Sweny's Pharmacy

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Sweny's Pharmacy
Sweny's Pharmacy, Lincoln Place, Dublin.jpg
Sweny's Pharmacy on Bloomsday, 2020 (with the Davenport Hotel in the background)
Sweny's Pharmacy
General information
TypeShop
Architectural style Victorian
Address1 Lincoln Place
Dublin 2
D02 VP65
Coordinates 53°20′31″N6°15′02″W / 53.34188°N 6.25056°W / 53.34188; -6.25056
Inaugurated1847 [1] [2]

Sweny's Pharmacy, or F. W. Sweny & Co. Ltd. is a former Victorian era pharmacy, now a new and used book store, a Joycean cultural centre, hosting daily group readings of Joyce's work and supporting new aspiring writers, in Dublin, Ireland most notable for appearing in James Joyce's 1922 novel Ulysses . The pharmacy is one of many Joycean landmarks scattered throughout Dublin, [3] and has become a literary tourist attraction, particularly on Bloomsday (16 June) when fans of Joyce visit the premises to celebrate the book.

Contents

History

Built in 1847 as a GP's consulting room, the building was later adapted to include an apothecary; it eventually opened as a 'dispensing chemist' named "F.W. Sweny and Co (Limited)" in 1853 when pharmacist Frederick William Sweny took over. [4] [2] The Sweny family who operated the pharmacy also lived in the house to which it is attached. [3] The National Inventory of Architectural Heritage notes that a "Mark Sweny, M.D., general medical practitioner and accoucheur" operated from the site as of 1862. [3]

In the nineteenth century, Lincoln Place was also the site of a Turkish baths and a number of medical facilities (including an ophthalmic hospital) and later the Dublin Dental University Hospital. [3] Sweny's chemist and apothecary would have served supplies, including soap, to those who used these services. [3]

As of the 1990s, Sweny's was mentioned in a Dublin Tourism brochure as being still fitted out as it was in 1904, the year in which Ulysses was set. [5]

President of France Emmanuel Macron visited Sweny's in August 2021. [2] [6]

As of February 2022, PJ Murphy was reportedly running Sweny's. [6]

Ulysses

Sweny's Lemon soap Sweny Soap (Ulysses).JPG
Sweny's Lemon soap

In the book, the character of Leopold Bloom buys a bar of lemon soap while waiting for a prescription. [4] Lemon soap can still be bought in the shop as a souvenir. [7]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Fitzgerald, Genevieve (13 January 2017). "Dublin Treasures - Sweny's Pharmacy". dublin.ie. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 "News". sweny.ie. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Sweny, 1 Lincoln Place, Dublin 2, DUBLIN". Buildings of Ireland. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  4. 1 2 "Sweny's Pharmacy". Atlas Obscura . 31 October 2017. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  5. ↑ Dublin Tourism, p. 8.
  6. 1 2 Kane, Robbie; Dillon, Brian (2 February 2022). "Watch: Historical Sweny's chemist celebrates 100 years of James Joyce's Ulysses with special readings". dublinlive.ie. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  7. ↑ "News". sweny.ie. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  8. ↑ "1860 – Turkish Baths, Lincoln Place, Dublin". Archiseek - Irish Architecture. 1 March 2013. Retrieved 18 August 2023.

Sources

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