Editing Dublin Castle (section)

==Roles==
[[Image:Dcastlemaindoor.jpg|thumb|left|Entry to the State Apartments]]
Dublin Castle has fulfilled a number of roles throughout its history. Originally built as a defensive fortification for the [[Normans|Norman]] city of Dublin, it later evolved into an official residence, used by the [[Lord Lieutenant of Ireland]] or Viceroy of Ireland, the representative of the [[Monarchy of the United Kingdom|monarch]]. The second-in-command in the Dublin Castle administration, the [[Chief Secretary for Ireland]], also had his offices there. Over the years [[Parliament of Ireland|parliament]] and certain law courts met at the castle before moving to new purpose-built venues. It also served as the base for a military garrison and later also intelligence services.

Upon the formation of the [[Irish Free State]] in December 1922, the castle temporarily assumed the role of the [[Four Courts]], the legal complex badly damaged during the [[Irish Civil War|Civil War]]; this arrangement would last for a decade.

It was decided in 1938 that the inauguration of the first [[President of Ireland]], [[Douglas Hyde]], would take place in the castle, and the complex has been host to this ceremony ever since. The castle is also used for hosting official [[state visit]]s as well as more informal foreign affairs engagements, state banquets, including that for the historic visit of Queen [[Elizabeth II]] in 2011, and Government policy launches.  It also acts as the central base for Ireland's hosting of the [[Presidency of the Council of the European Union|European Presidency]], approximately every 10 years. Two dedicated conference facilities, The Hibernia Conference Centre and The Printworks were installed for the European Presidencies of 1990 and 2013, and are made available for rental by the private sector too.

The castle's State Apartments and their associated collection of historic materials form an accredited museum, and the castle complex is also home to a [[Garda Síochána]] unit and the [[Garda Museum]], some parts of the [[Office of Public Works]], some functions of the Irish [[Revenue Commissioners]] – and the Revenue Museum – and the [[Chester Beatty Library]].