My friends and I had planned to gather at Kehoe’s on South Anne Street, our customary hangout in Dublin, last Friday. We had initially hoped to enjoy a cool pint outside under the radiant sun, a ritual we partook in during July and August.
There’s no better way to spend a weekend evening than at this delightful intersection when the weather is sultry and warm. Sometimes, during my homeward journey, I’d catch myself humming a creatively modified version of Shane McGowan’s tribute to mindful happiness, “When it’s summer in South Anne …”
But, the weather on Friday was unexpectedly inclement with a touch of autumn coolness setting in. Hence, we nestled ourselves in the cosy nook at the back. Later, when I was departing in the late September chill, I found myself altering the words of Thomas Moore’s melancholy lines: “Tis the last Kehoe’s of summer,/Left blooming alone;/All her lovely companions/Have faded and gone.”
While returning home via the adjacent Duke Lane, something new caught my eye – a gleaming, yet-to-open bar at the intersection with Duke Street, which until recently was a travel agency.
A signage christened it “The Burton”. Those familiar with Joyce’s literary creation Ulysses would instantly recognise the allusion. Sure enough, a mural on an adjacent wall portraying a bespectacled figure in a derby hat confirmed my suspicions – it was none other than Leopold Bloom, whose imaginary visit made the original Burton, a hotel and eatery, legendary.
The new venture is definitely trying to capitalise on this literary connection. However, a small matter that might hinder this endeavour is that Bloom, in 1904, dashed out of the eatery without dining. In fact, his rapid departure was followed by a review that if it were to appear on Tripadvisor today, would be a PR nightmare.
James Joyce’s novel, Ulysses, draws comparisons between the Odyssey’s episode of the hero’s narrow escape from cannibalistic giants in Lestrygonia and Bloom’s repulsion for the sights and aromas he encounters in Dublin. Joyce scholars believe this scene veils Bloom’s potential vegetarianism, as he chooses a gorgonzola sandwich over internal organ meats.
The newly established bar pays homage to this scene in their initial plans, depicting the less refined smells Bloom experiences from Burton’s doorway. It’s interesting to note that a photograph of the inaugural Bloomsday journey from 1954 is included by the architects, showing the corner of Duke Lane by Davy Byrne’s.
A common misunderstanding in Dublin is that where the Bailey pub currently stands is where Burton’s used to be; however, Burton’s was on the same side as Davy Byrne’s. Consequently, after his gruelling experience at Burton’s, Bloom is seen heading back towards Grafton Street.
By chance, I’m in the process of reading a book called “Remembering How We Stood” by John Ryan, the Bailey’s previous owner and organiser of the Bloomsday event. The book, written half a century ago, offers a nostalgic depiction of mid-20th century bohemian Dublin. It was kindly lent to me by Trevor White at the National Ploughing Championships. I regret not discovering this classic memoir earlier.
Ryan, the proprietor of Bailey, was known to frequent the likes of Patrick Kavanagh, a poet notorious for his hat-wearing habit, which was, however, disallowed by previous owners. The hope was that this would deter the poet from visiting. Yet Ryan had always relished Kavanagh’s intriguing tales. Nevertheless, Ryan mentioned some hardly credible stories, such as Kavanagh’s alleged walk from Inniskeen to Dublin, a nearly 80km journey, passing through property owned by merely three persons.
This claim piqued my curiosity, leading me to consult Terry Dooley, a History professor at Maynooth and an expert on Irish stately homes and their vast estates. Intriguingly, he is also a native of Killanny, a neighbour to Inniskeen. Terry quickly dismissed the likelihood of Kavanagh’s claim being factual, stating the impossibility of such an occurrence in contemporary times or at the peak of the landlord era. He supported his argument with a Land Commission map, demonstrating the various properties marked under the 1881 and 1903 Land Acts or owned by a consortium of small landowners. He concluded that Kavanagh would have traversed the properties of numerous individuals before even leaving Monaghan.
Despite this, we must remember that Kavanagh, as a poet, was known to weave a tale or two embellished by poetic license. Speaking of which, the upcoming Patrick Kavanagh weekend commences this Friday in Inniskeen. Further particulars can be found at patrickkavanaghcentre.com.