I once lived in Dublin for nearly a year and seemed to have spent a great deal of that time in the city’s grand bookstores. When I was bored, I’d swing by one of the many independent bookstores and spend time browsing the titles and reading little snippets of literary gems.
I was therefore disappointed to come across an article by Kevin Cullen lamenting the difficult period these very bookstores are currently experiencing due to Ireland’s booming economy. As the city becomes more affluent and rent continues to soar, more and more of these small, independent shops are having problems paying rent. Many have already shut their doors.
I find this simply tragic. There is perhaps no city on this planet with a richer literary heritage than Dublin. The bookstores are as much a part of the city’s character as its many pubs. As they shut down one by one, the collective screams of Yeats, Joyce, Wilde, Swift, and so many other Men of Letters will ring out loud and clear across this Dirty Old Town.