Grafton Street

{{about|the street in Dublin|the street in Milton Keynes|V6 Grafton Street|the song by Dido|Safe Trip Home}}

{{Infobox street

| name = Grafton Street

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| native_name ={{native name|ga|Sráid Grafton}}

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| image = Grafton St, Dublin.jpg

| caption = South end of Grafton Street

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| namesake = Charles FitzRoy, 2nd Duke of Grafton

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| width = {{Convert|12|m}}

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| location = Dublin, Ireland

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| postal_code = D02

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| coordinates ={{coord|53|20|29|N|6|15|37|W|region:IE_type:landmark_dim:2km|display=it}}

| direction_a =north

| terminus_a =College Green

| direction_b = south

| terminus_b =St. Stephen's Green (northwest corner)

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| known_for = Shops, Bewley's Oriental Café, busking

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Grafton Street ({{irish place name|Sráid Grafton|no_translate=yes}}) is one of the two principal shopping streets in Dublin city centre — the other being Henry Street. It runs from St Stephen's Green in the south (at the highest point of the street) to College Green in the north (the lowest point).

The street, on the Southside of the city, was developed from a laneway in the early 1700s, and its line was shaped by the now-culverted River Steyne. Initially, a fashionable residential street with some commercial activity, the character of Grafton Street changed after it was connected to Carlisle Bridge and came to form part of a cross-city route. It suffered from dilapidation and prostitution through the 19th century, with several run-down buildings. During the 20th century, it became known for the coffee house Bewley's, mid- and up-market shopping, and as a popular spot for buskers. It has been assessed as one of the most expensive main retail streets in the world on which to rent.

Name

The street was named after Charles FitzRoy, 2nd Duke of Grafton, the illegitimate grandson of King Charles II, who owned land in the area.{{sfn|Bennett|2005|p=114}}{{Cite book|last=M'Cready|first=C. T.|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/263974843|title=Dublin street names dated and explained|date=1987|publisher=Carraig|isbn=1-85068-005-1|location=Blackrock, Co. Dublin|pages=45|oclc=263974843}} His father, Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Grafton, died on 9 October 1690 following the Siege of Cork. The second duke was Lord Lieutenant of Ireland from 1721 to 1724.{{sfn|Hopkins|2008|p=217}}

History

=Early development=

The street was developed from an existing country lane, connecting College Green to St Stephen's Green, which had been worked on by the Dawson family, after whom the parallel Dawson Street is named. It was developed and widened through the early 1700s, starting in 1708.{{sfn|Bennett|2005|pp=62,114}} Four years later, the city's governing body, Dublin Corporation, approved development along the street in order to make a "crown causeway".{{sfn|Bennett|2005|p=114}}{{sfn|Hopkins|2008|p=216}} Its line was shaped by the short culverted River Steyne, which rises on one side of St Stephen's Green and flows towards College Green and the Liffey near O'Connell Bridge.{{cite book |work=ARUP |title=College Green Project – Environmental Impact Study |date=1 May 2017 |publisher=Dublin City Council |location=Dublin, Ireland |pages=1, 34 |edition=Rev 1 |chapter=Chapter 10 – Archaeology, Cultural Heritage and Architectural Heritage |quote=Grafton Street follows the line of the River Steyne and is an ancient thoroughfare that ran to the common land at St Stephen’s Green.}} Development was largely complete by 1727.{{sfn|Casey|2005|p=519}}

From the beginning, the street held a mixture of residential and commercial development. Advertisements from the 1750s and 1760s describe first-floor apartments featuring a dining room, bedchamber and closet.{{sfn|Casey|2005|pp=518–519}} The theatre manager Louis Du Val lived in Grafton Street in 1733, as did the novelist Charles Robert Maturin's family.{{sfn|Hopkins|2008|p=217}}

The street was largely rebuilt in the late 1700s,{{sfn|Casey|2005|p=519}} following the completion of Carlisle Bridge (now O'Connell Bridge) in 1758, spanning the River Liffey, when Grafton Street came to form part of an important north-south thoroughfare.{{sfn|Bennett|2005|p=114}} Many of the remaining residences were redeveloped into shops, and several taverns were established along the street.{{sfn|Hopkins|2008|p=217}} This was supplemented by the widening and rebuilding which took place as part of the work of the Wide Streets Commission, from 1841. By the latter part of the 19th century, the street was primarily commercial in nature.{{sfn|Casey|2005|pp=518–519}}

