Grafton Street, which runs from St. Stephen’s Green in the south to Trinity College in the north in Dublin, is a popular commercial place known for branded retail, haute couture, and high-street fashion outlets. It is the busiest pedestrianized shopping street in Dublin, always hustling and bustling with activity, and receives a high volume of footfall daily. It developed from a laneway in the 1700s to a modern-day shopper’s paradise.
In the 1800s, Grafton Street was in disrepair and infamous for being a red-light area; the reputation later got restored in the 20th century. It has had an interesting graph of growth ever since. Today, it is one of the most expensive retail streets to rent in the world. Bewley’s on Grafton Street has been a big draw for its famous coffee, cakes, and sandwiches. The Street is an upscale marketplace in Dublin and is hard to miss. You will never find it deserted.
It is a hotspot for buskers. Buskers (or street performers) at every bend on Grafton, make it a livelier place. Grafton is famous for street entertainment; music is in the air and you catch the infectious vibes once you are in the vicinity. Do you know that these artists have to get a license to perform here for no more than one hour?
Passersby stop to film their lively performances, admire, sway, and croon to their tappy tunes as the artists blissfully play away, lending their melodious voices to the instruments they play on, oblivious of the activity around them. Sometimes they play solo, at other times you find them performing with a band.
What are the Highlights
Grafton has a lineup of boutique stores that display creations by well-known designers in the country and elsewhere. However, it is not only about fashion wear at Grafton; you will find an eclectic mix of other brands and products from the world of food, supplements, sports, jewelry, accessories, body fragrances and perfumes, shoes, skincare and beauty, cosmetics, etc. Some of the noted brands are Dior, Pandora, Victoria’s Secret, The Body Shop, Levi’s, Boss, Rituals, Avoca, Swarovski, Thomas Patrick, Molton Brown, Ted Baker, Disney, among others. Besides these celebrated names, you will also find food malls, dine-outs and restaurants, open umbrella cafes, fashionable hairdressing salons, and florists selling beautiful flowers to light up your and your loved one’s day.
The Street comes as much alive at night as it remains busy during the day. The old Irish pubs contribute to Grafton’s nightlife. Some of them are over 200 years old like the Duke Pub. It takes its name from the second duke of Grafton.
A life-size bronze statue of the popular late Irish singer Phil Lynott was unveiled here in 2005. Towards the northern end of the street, you will find another work of sculpture art — that of Molly Malone, the young and beautiful fishmonger, who has been immortalized in Dublin’s unofficial anthem but still remains a mystery as no one knows for sure if she ever existed. If the lores are to be believed, she lived in 17th-century Dublin and sold her yield in baskets on a cart in the streets of the Irish capital. She succumbed to fever and was believed to have haunted the streets (unsubstantiated though). In 2014, her statue was moved from Grafton Street to nearby Suffolk Street to make way for an extension to the LUAS tram system.
Grafton has a large number of famous dining options, cafes, and restaurants with a huge variety of cuisines. You will get a taste of all varieties, from fresh and healthy to American-style fast food. Some of the more popular ones are — Freshly Chopped, Pacino’s Restaurant and Bar, Bunsen, Lemon & Duke, Gourmet Burger Kitchen, etc.
Grafton was popularized in the mighty pages of some of the world-renowned books by writers like James Joyce and Patrick Kavanagh. There is something for everyone to carry from Grafton — music, shopping, magic, food, and entertainment.
How to Reach Grafton Street
The cheapest and easiest way to get to Grafton Street from the city of Dublin is by bus. It is just a 6-minute ride from the city. There is a direct bus service from the Embassy of Malta (Stop 786) arriving at Dawson Street, Stop 792. A taxi will get you there in less time but at higher fares. You can even think of strolling down as it is very close to the city center.
Some of the famous neighboring landmarks are St. Stephen’s Green Park, The Little Museum of Dublin, and the National Gallery of Ireland.
