Grafton Street, a significant shopping district in Ireland and among the busiest in Europe, once encapsulated an entire city’s spectrum within its half-kilometre span. Elegant residences, hotels, Turkish spas, a movie theatre, schools, funeral parlours, eateries and cafes, as well as shops, previously stood on this street. With over 300 years of history, the street has hosted everything from ordinary to extraordinary. Yet, it served not just as a modern hub for fashion, but also as a vibrant mix of businesses – from music instrument vendors and candle makers to bookshops and clocksmiths. There were also mini-artists, a captivating “curiosity gallery” and an even more fascinating “fancy repository”.
Officially named Grafton Street in 1708 in honour of the FitzRoys, the Dukes of Grafton, its development as a thoroughfare predates this official recognition. In medieval times, the area was nothing more than farmland, comfortably located outside the city’s borders. A rural path connected St Stephen’s Green farmland with the Hoggen Green (present-day College Green), which was once a Viking ceremonial ground.
The area stayed as a path through the Molesworths of Swords’ fields until late in the 17th century. In 1671, Dublin’s corporation recognized that the lane was so dilapidated and filthy that nobody could pass through it. However, by 1673, roughly eight houses had sprung up near its southern end, as shown in Bernard de Gomme’s city map listing the lane as the “Highway to St Stephen’s Green”.
The FitzRoys played a significant part in its transformation. In 1712, the Dublin Corporation was persuaded to fund Grafton Street’s development into a “crown causeway”, a mere 30 years after recognizing the need for maintenance. Once development began, it skyrocketed. By the time John Roque’s 1756 map of Dublin was published, Grafton Street was fully developed, graced by the presence of the city’s elite.
By the time the Wellesley family, previously known as the Colley family, established their presence, they had progressed over three generations from barons to earls and then to marquises. Grafton Street was the birthplace of Richard, the Marquis of Wellesley, in 1760. His younger brother, Arthur, may be more recognizable as the Duke of Wellington.
The soon-to-be renowned Duke of Wellington attended Whyte’s Academy on Grafton Street, along with contemporaries Thomas Moore and Robert Emmet. This educational establishment, which is now Bewley’s Cafe, was founded at number 75 in 1758.
Other notable inhabitants included Sir Thomas Vessy, Bishop of Ossory, and Louis de Valle, the Smock Alley manager. Both were present on the street in the 1700s. John Hawkey, a classical scholar, opened a school on Grafton Street near Trinity in 1746. This affluent residential area experienced significant growth throughout the 18th century.
With the building of Carlisle Bridge in 1794, now known as O’Connell Bridge, Grafton Street gained importance as a pivotal north-south route, attracting commercial interest. As the historian Christine Casey indicates in “The Buildings of Ireland – Dublin”, despite the introduction of shops in the latter part of the 18th century, new apartments emerged on top of these shops, boasting “dining room, bedchamber and closet”.
The timely transition to mixed-use potentially protected Grafton Street from the utter devastation that afflicted the northside following the migration of the nobility and their entourage back to London after the parliament was dissolved by the Act of Union in 1801.
In the words historian Arran Henderson, who guides the Dublin Decoded walking tours, “The northside experienced a massive setback as it was formerly the hub of elite habitation, and these residents all relocated to Westminster. Grafton Street had a minority of nobility but was mainly occupied by affluent professionals, not those at the peak of the elite. Moreover, due to the emergence of living-over-the-shop, I surmise many of these apartments might have served as residences for secondary heirs; a handy place to stay when in the city.”
The practice of residing above one’s business likely provided accommodations for many younger sons seeking a place to stay while in town during the rise of commercial activity, according to historian Arran Henderson. This surge in commerce correlated with a wave of redevelopment in the late 18th century, leading to the demise or major renovation of Grafton Street’s distinctive Dutch Billy dwellings. Known for their unique triangular roof fronts and widely embraced in Dublin from the late 17th to mid-18th century, these structures were named in honour of the newly enthroned King William III. A handful of these buildings remain visible in present-day Dublin, while others have been concealed by modern, flat Georgian frontage. One such address possibly affected by these alterations is number 14 Grafton Street (currently housing Sketchers), which seems to have once sported the trademark triangular design, as suggested by its singular top floor window.
According to Henderson, the 1760s to 1790s saw a major boom in Georgian-style construction in Dublin. During this period, the passe Dutch Billies were swiftly remodeled or replaced entirely for a more fashionable appearance, should the owner have had the financial means to do so.
