| Dublin is a city that can proudly boast to being | | | | relatively unchanged and therefore you get a |
| home to many of the literary greats over the | | | | good idea of how Brendan Beehan may have felt |
| centuries. It's a city steeped in history and culture, | | | | sitting there enjoying a drink while thinking up |
| and this can be seen wherever you happen to | | | | more great works of art. |
| wander. The buildings and monuments are a | | | | A few minutes walk from Grafton Street, on |
| constant reminder of some of the great works | | | | South Great George Street, and housed in a |
| of literature that have stemmed from this fair | | | | magnificent listed building is the Long Hall Pub. This |
| city. In Merrion Square there's a monument to | | | | is a very popular local pub and one of Dublin's |
| Oscar Wilde (1854-1900), notable for plays such | | | | oldest watering houses. It's traditionally decorated |
| as The Importance of Being Ernest and An Ideal | | | | and will give you a good feel for what pubs were |
| Husband, an if you wander past the Grand Canal | | | | like in Ireland many years ago. It's renowned for |
| you will see Patrick Kavanagh sitting on the banks. | | | | having a warm and welcoming atmosphere and all |
| What better way to get a taste of the culture | | | | who visit are made to feel like part of the |
| and the origins of Irish Literature than by | | | | furniture. |
| partaking of a pint of the black stuff in a Dublin | | | | Ten minutes walk from Grafton Street, on |
| inn that was once frequented by some of the | | | | Baggot Street, is the old style traditional pub |
| most talented writers the world has ever known. | | | | Toners. It's well known as supposedly being the |
| Literary Ireland spans from Jonathan Swift | | | | only pub the famous Irish poet, WB Yeats |
| (1667-1745), author of Gulliver's Travels, up to | | | | frequented. Yeats was awarded the Nobel Prize |
| Roddy Doyle (1958-) winner of The Booker Prize | | | | for Literature in 1923 and was also one of the |
| 1993 for Ha Ha Ha. Even better still bring along a | | | | founding members of the Abbey Theatre. Two |
| copy of Ulysses to keep you company along the | | | | of his well-known poems are 'The Wanderings of |
| way! | | | | Oisin' and 'The Second Coming'. Yeats was said to |
| Pub crawl tours around Dublin have become a | | | | have enjoyed the odd sherry in Toners, perhaps |
| popular tourist magnet over the years but why | | | | pondering on his unrequited love by Maud Gonne! |
| not make up your own route and decide on which | | | | Toners has an old rustic feel to it with original |
| famous writers you would like to learn more | | | | stock drawers still behind the counter and a |
| about? Your tour can have you passing historical | | | | traditional stone floor. Patrick Kavanagh was also a |
| buildings and areas of Dublin that provided | | | | regular visitor to Toners. Kavanagh was a famous |
| influence in many great pieces of literary | | | | Irish poet and novelist; two of his most popular |
| excellence such as James Joyce's Ulysses. And | | | | productions were 'The Great Hunger' and 'Raglan |
| you can enjoy a 'tipple' in some of the oldest | | | | Road'. |
| drinking establishments Dublin city has to offer | | | | To have a reputation as having great literary |
| along your (merry) way! | | | | significance in Dublin, beautifully sums up The |
| South of the River Liffey you'll find O'Neills on | | | | Palace Bar. Situated on Fleet Street, a short walk |
| Suffolk Street, this pub is over 300 years old and | | | | from Grafton Street and Temple Bar. This is a |
| is a good starting point for your very own literary | | | | traditional bar with a difference. It's Pre-Victorian |
| pub crawl of Dublin. It's located on what was | | | | and therefore has a different feel to many of the |
| originally a mound of earth and home to the | | | | other Dublin pubs. The Palace Bar is an old pub |
| Norse Parliament. O'Neills is mentioned in James | | | | dating back to the early 19th century. It is |
| Joyce's famous novel Ulysses, which describes a | | | | steeped in literary history and is famously known |
