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:34,000 The capital has changed enormously in recent years, but the city still manages to combine 24 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:37,000 the old with the new. 25 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:43,000 This is Trinity College, Ireland's oldest and most notable university. It was founded 26 00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:51,000 in 1592 and former students include writers such as Jonathan Swift and Oscar Wilde. 27 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:57,000 The old library houses a priceless manuscript known as the Book of Kells, an illustrated 28 00:02:57,000 --> 00:03:04,000 version of the New Testament created around 800 AD by Celtic monks. 29 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:10,000 Entrance to this building, the National Gallery, is free. 30 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:15,000 The collection has around 500 major works of art on display and a fine collection of 31 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:18,000 works by Irish artists. 32 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:24,000 Phoenix Park is the largest urban enclosed park in Europe and it's more than twice the 33 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:29,000 size of New York's Central Park. 34 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:34,000 This is the Wellington Monument. It commemorates the victories of the first Duke of Wellington 35 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:36,000 who was born in Dublin. 36 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:43,000 It's a bit cold today, but on a nice day this park is a real treat. 37 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:51,000 Now it's time to see what Dublin's nightlife has to offer. I've come here to Temple Bar 38 00:03:51,000 --> 00:03:56,000 which is on the south bank of the River Liffey. This area has preserved its medieval street 39 00:03:56,000 --> 00:04:03,000 pattern and has lots of narrow cobbled streets. This is the cultural part of Dublin and has 40 00:04:03,000 --> 00:04:08,000 a really great nightlife which is really popular with the tourists. 41 00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:15,000 Some traditional Irish hotspots are the Temple Bar pub, Oliver Syngin Gogarty's and the 42 00:04:15,000 --> 00:04:19,000 Yale Dubliner. 43 00:04:19,000 --> 00:04:23,000 Well I'm going to have a wander around and find somewhere to have a drink. We'll see 44 00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:28,000 you next time again here in Dublin and we'll be visiting a very famous Dublin attraction. 45 00:04:28,000 --> 00:04:29,000 Bye for now.