Come Here To Me!

So Eamon Sweeney brilliantly summed up the state of Irish Drama on the Dave Fanning show earlier in the week. Sweeny, author of the recently published book Down Down Deeper and Down: Ireland in the 70s and 80s, was on the show to give his Top 10 Irish pop culture moments of the 1980s.

In particular relation to Dublin is No. 6:

The Atrix’s ‘Treasure On The Wasteland’ (1980). Readers and friends alike know that I’m a particular champion of this band. So, it was great to see them included in the list.

and No. 3:

The broadcasting of Strumpet City in 1980. Without a doubt, one of the best things ever to come out of Montrose. Anyone with an interest in Irish history or television drama should get their hands on a copy of the DVD.

The Radiator’s From Space’s Ghostown (1980) made it no. 9 while U2’s famous 1985 Croke Park gig was no. 1. The part on Dermot Morgan’s Scrap Saturday (no. 5) was particularly hilarious. Sweeney recalled how someone once asked Dermot Morgan ‘Why he supported UCD?’ in which he replied ‘Because I hate crowds’.

Listen back to the show here at the wonderful Fanning Sessions site.

There’s a quite a number of historic spots around the city that fall between the ‘this really deserves a plaque’ and ‘let’s keep it our little secret’ categories. Obviously no one wants a city where every building is covered with two or three plaques. This, of course, would only belittle the importance of the plaques. On the other hand, there’s lots of alluring stories, kept alive by walking tour guides and Dublin pub quizzes, which should be given the importance that they deserve.

One of the best, in my mind, is the old Finn’s Hotel building on Leinster Street, the eastern extension of Nassau Street. Small (with only twelve rooms) and shabby but respectable and central, Finn’s occupied the first two of the row of red brick eighteenth century houses that forms part of the wall around Trinity College. ^[1]

Front of the old Finn's Hotel

On the afternoon of the 10th of June 1904, James Joyce first laid eyes on his future wife Nora Barnacle as she stepped out of Finn’s Hotel where she worked as a chamber maid.

This single event changed the course of Joyce’s life.

They had their first date six days later and he cast the action of Ulysses on that day, 16 June. As such, Bloomsday is always celebrated on this date.

A ghost sign for Finn's Hotel

So, there you go. Impress with your friends next time you pass the Hotel with that anecdote.

Do you know of any another important Dublin tales that aren’t remembered by plaques?

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[1] Brenda Maddox, Nora: The Real Life of Molly Bloom (New York, 1988), p. 24.