Dublin's Literary History: A Private Walking Tour

 

Explore the literary history of Dublin, a city that has produced many famous writers and poets over the centuries – see where they took their inspiration on this private, off the beaten track walking tour. On your private tour, you will:

-Enjoy a private walking tour of Dublin's rich literary history.
-Begin in Merrion Square, with a statue of the legendary Oscar Wilde, who lived here.
-Learn about the lives of other famous Irish writers who have called Dublin home - including William Butler Yeats, James Joyce, Bram Stoker, and Samuel Beckett.
-Visit several historic bookshops throughout the city, where you will be able to shop for books by the Irish greats, such as Ulysses and Sweny’s Pharmacy.
-Admire the statue of Yeats in St Stephen's Green.
-Pop into several pubs throughout Dublin, where noted literary greats used to hang out for a pint, like Toners – favoured by Yeats, and the Dave Byrnes Pub, where Joyce spent time and which appears in his major work Ulysses.
-Stop in at the legendary Bewley's on Grafton Street, a very old grand café with mahogany furniture and stained glass windows, where James Joyce, Patrick Kavanagh, Samuel Beckett and Sean O’Casey all visited.
-Finish by crossing the river to the famous Winding Stair Restaurant & Bookstore.

Ireland, the Emerald Isle, is famed for its lush green rolling landscapes and it's capital city Dublin for its stunning architecture and turbulent political history, so it is no surprise that the country has produced so many famous literary figures! On your private walking tour of beautiful Dublin, with its stunning architecture, wonderful traditional pubs and cafes and antiquated bookshops, you’ll see where figures such as Wilde and Joyce, Yeats and Stoker lived, studied, socialized, and wrote.

You will begin your private tour in Merrion Square, where many houses have plaques detailing the names of the rich and famous who once lived in the area, including Dublin’s most famous son, the writer and dramatist Oscar Wilde. There is a statue of him in the middle of the square. Wandering on, you’ll spy a statue of Yeats in St Stephen’s Square, and stop in at St Patrick’s Cathedral, where you will hear about the illustrious writer and satirist Jonathan Swift, who had a lifelong connection to the cathedral's Dean and is buried there. Whilst pausing at his tombstone, you will hear about some of Swift's triumphs and greatest controversies.

Next, find yourself stepping back into the 18th century with a visit to Marsh’s Library. Unchanged for three centuries, this perfectly preserved library of the early Enlightenment—with its original oak bookcases— houses more than 25,000 rare and obscure books.

On your literary tour of Dublin, you will visit Sweny’s Pharmacy and the literary pub Davy Byrne’s, both famous for their appearance in James Joyce's Ulysses, and are bursting with interesting tidbits about the famous novelist and poet.

UNESCO recognises Dublin as a City of Literature, reflecting the city’s rich and varied history of writers and writing. During your tour, you will meander through the streets, libraries, and book stores which are woven into the stories and lives of Ireland's most celebrated Irish thinkers. From Nobel Literature Prize winners WB Yeats, GB Shaw and Samuel Beckett to its beloved James Joyce, Dublin is brimming with stories of its favourite authors waiting to be heard.

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Voucher type: Printed and e-Voucher
Printed voucher or E-voucher. Print and bring the voucher or show the voucher on your mobile device to enjoy the activity.

Location
Start point:
Oscar Wilde Memorial Sculpture
Please ensure you arrive at the meeting point at least 15 minutes prior to the Tour start time.

End point: The Winding Stair, 40 Ormond Quay Lower, North City, Dublin

Schedule
Duration: 2,5 Hours

Guide options
Guide type: Guide
Group size: 12 People

Requirements
You may want to bring a bottle of drinking water with you. Please wear comfortable walking shoes.
Please make sure you answer all the mandatory questions during the booking process.