As I mentioned in my earlier email, I am currently in Dublin to attend some of the events celebrating the Easter Rising of 1916. I’m staying across the street from the hotel where we will spend our first nights of the trip, The Davenport, and thought I’d tell you a bit about it, as it has an interesting history. Built in 1863 as a church to accommodate the Plymouth Brethren, the building held 3000 seated, many more standing, and served as a church or prayer hall. Eventually abandoned, it was used as a film location until a fire in 1990 gutted it. Then it was restored as The Davenport Hotel, opening in 1993. The Davenport is in a great location on the lovely Merrion Square across from the Oscar Wilde statue and a short walk from Trinity College, the National Museum (history and archaeology), the National Gallery (visual art), and Grafton Street, Dublin’s main shopping area.

Across the street from the hotel (in fact, you can see the yellow facade of the hotel in the photo at right) is Sweny’s Pharmacy,  one of the many buildings in Dublin whose mention in the works of James Joyce has saved from oblivion. An important stop for Leopold Bloom on his walk through Dublin  in Ulysses, Sweny’s is now a lovely Joyce center with daily readings of his works, books for sale, and lots of atmosphere. Joyce fans will want to drop by while we are in Dublin.