
Situated on the River Liffey, it was settled by Danish Vikings arriving by sea in the 9th century ce; they held it until it was taken by the Irish in the 11th century. The city is the capital of Ireland and is located on the east coast in the province of Leinster. Dublin is a warm and welcoming city, known for the friendliness of its people and famous for its craic (“crack”)—that mixture of repartee, humour, intelligence, and acerbic and deflating insight that has attracted writers, intellectuals, and visitors for centuries.