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Self-Guided Dublin Literary Walking Tour

Join me on a tour of seven literary treasures in Dublin.

This self-guided literary walking tour begins at the front gates of Trinity College and ends at the back gate.

We will follow in the footsteps of famous Irish writers writers including Jonathan Swift, William Butler Yeats, Patrick Kavanagh, the illustrious James Joyce and the Nobel laureates, Seamus Heaney and Samuel Beckett. 

This self-guided walk can take an entire day depending on how long you decide to immerse yourself in each stop. Alternatively, you could complete the tour in 2-3 hours.

If you have the time, I encourage you to spread the tour over a few days to fully enjoy all it has to offer.

I have included helpful links throughout this blog, to allow you to check directions and visitor opening hours.

You might also like to bookmark this useful Google Map guide that includes all of the stops on our Dublin literary walking tour.

Stop 1: Trinity College Dublin

Directions: Front Gate at Trinity College Dublin, College Green

As you walk under arch at the front gate of Trinity, you will see two lofty bronze statues that stand looking out over College Green. 

These are two former alumni, Oliver Goldsmith (noted essayist) and Samuel Burke (a famous political prose writer). 

Samuel Burke was co-founder of the College Historical Society (known as the Hist) which is the oldest student society in the world.

The historic Old Library lies adjacent to Trinity’s Front Square. It is a stunning example of 18th century architecture and took over twenty years to complete. 

Although the Old Library is currently under redevelopment, it remains open to visitors and some of the works that usually live on the library shelves include:

• Autobiographical sermons from Jonathan Swift (Trinity alumnus) a satirist and author of Gulliver’s Travels.
• Drafts from the work of playwright JM Synge.
• A signed copy of Waiting for Godot written by Samuel Beckett in 1952.
• Private letters and papers donated to the library from contemporary alumni such as John Banville and Jennifer Johnson.

The central treasure of the Old Library is of course the Book of Kells, a highly significant ceremonial manuscript dating from the early medieval monastic world. 

The Book of Kells contains the Four Gospels of the life of Jesus Christ, richly illustrated  with intricate symbolism. 

Known as one of Ireland’s greatest cultural treasures, it is a literary gem not to be missed. 

If you want to make the most of your visit, I recommend visiting early morning, just after the Old Library opens its doors. Enhance your experience by opting for the full Book of Kells Experience ticket which gives you access to an immersive, digital exhibition that brings the Book of Kells to life like never before.

Afterwards, I recommend heading in the direction of New Square.

On the way, you will pass House 39 and House 40. In his undergraduate days, Beckett lived in House 39, and when he returned to Trinity College as a French lecturer, he resided in House 40. 

One Trinity’s more recent graduates is Sally Rooney, author of Normal People. You might spot locations from iconic scenes in the Normal People series during your stroll.

On your way out of New Square, head past the Samuel Beckett Theatre. This famous theatre was constructed in 1995 from Irish oak. 

If you happen to visit on a sunny day, you will see the wood gleaming in the sun. Be sure to check what’s on if you wish to attend a production. 

Next on our tour, head toward the rugby pitch and continue on to the adjacent college park. Close to the park is the Anatomy and Physiology Building. 

A famous past student of Trinity Medical School was Oliver St. John Gogarty. As a companion of James Joyce, it is widely believed he was the inspiration for the character of Buck Mulligan in Ulysses.

Stop 2: National Library of Ireland

Directions: National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street

On our second stop, the tour takes us from the back gate of Trinity to the National Library on Kildare Street. 

Inside, there is a free permanent exhibition dedicated to William Butler Yeats. 

Yeats was an influential figure in both Irish and English literature, renowned for his contributions to poetry and drama. 

He played a crucial role in the Irish Literary Revival, a cultural movement that sought to promote Irish literature and heritage. 

Yeats co-founded the Abbey Theatre, which became an important institution for Irish drama and a platform for emerging playwrights. 

