Poets and pubs in Dublin

From Patrick Kavanagh scribbling lines of poetry as he sups a pint of Guinness to Brendan Behan who once described himself as a ‘drinker with a writing problem,’ many of Dublin’s most famous writers have found inspiration in the public houses of the city.

As we sit inside, nursing our drinks, Frank and Colm tell stories about Brendan Behan, who described himself as “a drinker with a writing problem.” Behan was quite the character. He joined the IRA at 16 and set off to Liverpool on a one-man bombing mission. He was arrested and spent three years in detention, an experience that formed the basis of his novel Borstal Boy.

He was also a witty man, charming people wherever he went.  On tours of the U.S., he was so popular he had to have a police escort – quite a departure for a man more used to being on the wrong side of the law.

This is but a taste of the many stories that were told on my literary tour of Dublin, a tour I would heartily recommend. My guides, Frank and Colm, were informative, friendly and thoroughly entertaining. They led me on a tour that was personal, humorous and always interesting. I learned about the history of some of the city’s most illustrious pubs. I heard stories about the writers of some of Ireland’s best-known literature. I laughed at their jokes. I marvelled at their antics. And I raised a few glasses in their memory.

 

The Dublin Literary Pub Crawl takes about 2 hours 15 minutes and involves walking approximately half a mile. There are eight pubs on the tour.  Four are visited in any given night. To find out more, visit www.dublinpubcrawl.com

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