Royal Hibernian Hotel

Last updated

Royal Hibernian Hotel
Royal Hibernian Hotel.jpg
Royal Hibernian Hotel circa 1930s
Open street map central dublin.svg
Red pog.svg
Location within Central Dublin
General information
ClassificationStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg
Address Dawson Street
Dublin 2
Coordinates 53°20′29″N6°15′31″W / 53.3414°N 6.2585°W / 53.3414; -6.2585
Opening1751
Renovated1956 (additional mansard level added) [1]
OwnerPaul Besson (1939-1950)
Kenneth Besson (1950-1975)
Trust House Forte (1975-1982)
Height5 storey over basement

The Royal Hibernian Hotel was a hotel on Dawson Street, Dublin, Ireland. Its history dates back to 1751, making it one of the country's first hotels, and it was popular with the wealthy in the 19th century. Its restaurants specialised in haute cuisine, which gradually declined in popularity in the 20th century, leading to the hotel's closure in 1982 and subsequent demolition and replacement with the Royal Hibernian Way and the offices of Davy Stockbrokers. [2]

Contents

Early history

The hotel was founded in 1751 as a pair of buildings making up a coaching inn on Dawson Street. [3] [4] Following the Acts of Union 1800, the premises became popular with wealthy British and Irish countrymen visiting Dublin. In the early 19th century, the buildings were a coaching business run by Kenny Bourne and Mr Hartley. They were sold to Charles Bianconi in the 1840s, and the hotel became the terminus in Dublin for Bianconi's mail coaches. [3]

20th century

Paul Besson took over management of the hotel in 1905. He converted the building, adding a Winter Garden and Ballroom, and overhauling the restaurant to provide an improved standard of food. During the early 20th century, the restaurant became known for its haute cuisine. [3] [5]

During the Easter Rising of 1916 and the annexation of the GPO on O'Connell Street, the hotel was used as a centre for the telephone service during that week. [6]

By the 1970s, haute cuisine was falling out of fashion. [3] Despite an extensive renovation in 1980, the fortunes of the hotel continued to decline. [7] In 1982, the owners Trust House Forte decided to close the hotel and sell the land, with the last meal being served on 2 November. [3] The property was demolished in 1984, and redeveloped as The Royal Hibernian Way, a multi-purpose office and shopping complex [8] which fills in the street block from Dawson Street to Duke Lane. This created a pedestrian thoroughfare between Dawson Street and Grafton Street. [9]

When it closed in 1982, the Royal Hibernian was said to be the oldest known hotel in Ireland. [10] Ironically, the Celtic Tiger phenomenon in the 1990s brought the style of hotel like the Royal Hibernian back into fashion. [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dawson Street</span> Street in central Dublin

Dawson Street is a street on the southern side of central Dublin, running from St Stephen's Green to the walls of Trinity College Dublin. It is the site of the residence of the Lord Mayor of Dublin, the Mansion House.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TU Dublin School of Culinary Arts and Food Technology</span>

The TU Dublin School of Culinary Arts and Food Technology is a part of the Technological University Dublin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud</span> Restaurant in Dublin, Ireland

Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud is a restaurant in Dublin, Ireland. It is a fine dining restaurant that was awarded one Michelin star each year in the period 1989–1995 and two stars each year from 1996 to present. Egon Ronay Guide awarded the restaurant one star in the period 1983–1985 and 1987. It was mentioned in the Guide in 1988 and 1989.

Park is a restaurant housed in the Park Hotel Kenmare, Kenmare, County Kerry, Ireland. It is a fine dining restaurant that was awarded one Michelin star each year in the period 1983-1990 and in the period 1994–1999. The Egon Ronay Guide awarded the restaurant one star in the period 1983–1984.

The Commons Restaurant was a restaurant located in the historic Newman House on St. Stephen's Green in Dublin, Ireland. It was owned by Michael Fitzgerald.

Arbutus Lodge was a restaurant and hotel in Cork in County Cork, Ireland. It was a fine dining restaurant that was yearly awarded one Michelin star in the periods 1974–1983, 1987 and 1988.