His poetry was characterised by its symbolic imagery and exploration of themes such as mysticism, love, and Irish identity. 

He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1923, highlighting his influence and legacy as one of the greatest poets of the 20th century. 

The exhibition features original manuscripts of Yeats’s beloved poems like “The Lake Isle of Inisfree” and “Easter, 1916,” his Nobel Prize medal, personal artifacts including school reports and intimate photographs of the author’s life. 

The exhibition was made possible by the Yeats family’s generous donation to the National Library of Ireland.

The audio-visual materials and the absorbing multimedia experience make it an unmissable part of any Irish literary walking tour. Make sure to check out what’s on during your visit.

Stop 3:  Patrick Kavanagh’s statue

Directions: Patrick Kavanagh Statue, Wilton Terrace

After leaving the National Library, turn left onto Kildare Street and then left again onto Baggott Street. 

Here, we remember the famous Monaghan poet Patrick Kavanagh, a chronicler of Dublin’s life. We will walk in the direction of his famous statue on Wilton Terrace.

Kavanagh was well known in some of Dublin’s oldest pubs, but the Bailey on Duke Street, may the one with the most significance. While it is not in the direction you are walking, it may be a good spot to bookmark for a beverage at the end of your tour.

Originally a hospital, it later became a pub known for attracting prominent literary figures, especially during the 1950s and 1960s under the proprietorship of John Ryan, founder of Envoy Magazine. 

Ryan’s influence brought writers like Patrick Kavanagh, Brendan Behan, Brian O’Nolan, Samuel Beckett, and J.P. Donleavy to the Bailey, making it a cultural hub.

Notably, it was here Patrick Kavanagh asked Luke Kelly to set his famous poem “On Raglan Road” to music. 

Continuing along to the bottom of Baggott Street, we head to the banks of the Grand Canal.

Kavanagh found solace and inspiration here after a near-death experience, writing about the redemptive power of this environment.

At the bridge on Baggot Street, we pause to recall Parson’s Bookshop, a literary landmark and meeting place for writers like Brendan Behan, Flann O’Brien, Liam O’Flaherty, and Kavanagh himself, for over forty years. Finally, as we approach Wilton Terrace, we arrive at the Patrick Kavanagh statue, a tribute to the poet who found so much of his creative inspiration along these very banks.

Stop 4: St Stephen’s Green

Directions: St Stephen’s Green Park

Continue walking along the canal until you reach the corner of Leeson Street. 

Turn right onto Leeson Street and proceed until you arrive at St. Stephen’s Green, a Victorian park at the heart of Dublin.

Once a marshy area used for executions, the Green is now adorned with statues and memorials. 

Take time to explore the Robert Emmet statue on the west side and the Wolfe Tone statue on the east, both notable Trinity College alumni and political icons. 

As you stand near the Shelbourne Hotel, note that it was here in 1922 that the Irish Constitution was drafted under the supervision of Michael Collins, even as fighting raged during the 1916 Easter Rising.

You could also stop at the Museum of Literature Ireland (MoLI) for stunning exhibitions on Irish literature.

After you leave take a moment to imagine Café Cairo, a vibrant literary and political meeting place that once stood where Stephen’s Green shopping centre is.

Notable regulars included Irish novelist and poet James Stephens, and Charles Bewley, whose family owned the famous Bewley’s café on Grafton Street. 

We recommend stopping here for some food or refreshments.

Stop 5 : Seamus Heaney Exhibition

Directions: Seamus Heaney: Listen Now Again, Westmoreland Street

We continue our journey past lively buskers and vibrant street florists towards Grafton Street. 

Our next stop awaits at the Seamus Heaney Exhibition in the Bank of Ireland, just across from Trinity College.

This free exhibition, titled “Listen Now Again,” invites us to immerse ourselves in the world of Seamus Heaney. 

Accompanied by Heaney’s gentle voice, we explore an extensive archive donated by the Heaney Family to the National Library. 

Inside, you’ll discover a rich tapestry of personal letters, diary entries, photos, artefacts, and multimedia recordings. 

