I’m a Dubliner

~ MaryG

After Kilkenny, it was onwards to Dublin—the great capital city of the Republic of Ireland. We approached Dublin from the south, which was described as the “posh” side of town.

After a lovely lunch surrounded by ancient giant trees at The Fern House (and quick shopping in the attached Avoca store), we headed to the city for something completely different— a moving tour of Kilmainham Gaol.

The Fern House Cafe
Our tour guide at the Gaol (jail) was very dramatic and deadly serious about Ireland’s history and struggles for independence against “the colonizer” (aka Great Britain).

This historic prison is a powerful symbol of Irish nationalism, as it held many leaders of Ireland’s rebellions, including the 14 men executed after the 1916 Easter Rising. (On the way to the prison, the guide played Rod Stewart’s beautiful song Grace about Joseph Plunkett—one of the 14 rebellion leaders—who was allowed to marry his childhood sweetheart Grace shortly before his execution.)

Kilmainham Gaol

The next morning, the sun came out and we did a walking tour and saw many of the city’s iconic sites:

St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin
The Long Library at Trinity College, Dublin, which you enter after viewing Ireland’s most famous artifact—The Book of Kells
The Temple Bar, Dublin

Meanwhile, my son John (who had been in Sweden for work) joined us in Dublin, which was fantastic. It was so great to spend time with him!

My son and me at a pub on Camden Street

We did several more museums with him, including EPIC (the Irish Emigration Museum) and the National Museum of Archeology. We also went to many pubs, stores and even a sold-out comedy show, where we were the only Americans and the comedians knew it. 🤣 (They did not hold back on the Trump jokes, which was awesome.)

Check out the International for great stand-up

And NOW, if you’re still reading, here’s the most amazing thing that happened in Dublin. You may remember that this trip was inspired, in part, by my Irish roots. Thanks to my mother’s extensive genealogy research, I have a lot of information about my great grandmother’s family, including the names and addresses of her parents—and their parents.

One night we walked by the address of the home where my great grandmother’s mother grew up and believe it or not, her father’s name is STILL on the door: Beverly Smyth.

30 South Anne Street is right in the middle of all the action in Dublin City Center—just off Grafton Street.
Beverly Smyth (1817-1898) was my great, great, great grandfather. The company he started in 1846 (Beverly Smyth & Sons) is still in existence. It’s now a well-established Irish moving and storage company known as Oman Beverly Smyth.
My maternal grandfather, Henry Beverly Powell (1906-1964) reportedly hated having “Beverly” as his middle name and only ever went by Henry B. Powell, but it turns out that Beverly (his mother’s grandfather) was a successful Dublin businessman.

I also found the church where my grandfather’s maternal grandparents got married in 1879:

St. Andrew’s Church, Westland Row, Dublin

And of course, I went inside the church too, because I’m like that!

My great great grandfather John Barry (1846-1881) married Beverly & Bridget Smyth’s daughter Mary in St. Andrew’s Church in 1879.
Their eldest child Mary Barry (so many Marys! Very confusing!!) was born a year later — in 1880. She then emigrated to America (Brooklyn, NYC) in 1903 at age 23. She died in 1952, just 12 years before her son (my grandfather).

I had two other Dublin addresses for the Barrys, but did not have time to see them when I was there, so I’ll have to go back.

But the bottom line is: I’m a DUBLINER people. My people were city folk. They were not digging potatoes in County Cork. So the next time I go to the Dubliner bar in Boston, I’ll know I belong.

My son John in front of his great great great great grandfather’s house in Dublin

It really is in a prime city location and currently up for rent! Here’s the street it’s on:

According to the realtor, the “Beverly Smyth & Sons” nameplate can never be removed because the property is on Dublin’s list of protected properties. So maybe someday my granddaughter will visit Dublin and see her great x5 grandparents’ home.

FINAL THOUGHT: we have far too many Johns and Marys in the family tree (on both the Irish and Italian sides). Giving your kids unique first names will help future generations keep it all straight. 😜

Related posts:

Ireland Planning

Greetings from Ireland

More Ireland

Last Stop in Ireland

Food and Signs in Ireland

Thursday Doors—Dublin Unitarian Church

22 thoughts on “I’m a Dubliner”

  1. I really enjoyed the photos. It’s such a good mix of everything. I especially enjoyed the library shot and the colorful door with your ancestor’s name still on it. You’re giving me an itch to travel!

    Liked by 2 people

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    1. Thank you for looking at my pics! Travel is transformative (as you well know). I was surprised how many people in our tour group were from the West Coast—it’s such a long trip for you guys! (Most of them were staying in Europe for 2+ weeks.) I look forward to hearing about your travel plans. You gotta get back out there!

      Also, should I add Yosemite to my bucket list? We’re not big hikers, but the Californians in our group were absolutely raving about it.

      Liked by 1 person

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      1. I love Yosemite. It’s just a beautiful place. Half Dome was my first California trek that got me into hiking.

        A few places you may want to visit: sequoia national park to see the giant sequoias (biggest trees in the world). I love Utah’s diversity (Zion’s canyons – check out the narrows, Bryce’s hoodoo formations – so cool to see at sunrise and the Arches (I haven’t seen this one yet). Redwood forests make me think of This Land is Your Land. Walking among a forests of redwoods (tallest trees in the world) is beautiful. Even though I grew up visiting the mountains, I never appreciated nature until that I started hiking. Hope you get a chance to visit.

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      2. Thank you for the ideas! Our western national parks are so awe-inspiring! (If my husband’s knees were better, I’d love to do more hiking in them.)

        Liked by 1 person

      3. General Sherman (Sequoia) is a light trail. The Narrows at Zion is easy to get to and can be walked upstream as far as you want to go instead of the two day trek downstream. The hoodoos can be seen without venturing down for a hike. Also, I hear there is “glamping” in Yosemite! Maybe you can get a little taste.

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  5. I am fresh back from Dublin and your photos bring back cherished memories! 🇮🇪 Now I have to plan on going back someday. There is so much to see and do.

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