Dublin is the largest and capital city of Ireland. The English name is derived from the Irish name Dubh Linn, meaning "black pool". It is a primate city with an urban population of over 1 million, containing almost 25% of the country's population. Dublin is situated near the midpoint of Ireland's east coast, at the mouth of the River Liffey, and at the centre of the Dublin Region. The city is listed by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network (GaWC) as a global city, with a ranking of "Alpha-", placing it among the top thirty cities in the world. It is a historical and contemporary centre for education, the arts, administration, economy and industry.

Ireland is an island in north-western Europe which has been divided politically since 1920. Most of the island is made up of Ireland (the Republic of Ireland). The remainder is Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom. An uncommon geological richness and the warming effect of the Atlantic produce an astonishing diversity of terrain on this lovely island, which is splashed throughout with lakes and primeval bogland. Ireland also adds further interest to the landscape through the sacred associations of so many of its physical features.