The Long Room at Trinity College in Dublin. Photo / Jonathan Singer on Unsplash
There is something fabled about Ireland that’s exceedingly attractive to active imaginations, and there is no better destination for dreamers and book lovers alike than Dublin, writes Kate Wickers
In this Unesco City of Literature, lyrical storytelling is as important today as it was when Bram Stoker put pen to paper to write Dracula or W.B. Yeats his poetry. Dublin gave the world James Joyce, Samuel Beckett, and Oscar Wilde, and their presence is still tangible, but the literary scene isn’t standing still. Today, it’s Sally Rooney’s troubled youngsters that spring to life as you walk through Trinity College. Strolling anywhere in Dublin is a journey through its vast written heritage.
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MORNING
Begin with an Irish breakfast (including traditional white and black pudding) at the rooftop restaurant of Jean-Georges at The Leinster, Dublin’s newest opening. Walk off your fry-up in nearby Merrion Square, lined with the city’s finest Georgian architecture, including Number One Merrion Square - the childhood home of Oscar Wilde (now an American College).
Facing the house, in the square’s public gardens, you’ll find a memorial sculpture of Oscar reclining on a rock, looking devilishly handsome. Book an early tour of Trinity College (arguably the city’s literary heartbeat where Stoker, Wilde and Yeats all studied). The highlight is the 65m-long Old Library’s Long Room, which holds 200,000 books (it’s undergoing a long-term restoration, but remains impressive), lined with marble busts of literary greats including Dublin native Jonathan Swift, one of Ireland’s most influential writers. Until September, the library is home to awe-inspiring Gaia, a colossal artwork by Luke Jerram, featuring 120dpi detailed Nasa imagery of the Earth’s surface. The library’s greatest treasure, the Book of Kells, an ancient manuscript created by monks in 800AD, has recently been rehomed in the impressive Book of Kells Experience, located in Trinity’s leafy quad. The text and illustrations are so vibrant, they appear freshly inked, and the accompanying exhibition is magical, bringing the ancient script alive.
Enjoy lunch at David Bryne, a historic Art Deco pub with literary associations, where Leopold Bloom visited for a glass of burgundy and Gorgonzola sandwich in James Joyce’s Ulysses (you’ll find both still on the menu).
AFTERNOON
Stop to admire the Henry Moore sculpture dedicated to W.B. Yeats on St Stephen’s Green, then continue to Marsh’s, Ireland’s oldest public library with its beautiful oak bookshelves standing 4m tall, unchanged for over three centuries. Take a tour and you’ll discover that the cages in the second room weren’t used to detain book thieves as many assume but were used by scholars to study precious scripts.
EVENING
Enjoy a fish and chip early supper at The Duke pub, before joining the Literary Pub Crawl, which sets off from here. It’s a fun introduction to Ireland’s writers, and kicks off over a pint of Guinness, with actor and host Colm Quilligan, while his friend acts out a scene from Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot. During the next two hours, expect songs, quotes and many an interesting story concerning James Joyce, Oscar Wilde and others while exploring Dublin’s literary pubs, including M.J O’Neill’s with its atmospheric nooks and crannies and dedicated writer’s room.
MORNING
Begin with a leisurely snoop around Dublin’s varied bookshops, calling at Ulysses Rare Books, where, if you ask nicely, they may give you a look at a limited edition of Joyces’ Ulysses illustrated by Henri Matisse, signed by both author and artist (and selling for a cool €25,000 - NZ$45,000).
For a more pocket-friendly collection of Ireland-centric books, head to nearby Hodges Figgis. Winding Stair, Dublin’s oldest independent bookstore, on the north side of the River Liffey has both second-hand and new books, plus a restaurant on the second floor dishing up traditional Irish food with a contemporary twist. Don’t miss a peek at the circular reading room of the National Library of Ireland, with its stunning Victorian Palladian domed aquamarine ceiling, built in 1890 (to visit, apply for a reader’s ticket at www.nli.ie).
AFTERNOON
Take a walk across Dublin’s much-loved St Stephen’s Green to the bust of James Joyce, who gazes towards a grand Georgian house, home to The Museum of Literature Ireland (or MoLI as it is affectionately known in a nod to the character of Molly Bloom found in Ulysses). Even if you’re not a bookworm, a wander through the innovative, interactive exhibits is a joy, and although Joyce features heavily (his letters and notebooks give great insight into the writing of Ulysses), there’s a big emphasis on Ireland’s contemporary writers (budding authors can pick up tips by listening to the audio recordings of the likes of Booker Prize winner Anne Enright talking about her craft). Don’t miss seeing “The Black List” drawn up by the Committee of Evil Literature. It’s a glimpse into Ireland’s past struggles for free cultural expression and includes titles such as Woman’s Weekly.
Pop in for a pint at the wood-panelled Toner’s Pub on Baggot St, one of the most traditional of the city’s pubs. In the so-called snug (a separate, cosy room) W.B. Yeats was partial to a tipple while reading a book (keeping tradition alive, the area is reserved for those who wish to read).
EVENING
Check what’s on at The James Joyce Centre, and, if you’re in luck, catch a reading or lecture, then head back to The Leinster for a cocktail in elegant surroundings in the opulent, speakeasy-inspired Collins Club.
Double rooms at The Leinster, located just off Merrion Square, start at £230 (NZ$486) www.theleinster.ie
For more things to see and do in Ireland, visit ireland.com/en-nz
Skip the cold and enjoy the sunshine across the ditch.