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It fulfilled a number of roles over the centuries. It was first and foremost a royal residence, resided in by the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland or Viceroy of Ireland, the representative of the King or Queen. The Viceregal Apartments (now called the State Apartments) remain one of the most splendid sites in Dublin, and are the location of the inauguration of the President of Ireland. The second in command in the Dublin Castle administration, the Chief Secretary of Ireland , also had his offices there. Over the years, parliament and the law courts met there, before moving to new purpose-built venues. It also served as a military garrison.
Famously, the Irish Crown Jewels were stolen from the Castle in 1907.
The Castle ceased to be used for government purposes when the Irish Free State came into being in 1922. It served for some years as temporary Courts of Justice (the Four Courts, the home of the Irish courts system had been destroyed in 1922.) Once the courts moved out, Dublin Castle was used for state ceremonial. Eamon de Valera as President of the Executive Council on behalf of King George V received credentials from ambassadors to Ireland there in the 1930s. In 1938 it was used for the inauguration of Douglas Hyde as President of Ireland. Inaugurations of subsequent presidents took place there in 1945, 1952, 1959, 1966, 1973, 1974, 1976 1983, 1990 and 1997. President Erskine Hamilton Childers' lying-in-state took place there in November 1974, as did that of former President, Eamon de Valera, in September, 1975.
One of the surviving mediæval towers. To its left is the Chapel RoyalThe Chapel Royal in Dublin Castle was the official Anglican chapel of the Household of the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland from mediaeval times until the creation of the Irish Free State in 1922. The creation of the new Irish state terminated the office of Lor.
After major refurbishment, the Castle is used as conference centre. It is also a major tourist venue. During Ireland's presidencies of the European Community/Union, European CouncilThe European Council sometimes informally called the European Summit is a meeting of the heads of state or government of the European Union, and the President of the European Commission (not to be confused with the Council of the European Union, or the Co meetings have taken place there. The next is due in 2004.
The crypt of the Chapel RoyalThe Chapel Royal in Dublin Castle was the official Anglican chapel of the Household of the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland from mediaeval times until the creation of the Irish Free State in 1922. The creation of the new Irish state terminated the office of Lor is now used as an arts centre, while rock concerts sometimes take place in its grounds. The Castle itself is normally open to the public, except when it is being used for state functions. Among the areas that can be seen are St. Patrick's Hall, a massive ballroom now used for the inauguration of the President of Ireland, the Throne Room, which contains a throne from the reign of King William IIIWilliam III and II (William Henry) ( 14 November 1650 8 March 1702) was Prince of Orange from his birth, King of England and Ireland from 13 February 1689, and King of Scotland from 11 April 1689, in each case until his death. He won the English, Scottish at the end of the seventeenth century, and the Viceregal Apartments, including the bedrooms and dining rooms of the Lord Lieutenant and visiting members of the Royal Family. The last person to stay in the royal bedrooms was Margaret ThatcherMargaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher LG, OM, PC, FRS (born October 13, 1925) is a British politician and the first woman Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, a position she held from 1979 to 1990. She is a member of the Conservative Party and still, who stayed there during the 1979 European CouncilThe European Council sometimes informally called the European Summit is a meeting of the heads of state or government of the European Union, and the President of the European Commission (not to be confused with the Council of the European Union, or the Co meeting.