Where's That Irish Town / City Quiz

Dublin is the capital city of the Republic of Ireland and the largest city in the country. It is located at the mouth of the River Liffey and is named for the Irish words 'dubh' meaning black and 'linn' meaning pool. There has been a settlement in the area of Dublin since prehistoric times with archaeological evidence suggesting humans were living in the area 6000 years ago.

Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and is located in the south west of the country. The city was originally founded by monks in the 6th century and grew during the 900s when it became a Viking trading port. The centre of Cork is located on an island in the River Lee.

Wexford is a town in the south east of the Republic of Ireland. The town was originally founded in 800 by Viking settlers who ostensibly ruled the town as a city state until the late 1100s when the town was taken by the King of Leinster and was absorbed into the province of the same name.

Limerick is a city on the west coast of Ireland located on the estuary of the river Shannon. The city is the third largest in the Republic of Ireland and was founded by Viking settlers in 812. Shannon Airport, located near Limerick, was the first airport in the world to offer duty free goods to passengers and was historically an important refuelling point for transatlantic flights.

The city of Galway is found in the west of the Republic of Ireland on the River Corrib. The city grew from a fortification built in 1124 by the King of Connacht and a town charter was granted in 1484. The city became a prosperous trading port in the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries and was largely controlled by the 'tribes of Galway', fourteen wealthy merchant families. Following the 'Glorious Revolution' in 1688, when James II was replaced as king by William III, the tribes supported James' cause which lead to their downfall and reduced the importance of Galway as a city.

Drogheda is the largest town in the Republic of Ireland and is located north of Dublin. The town was originally founded as two separate entities, Drogheda in Meath and Drogheda in Oriel. These towns were joined in 1412 and became a county borough titled 'the County of the Town of Drogheda'. In 1898 Drogheda became part of County Louth and ceased to be an independent county.

Waterford is the fifth biggest city in the Republic of Ireland and is located in the south east of the country. The city was originally founded by Viking settlers and during the medieval period was regarded as the second most important city of Ireland after Dublin. The city is known for its glass production particularly decorative cut glassware.

Tralee is a town in County Kerry in the south west of Ireland and was founded in the 13th century. The town is perhaps best known for the annual Rose of Tralee International Festival which was first held in 1959. The main feature of the festival is the crowning of the 'Rose of Tralee' a young woman who is selected to act as a role-model and advocate for Ireland, it is not considered a beauty pageant as the contestant are judged on personality rather than purely on looks.

Sligo is a port town on the west coast of Ireland. The name of the town is an anglicised version of the Irish name Sligeach which means 'abounding in shells' and reflects the large number of shellfish and shells found in the area. There is evidence of prehistoric settlements in the Sligo area but the town is generally regarded as being established in 1245 with the building of Sligo Castle.

Kilkenny is a city in the south east of Ireland which straddles the River Nore. Kilkenny received its town charter in 1207 and gained city status in 1609 when King James I granted the town a Royal Charter. The city contains many historic buildings and churches and is popular with tourists.