Grafton Street was steadily evolving. The 19th century heralded the inception of some of the street’s most distinguished establishments. In 1848, Brown Thomas set up shop at numbers 16 and 17 (on the opposite side of where their store currently stands), eventually expanding their business to occupy numbers 15 through 20. A stone’s throw away at numbers 12 and 13 (currently occupied by Boots and part of Skechers) the Royal Hotel was established around the same time.
Across the road at number 91, a tailor named John Wright Switzer who had been in business since 1838, was likely taking note. In 1859 Switzer inaugurated the grand Commercial Hall building at numbers 91 to 93 on Grafton Street. His company eventually expanded, occupying the entirety of 88 to 95, only to close in the early 1990s. Shortly after, Brown Thomas relocated their store to these premises.
Lastly, in 1869, Weir’s Jewellers arrived. Their shop, located at numbers 96 to 99, went through a significant renovation in 1881. A portion of the building, numbers 97 to 99, was rebuilt once again in 1934 to house the Maskora Turkish baths.
Towards the start of the 20th century, architectural activity was buzzing. An amalgamation of Dutch Billy and Tudor-Bethan styles began to emerge just before the century’s kickoff and evidence of this can still be seen in a number of gabled constructions, especially at the street’s southern edge. In 1911, architect Richard Caulfield Orpen took inspiration from this design trend when he created the Grafton Street Picture House at 72, one of the inaugural cinemas in the county, which remained operational till 1973.
The unexpected entry of American department store, Woolworths, just three years after the cinema’s opening, marked another thrilling development. Initially spreading across properties 65 to 68, it later bulldozed everything in the 1960s for constructing its own building in trademark fashion, but exited in the 1980s.
Bewley’s, arguably the most well-known establishment on Grafton Street, was inaugurated in 1926 and boasted an imposing “double-height Egyptian Revival mosaic pylon-style shopfront”, as described by the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. This spectacular structure, designed by Millar and Symes on the grounds of the erstwhile Whyte’s school, was stunning to say the least.
“Its conception was influenced by the global sensation of unearthing Tutankhamen’s tomb, which impacted jewellery, costume designs and more,” explains Henderson. These influences of history and culture still reflect on the streets and offer valuable insights into the mindset of that era.
In 1927, Mitchell’s Hotel made its impressive debut as perhaps the final masterwork of architectural elegance on the street. Succeeding Mitchell’s chocolatiers and tea rooms at properties 9 to 11, it was created in a late Art Deco style exuding a slight air of authoritarianism and overlooks Wicklow street, reminiscent of Bewley’s sophistication.
“Eating at Mitchell’s would probably equate to dining at the Westbury or the Shelbourne today,” Henderson suggests.
However, it now functions as a McDonald’s fast food joint.
In 1977, McDonald’s was established which led to the proliferation of numerous fast-food chains over the course of the 80s and 90s, replacing the conventional cafes and restaurants, save for Bewley’s. As the 90s drew to a close, an influx of phone shops began, prompting the municipal council to intervene.
The council declared the street an Architectural Conservation Area (ACA) in 2006, which originally included 24 protected structures, later increased to 29. The ACA designation safeguards all buildings, implying any modifications, such as changes to shopfronts, would require planning permission to prevent ill-advised alterations or lacklustre attempts to recreate the historically charming ‘ye olde Grafton Street.’
The council further imposed a Scheme of Special Planning Control, limiting the purpose of the buildings and barring certain establishments, such as fast-food outlets, amusement arcades, betting shops, discount stores, phone shops, and adult stores from receiving planning permission.
However, Dublin Civic Trust’s CEO, Graham Hickey, acknowledges the minimal impact of these provisions. Hickey explains these rules only come into play when a planning application is put forth. But in situations where planning permission is not sought, mainly for buildings with persisting presentation issues, these policies are inefficacious.
While some recent planning applications have brought about marginally improved shopfronts, these are still in the minority. A more proactive input from the council, collaborating with the building owners, is necessary to realise the desired transformation for the street, according to Hickey.
He opines that Grafton Street is often idealised, but the reality of it falls rather short. The street is underwhelming, stating that the property owners, many akin to pension funds, would be competing to showcase the best-presented building in other European cities, unlike Grafton Street, which is disappointing in its present state.
The council has stated its intention to enhance the appeal of Grafton Street, by focusing on the upgrade of its public spaces and reconsidering its range of uses. The distinctive planning regulations are set to be reassessed next year, with the council affirming it will cooperate with all involved parties to maintain the street’s status both nationally and globally as a hotspot for shopping.