A new photographic guide to Ireland’s capital city for lovers of bookshops, reading and culture – a great St Patrick’s Day 2025 gift

A bibliophile’s journey through Dublin's rich heritage, storied lore, and lively craic: exploring bookshops, museums, and authors’ watering holes, offering an experience for literature students, Irish natives, and tourists alike.

There are few cities in the world that care so deeply about the written word as this historic capital.

Stroll along canals, Georgian squares, and bridges, and you’ll find plaques honouring writers, literary landmarks, and statues aplenty; like George Bernard Shaw at the National Gallery or Oscar Wilde in Merrion Square. Creative outpourings are well documented in museums and galleries here, like the Museum of Literature Ireland (MoLI) which holds the first copy of James Joyce’s Ulysses.

No trip to Dublin would be complete without visiting its notable pubs – and this book is no exception. Explore bars once frequented by WB Yeats after discovering stunning libraries like Trinity College's Long Room, as featured in Sally Rooney’s Normal People.

Dublin holds its independent bookshops close to its heart, and there are some wonderful little literary spots dotted around the city, many of which are a treasure trove of rare books.

“When I die, Dublin will be written in my heart”, James Joyce once said. And here it is – written for you to explore, too.