Bray 6.6

Bray is a coastal town in north County Wicklow, Ireland. It is situated about 20km south of Dublin city centre on the east coast. It has a population of 32,600 making it the ninth largest urban area in all of Ireland and the ninth largest urban area within the Republic of Ireland (at the 2016 census).Bray is a resort town, and its proximity to Dublin make it a destination for tourists and day-trippers from the capital. Bray is home to Ardmore Studios, and some light industry is located in the town, with some business and retail parks on its southern periphery. Commuter links between Bray and Dublin are provided by rail, Dublin Bus and the M11 and M50 motorways.EtymologyThe name of the town "Bray" or "Bré" means hill or rising ground, possibly referring to the gradual incline of the town from the Dargle Bridge to Vevay Hill and or Bray Head.HistoryIn medieval times, Bray was on the southern border of the Pale, and the coastal district was governed directly by the English crown from Dublin Castle. Inland, the countryside was largely under the control of Gaelic Chieftains, such as the O'Toole and O'Byrne clans. Bray features on the 1598 map "A Modern Depiction of Ireland, One of the British Isles" by Abraham Ortelius as "Brey". The Earl of Meath purchased the Kilruddery estate in Bray in 1627 with the establishment of the Earl title. In August or September 1649 Oliver Cromwell is believed to have stayed in Bray on his way to Wexford from Dublin. During the 17th and 18th centuries, Bray was a small manorial village, but during the latter part of the 18th century, the Dublin middle-classes began to move to Bray.