These elements reveal both the internal and external influences that shaped Heaney’s poetry.

Central to the exhibition is Heaney’s writing desk, a symbol of creativity and literary inspiration.

Don’t hesitate to touch it—it may provide the spark you need for your own creative endeavours.

Stop 6: The James Joyce Centre

Directions: The James Joyce Centre, North Great George’s Street

Now, we cross the River Liffey towards O’Connell Street, reaching the end where North Great George’s Street meets it. 

Here, on this corner, you’ll find the James Joyce Centre, a museum and cultural hub dedicated to the renowned author.

The centre is vibrant, offering tours, film screenings, and lectures by esteemed scholars on Joyce and his literary legacy. 

As you ascend the carpeted stairway, you’ll be greeted by large portraits of Joyce himself, while scenes from Dubliners and A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man are reimagined in contemporary displays.

Despite Joyce’s self-imposed exile in Trieste, Dublin resonates powerfully throughout his work. 

If you’re in Dublin on June 16th, don’t miss Bloomsday, a festival celebrating Joyce’s masterpiece Ulysses and its hero, Leopold Bloom.

Festivities include readings, walking tours, concerts, and the famous Bloomsday Breakfast. 

You can even immerse yourself in the Edwardian era by donning period clothing, including Joyce’s signature straw boater hats.

Stop 7: Oscar Wilde House and Oscar Wilde Centre

Directions: Oscar Wilde House, Merrion Square

Our final stop on this literary tour takes us to two significant locations associated with Oscar Wilde: the Oscar Wilde Centre on Westland Row and the Oscar Wilde House on Merrion Square. 

It’s a brief, four-minute walk between these sites.

The Oscar Wilde Centre, located at a two-bay terraced house with four storeys, marks the birthplace of Oscar Wilde in 1854. 

Outside, a marble plaque adorned with a laurel wreath bears Wilde’s birth and death dates, commemorating his legacy. You can also find the Oscar Wilde statue in Merrion Square.

Wilde spent two formative years at Trinity College studying Classics, where he possibly penned some of his most famous quotations, such as “I never travel anywhere without my diary” and “To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.” 

Known for his love of flamboyance, while at Trinity, an easel displaying a half-finished butterfly painting stood prominently in his room at Botany Bay.

Today, the Oscar Wilde Centre on Westland Row is home to two postgraduate programs administered by Trinity College. 

A short walk away, you can visit the Oscar Wilde House on Merrion Square.

This was Wilde’s childhood home and visitors can explore its historic rooms. 

Wilde’s nursery, located on the top floor of this Georgian building, is now open to the public. 

The first floor once hosted Wilde’s mother’s famous salons from 1859 to 1874, where Dublin’s intellectual elite, including Bram Stoker and John B. Yeats, gathered for lively discussions on poetry, art, and literature. 

The original 250-year-old Irish oak floorboards, where these vibrant gatherings took place, continue to grace the building today, offering a glimpse into Dublin’s rich literary heritage.

Wrapping up the tour

As we conclude our full circle journey, reflect on the time, whether it took you a few hours, a day or a week, spent immersed in this enriching and inspiring experience. 

For those who have completed every stop on this Dublin literary walking tour, I guarantee it has left a lasting impression. As a UNESCO City of Literature, there are interesting discoveries around every corner.

Did you know Joyce encountered Nora Barnacle on Westland Row, or that Daniel O’Connell, the great Liberator, frequented St. Andrew’s Church there? 

There’s also a James Joyce statue to be found on North Earl Street, and by visiting the north inner city, visitors can appreciate the inspiration behind Joyce’s work, as it has inspired many Dublin writers. 

Samuel Beckett once resided on the top floor of number 6 Clare Street, adding another layer to Dublin’s rich literary tapestry.

I hope you’ve gained a deeper appreciation for its literary history. Dublin’s literary richness remains vast, with many more layers awaiting discovery and exploration.