Junior Cycle Geography CYCLONE Case Study: Dublin’s Functions Over Time
Dublin City provides a wide variety of functions. Over time, these functions have evolved. Some functions have remained part of Dublin for centuries. Others have developed more recently. Defensive
Norman walls
Defence was one of the earliest functions of Dublin City. Viking settlers arrived in 841 CE. They built a castle alongside the River Poddle, which is a tributary of the Liffey. The castle protected settlers from attacks.
3. Viking and Norman settlement shown on a modern-day map of Dublin
Port Dublin Dublin Port
Christ Church Cathedral
The Normans walled the city over 300 years later. More people wanted to live in or near cities with defences as they offered protection.
4. The location of the original and current ports of Dublin
The original Port of Dublin was situated further inland along the Liffey, close to Christchurch Cathedral.
Through Viking and Norman times, Dublin’s trade with England and Europe increased. In the early part of the nineteenth century, the city’s docklands became an important source of work. Workers lived in the city to shorten the commute to work. The development of Dublin Port is linked to the development of Dublin City.
Transport
Ireland’s first railway line opened in 1834. It went from Dublin (Westland Row) to Kingstown (Dún Laoghaire) and had nine stations. The daily number of passengers using the train ran into the thousands. This made it the first ever commuter railway. The railway line allowed the city to expand southwards, creating new suburbs and increasing the city’s population.