When Was Dublin Founded? Viking Settlement in 841 AD

The city of Dublin was founded as a Viking longphort (ship fortress) in 841 AD on the banks of the River Liffey.

Timeline

• 841: Vikings establish fortified settlement (Dubh Linn = "black pool").
• 917: Re-established as major trading hub after temporary expulsion.
• 1170: Anglo-Normans (Strongbow) capture Dublin; Viking rule ends.
• 1171: Henry II grants Dublin city charter; becomes center of English administration in Ireland.
• 1922: Capital of Irish Free State (later Republic of Ireland).

Name Origin

Dubh Linn (Irish) = "Black Pool" – a tidal pool at the confluence of the Liffey and Poddle (now covered), used by Vikings as a harbor.

Earlier Gaelic settlement (Áth Cliath = "ford of hurdles") existed nearby; the Viking foundation created the urban core of modern Dublin.