Dublin is to be the European City of Science in 2012.
The capital has beaten off competition from other European cities to clinch the prestigious title.
A year-long programme of science events will be held, with thousands of people invited to attend an international festival of science in June 2012.
The event is expected to showcase the best in Irish science and research.
The European City of Science is a recent introduced EU programme that sees a major European city chosen every other year.
Barcelona hosted this year's event.
Minister of State for Science, Technology & Innovation Jimmy Devins has hailed the decision as recognition of the great strides that Ireland has made in the area.
