As the country was struggling towards a modern democracy and Sean Lemass succeeded De Valera as taoiseach (prime minister) of Ireland in 1959, the country’s leaders turned their attention once again to the Irish economy, which was badly in need of redirection. Its dependence on agriculture throughout history had proven detrimental. Looking outwards, Ireland took the first steps towards becoming a player in the international market joined the European Economic Community in 1973. While violence began to shake Northern Ireland once again, with Bloody Sunday (1972) leaving another sad legacy, Ireland was looking ahead at a brighter future – an unprecedented economic boom, which was to become known as the Celtic Tiger. As Ireland’s economy prospered and unemployment plummeted, Dublin grew into a proud, vibrant and fast-changing cosmopolitan centre, which was dealing with its legacies and finding its place in the modern world. It was certainly not all plain sailing and Dublin was faced with a whole new set of problems from drug-related to immigration issues, but as it stumbled back onto its feet, it was entering a new era; one that would see the rise of Dublin as we know it today.