Literary Dublin

Dublin is famous for many things – its people and its charm first and foremost – but it also has a well-deserved reputation as a city of art, culture and literature. When you think that Oscar Wilde, William Butler Yeats, James Joyce and Samuel Beckett were all Dubliners, you get a sense of the rich literary tradition that defines the city.

For more than 70 years, InterContinental Hotels and Resorts have been dedicated to those who appreciate and enjoy The InterContinental Life, that particular appreciation of fascinating places and fresh perspectives.

Nowhere is this more evident than in InterContintental Dublin where the team has embraced the life of the city’s most famous writers. Ballsbridge itself, where the hotel is located, is steeped in history and was once home to some of the most ground-breaking writers and thinkers of the 20th century.

The iconic places and landmarks these fascinating writers celebrated still exist and are within walking distance of our hotel. The former residence of James Joyce is on Shelbourne Road, where he lived at the beginning of his romance with Nora Barnacle.

Renowned playwright Brendan Behan and celebrated poet Patrick Kavanagh both famously resided in the area and their busts are on display in local pubs. The famed Raglan Road, the focus of the iconic poem by Kavanagh is also nearby, as is his statue seated on a bench on the banks of the Grand Canal.

InterContinental Dublin is very proud of Ireland’s famed literary history, so much so, the hotel celebrated it by naming it's top three suites after Joyce, Yeats and dramatist and folklorist Lady Gregory. With their creative spirit in mind, The James Joyce, The William Butler Yeats and The Lady Gregory Suites have all been lavishly refurbished with the finest silks, gorgeous carpets and soft furnishings in muted, peaceful tones.

If you are looking to explore the Dublin’s historic literary culture, the hotel's Concierge would be delighted to assist you with some insider recommendations.

Please email them at concierge@icdublin.com

James Joyce

James Joyce, born in Dublin in February 1882, left an admirable legacy as an Irish novelist, short story writer and poet. During the year of 1904, Joyce moved into lodgings at 60 Shelbourne Road, Ballsbridge where he lived there for a short period of time. After this short stay, Joyce then moved to Dromard Avenue in Sandymount where he shared his first date with the love of his life and his wife, Nora Barnacle as they walked along Sandymount strand.

In addition, Joyce famously stayed there on the night of Bloomsday June 1904 which encompasses Joyce’s most famous work, Ulysses. It was during Joyce’s final week in Ireland where he spent this time in the Martello Tower at Sandycove, now known as the James Joyce Tower and Museum here in Dublin 4. Here Joyce began writing his masterpiece Ulysses, which today has been described as “one of the most influential, inspiring, intriguing and infamous novels in literary history”. It was here in Dublin 4, that marked the end of James Joyce’s time as a resident of Ireland but what marked the beginning of Joyce as one of Irelands most celebrated and influential writers.

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Lady Gregory

Once described as “the greatest living Irishwoman” by George Bernard Shaw, Lady Augusta Gregory was an iconic woman who played an important part in reviving interest in Irish literature. Lady Gregory co-founded the Abbey Theatre alongside lifelong friend and Nobel Prize Winner, W.B Yeats.

Besides being the co-founder of Ireland’s National Theatre, Lady Gregory was a well-known Irish dramatist and folklorist who produced numerous books of retellings of stories taken from Irish Mythology.

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William Butler Yeats

William Butler Yeats (W.B Yeats) was an Irish poet and one of the most iconic figures of 20th-century literature. Yeats was born in 1865 at 5 Sandymount Avenue/George’s Ville, only a three minute walk from the hotel where you can still view the house he was born in today.

He was the first Irish man to be awarded the Nobel Prize in 1923 and he partnered with his long-time friend, Lady Gregory to cofound the Irish National Theatre, known today as the Abbey Theatre. During the first decade of the 20th century W.B Yeats was extremely active in the management of the Abbey Theatre company between choosing plays, hiring actors and arranging tours for the company.
During this time he also wrote ten plays and due to the style of dialogue required for the stage, they became an important consideration in his poems as well. William Butler Yeats is widely considered to be one of the greatest poets of the 20th century.

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Museum of Literature

MoLI – a museum of literature for the world’s greatest storytellers. Discover Ireland’s rich literary heritage from past to present here in the historic UCD Newman House on St Stephen’s Green in the heart of Dublin.

Experience immersive exhibitions, view treasures from the National Library of Ireland, or relax amid the birdsong in our tranquil gardens and café. A short drive or a pleasant stroll enjoying the Georgian architecture that Dublin showcases will enamour you on the way to visit MoLI