Shelbourne Hotel — Dublin, Ireland
About Shelbourne Hotel
Oscar Wilde stayed at this iconic "Grand Dame of Dublin" in 1883 as a young up-and-comer. He even proposed to his future wife nearby during one of his stays at the hotel. At the time, the Shelbourne had a reputation as a drinking hole for politicians and intellectuals (in fact, the Irish constitrution was written here, and room 112 remains the "Constitution Room"). When Wilde visited, his family home had already been sold, and with his widowed mother and brother living abroad in London, the 29-year old needed accommodations in Dublin while lecturing at the opulent, red velvet-strewn Gaiety Theatre just around the corner. The guestbook no longer survives, and its unclear which room(s) hosted Wilde. In the bar, 1824, you'll find a Wilde quote and dark wood booksleves reminiscent of Wilde's better days, along with books and other tributes by and to Irish writers including Samuel Beckett Br…
Authors
- Charles Dickens
- Oscar Wilde
- William Thackeray
- Elizabeth Bowen
- Patrick Kavanagh
- Seamus Heaney
- Brendan Behan
Location
27 St Stephen's Green, Dublin, D02 K224, Ireland