| day in the life of Leopold Bloom (June 16th 1904) | | | | for being home in the 1940's to 'The Fourth |
| and his view of Dublin. This pub has changed | | | | Estate' (educated people whose interest is in |
| hands over the centuries but it has retained its | | | | literature). This get together of the 'who's who' of |
| character and charm. | | | | Dublin literary society was held in the back room |
| From here a short distance away on Duke | | | | of the pub with its spectacular stained glass, and |
| Street, just off Grafton Street, is the well-known | | | | still to this day it has retained a strong historical |
| establishment The Duke. It's situated close to | | | | feel. The Palace was a favourite spot for Patrick |
| Trinity College and a short walk from the main | | | | Kavanagh, Brendan Beehan and Flann O Brien. It |
| thoroughfare of O Connell Street. This pub boasts | | | | remains a popular hang out for journalists |
| a reputation as having been regularly frequented | | | | probably hoping for some inspiration so as to |
| by the likes of Joyce, Kavanagh, Beehan and | | | | embark on their first Booker Prize winning novel. |
| many others. It's renowned for being a lively spot | | | | It has a reputation as being one of Dublin's |
| and a good place to soak up the Irish pub culture. | | | | favourite pubs and has remained untouched and |
| Davy Byrnes is also situated on Duke Street and | | | | untainted by the modern era. |
| is a pub saturated in Irish history and culture. The | | | | Mulligans Pub situated on Poolbeg Street, just off |
| premises was first licensed as a pub in1789 and | | | | Burgh Quay, is a pub that has refused to change |
| purchased in 1889 by Davy Byrnes, whose name | | | | with the times. Its interior is dated but its |
| has remained above the pub to this day. James | | | | atmosphere is alive and kicking. It was mentioned |
| Joyce was a regular visitor to the pub and | | | | in Ulysses but perhaps what it is better known |
| formed a friendship with Davy himself. | | | | for is its numerous famous visitors over the |
| "He entered Davy Byrnes. Moral Pub. He doesn't | | | | years. Although they may not be considered |
| chat. Stands a drink now and then. But in a leap | | | | literary geniuses they would have been many |
| year one if four. Cashed a cheque for me once" | | | | literary pieces done in their honour! JF Kennedy |
| (Joyce, Ulysses, 1922). | | | | frequented the pub in the 1940's when he worked |
| This is a very popular place to be on Bloomsday, | | | | for the Hearst Newspaper Chain. Other visitors |
| 16th June, where many people come to enjoy a | | | | included Judy Garland, Maureen O Hara, Cecil |
| Gorgonzola sandwich and a glass of burgundy, as | | | | Sheridan and Eamon Andrews who were but a |
| Bloom did himself in 1904. An added piece of | | | | few of Mulligans clientele. |
| literary information related to Davy Byrnes was | | | | 'The Society for the Preservation of the Dublin |
| that Brendan Beehan was arrested outside the | | | | Accent' used to hold their meetings here and you |
| pub for being involved in a brawl. | | | | can see a plaque in commemoration to them on |
| A short distance from here is McDaids Pub on | | | | the wall. |
| Harry Street, just off Grafton Street. McDaids is | | | | Other pubs with literary connections to look out |
| well known throughout Dublin for its superb pints | | | | for on your wanderings through this area are The |
| of Guinness and its lively atmosphere. It was a | | | | Brazen Head, on Bridge Street and Grogans |
| favourite haunt of the famous literary author | | | | situated on South William Street. |
| Brendan Beehan and it's said that some of the | | | | A word of warning; if embarking on this literary |
| characters in 'The Plough Boy' and 'The Hostage' | | | | tour of Dublin pubs, it might be an idea to do it |
| were based on people Beehan had become | | | | over a couple of days or abstain from the black |
| acquainted with in McDaids. It was also a popular | | | | stuff in some of the establishments. By the end |
| haunt of Patrick Kavanagh, JP Donleavy and Flann | | | | you'll hopefully be influenced enough to attempt a |
| O Brien. The interior of the pub has remained | | | | Nobel Prize winning novel yourself! |