The Russell Hotel or Hotel Russell is a defunct hotel located at 101–104 St. Stephen's Green South in Dublin, Ireland. The hotel had a fine dining restaurant that was awarded one Michelin star in 1974.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dunderry Lodge</span> Restaurant in County Meath, Ireland

Dunderry Lodge was a restaurant in Dunderry, Navan, County Meath, Ireland. It was a fine dining restaurant that was awarded one Michelin star in the period 1986–1989. The Michelin Guide awarded the restaurant the "Red M", indicating 'good food at a reasonable price', in the period 1981–1985. The Egon Ronay Guide awarded the restaurant one star in the period 1983-1985 and 1987–1988.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chez Hans</span> Restaurant in County Tipperary, Ireland

Chez Hans is a restaurant located on Moor Lane in Cashel in County Tipperary, Ireland. It is a fine dining restaurant that was awarded one Michelin star 1983. The Michelin Guide awarded the restaurant the "Red M", indicating 'good food at a reasonable price', in the period 1981–1982, 1985-1986 and 1996. The Egon Ronay Guide awarded the restaurant one star in 1982.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cashel Palace Hotel</span> Hotel in Cashel, Ireland

The Cashel Palace Hotel is a palladian mansion now operating as a 61 bedroom hotel and restaurant in Cashel, County Tipperary, Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ballymaloe House</span> Restaurant in County Cork, Ireland

The Yeats Room of Ballymaloe House is a restaurant located in Shanagarry in County Cork, Ireland. It is a fine dining restaurant that was awarded one Michelin star for each year in the period 1975–1980. The Michelin Guide awarded the restaurant the "Red M", indicating 'good food at a reasonable price', in the period 1981–1994. The Egon Ronay Guide awarded the restaurant one star in the periods 1975–1981, 1983-1984 and 1987–1988.

Máirtín Mac Con Iomaire is an Irish lecturer and professional chef. He was awarded Ireland's first PhD on food history, in October 2009.

Declan Ryan is a former chef, manager and hotel-owner in Cork, Ireland. In the period 1971-1999 he and his family were owners of the Michelin star winning Arbutus Lodge. From 1999 he is owner of Arbutus Breads.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Myrtle Allen</span> Irish chef (1924–2018)

Myrtle Allen was an Irish Michelin star-winning head chef and co-owner of the restaurant The Yeats Room at Ballymaloe House in Shanagarry, County Cork. Besides her career in cooking, she had also been a writer, hotelier and teacher.

Hans Peter (Hans) Matthiae was a German Michelin star winning head chef and owner of the restaurant Chez Hans in Cashel, County Tipperary, Ireland.

Michael Ryan is an Irish Michelin star winning head chef and hotel-owner in Cork, Ireland. In the period 1971-1999 he and his family were owners of the Michelin star winning Arbutus Lodge.

Gerry Kirwan is an Irish head chef. He was the head chef of the Michelin starred restaurant The Commons Restaurant on St. Stephen's Green in Dublin, Ireland. He was responsible for earning the star in 1994.

Michael Bolster is an Irish head chef. He was the head chef of the Michelin starred restaurant The Commons Restaurant on St. Stephen's Green in Dublin, Ireland. He was responsible for retaining the star in 1995. The cooking style of Bolster is described as modern food with classical references, using speciality Irish ingredients enhanced by traditional French produce.

Colin O'Daly was an Irish Michelin star-winning head chef of the restaurant Park.

Sébastien Masi is a French head chef and Michelin star winning restaurateur with restaurant Locks Brasserie.

References

  1. ↑ "CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, DAWSON STREET, NO. 048 (ROYAL HIBERNIAN HOTEL) Dictionary of Irish Architects -". www.dia.ie. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  2. ↑ "Royal Hibernian Hotel, Dublin (CLOSED): ChefDb: The Chef and Restaurant Database". www.chefdb.com. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "The History of the Hibernian Hotel". Technological University Dublin . Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  4. ↑ "An Irishman's Diary". Irish Times. 11 May 2006. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  5. ↑ "Besson, Kenneth George | Dictionary of Irish Biography". www.dib.ie. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  6. ↑ Dixon, David (2009). The History of Dublin. London: Profile Books. pp. 454–455. ISBN   978-1-86197-586-7. OCLC   1119999838.
  7. ↑ McDonald 1985, p. 103.
  8. ↑ Bennett 2005, p. 62.
  9. ↑ Casey, Christine (2005). Dublin: The city within the Grand and Royal Canals and the Circular Road with the Phoenix Park. New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press. pp. 516–517. ISBN   0-300-10923-7. OCLC   61702208.
  10. ↑ Mac Con Iomaire, Máirtín (March 2013). O'Gorman, Kevin (ed.). "Public dining in Dublin: The history and evolution of gastronomy and commercial dining 1700‐1900". International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management. 25 (2): 227–246. doi:10.1108/09596111311301612. ISSN   0959-6119.

Sources

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.