DK Travel : Dublin : History & Culture

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Roddy Doyle

Renowned for his Barry-town Trilogy about Dublin life, Doyle (b.1958) won the Booker Prize in 1994 for Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha! (1993).
Rotunda Hospital

Purpose-built as the first maternity hospital in Europe, founded by Dr Bartholomew Mosse in 1745, the building was designed by Richard Cassels. A number of other distinguished architects had a hand in the creation of the adjoining Assembly Rooms, which now comprise a cinema and the Gate Theatre: John Ensor designed the rotunda in 1764, while the porches were added by Richard Johnston in 1784 and James Gandon in 1786.
Russborough

Another fine Palladian mansion, claiming the longest frontage in Ireland, Russborough was designed by Richard Cassels in the mid-18th century. Standing on raised ground it faces a stretch of water backed by the Wicklow Mountains and is kept in immaculate condition. One of the main reasons to visit is for the outstanding Beit Art Collection, put together in the 19th century by Sir Alfred Beit (1853– 1906). His nephew bought Russborough in 1952 to house the collection.
Samuel Beckett

French Huguenot by descent, after a distinguished career at Trinity College, Beckett (1906–89) spent much of his life in France. The play Waiting for Godot (1952) made him an international name. He received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1969.
Seamus Heaney

Ireland’s most prominent poet, Heaney (b.1939) won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1995. North (1975) explores the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
Sean O’Casey

Dublin-born O’Casey (1880–1964) worked on the railways and became an active trades unionist. He achieved instant success with The Shadow of a Gunman (1923), set in the Dublin slums, followed by the play Juno and the Paycock in 1924 and his best-known work The Plough and the Stars in 1926. His later plays never had the appeal of the early works.
St Brigid’s Crosses

Country people still weave rushes into these crosses and hang them up to protect against evil spirits.
St Patrick

Patrick, a 5th-century Roman Briton, was captured by Irish raiders and taken into slavery in Ulster. Escaping to France, he became a priest and returned to Ireland to help convert the Irish. Extraordinary tales about him abound – he cured the sick, raised the dead, and rid Ireland of snakes by ringing his bell (see Christianity Comes to Ireland).
St Patrick’s Cathedral

Dublin’s “second” cathedral and long-time rival to Christ Church. Apart from the many monuments and plaques commemorating deceased dignitaries, and some fine architectural features, St Patrick’s most interesting association is with Jonathan Swift. Appointed dean at the beginning of the 18th century, Swift carried out much of his work from the cathedral. You can see his death mask, writing desk and chair in the north pulpit and the memorial to himself and “Stella” lies just inside the entrance.
Temple Bar

This hugely popular area is the heart of south Dublin and has a seemingly limitless array of cafés, restaurants and bars as well as interesting little shops and cultural centres. On the banks of the Liffey, the term “bar” meant a riverside path. Its bustling atmosphere and trendy businesses, residents and clientele are the personification of Dublin’s emergence in the 1990s as one of Europe’s most fashionable and popular cities.