=19th century=

File:79 Grafton Street... (8248610379).jpg

Throughout the 19th century, Grafton Street became increasingly dilapidated. By 1849, several buildings had broken windows that were patched up with paper.{{sfn|Bennett|2005|pp=114–115}} In 1862, the Dublin Builder said the street "abounds in old premises in need of doctoring up."{{sfn|Casey|2005|p=519}} During the late 19th century, a number of retail properties were built and several long-standing businesses established their presence on the street, such as the department stores Switzer's and Brown Thomas. The jewellers Weirs opened in 1869.{{Cite web |last=Meagher |first=John |date=31 May 2008 |title=The glory days of Grafton Street – and why they could be coming back again |url=https://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/the-glory-days-of-grafton-street-and-why-they-could-be-coming-back-again-26450742.html |access-date=24 January 2023 |website=independent |language=en}}

The street became known for prostitution during this time; in the 1870s, 1,500 prostitutes were reputed to work the street.{{cite book |last1=O'Brien |first1=Joseph V. |title=Dear, Dirty Dublin: A City in Distress, 1899–1916 |date=1982 |isbn=9780520039650 |page=190 |publisher=Joseph Valentine O'Brien |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=d5DYJEavqNAC&q=grafton+street+prostitution&pg=PA190 |language=en}} This was part of a broader phenomenon − in 1870, there were 3,255 arrests for prostitution in Dublin, compared to 2,183 in London and 1,617 in Manchester. Despite complaints that the street was "impassable to virtuous women", Dublin tourist guides continued to mention it as a fashionable place to visit.{{cite news|url=https://www.thejournal.ie/readme/grafton-street-1870-the-street-literally-swarmed-with-women-of-loose-character-3645126-Oct2017/|title=Grafton Street 1870: 'The street literally swarmed with women of loose character'|work=The Journal|last=Fallon|first=Donal|date=15 October 2017|accessdate=22 January 2023}} By the turn of the 20th century, prostitution had moved to the Montgomery Street ("Monto") area on the northern side of the city, somewhat allowing Grafton Street's reputation to recover.

=20th and 21st centuries=

In 1911, King George V and Queen Mary were led in a procession down Grafton Street which attracted thousands of onlookers. The American chain, Woolworth's, opened a store on the street in 1914.

As part of a wider set of proposals to rename a number of Dublin streets in 1921, it was proposed that Grafton Street be renamed Grattan Street{{sfn|Whelan|2003|pp=218–221}} in the Report of the Paving Committee by the Dublin Corporation street naming committee.{{Cite web |last=Maxwell |first=Nick |date=14 February 2013 |title=Dublin's street names |url=https://www.historyireland.com/dublins-street-names/ |access-date=25 January 2023 |website=History Ireland}} This new naming scheme was not fully implemented.{{sfn|Whelan|2003|pp=218–221}} Among the names retained alongside Grafton Street were North Earl Street and Talbot Street.{{Cite web |title=Dublin Corporation to discuss changing street and bridge names {{!}} Century Ireland |url=https://www.rte.ie/centuryireland/index.php/articles/dublin-corporation-to-discuss-changing-street-and-bridge-names |access-date=25 January 2023 |website=RTÉ News}} This new name for Grafton Street had first been proposed by a columnist in The Irishman newspaper in 1862.{{sfn|Whelan|2003|p=100}}

Woolworth's moved to Nos. 65–68 in 1948.{{sfn|Casey|2005|p=522}} The first Irish McDonald's restaurant opened on the street in 1977. This was followed by the opening of a number of other UK high-street businesses in the 1980s including HMV, Next, River Island, Miss Selfridge, and Marks & Spencer. In 1987, a major fire broke out on Grafton Street in an employment agency above two shops. The fire quickly spread through the property, causing significant damage and closing the street. Five people were hospitalised for shock and smoke inhalation.{{cite news|url=https://www.rte.ie/archives/2017/0823/899414-grafton-street-fire/|title=Blaze on Grafton Street|date=27 August 1987|work=RTE News|via=RTE Archives|accessdate=10 November 2021}}

Several properties on the street were refurbished in the 1990s. No. 70 was extended in 1992, adding a limestone frontage on the ground floor. Numbers 84–86 were rebuilt the same year in a postmodern brick style.{{sfn|Casey|2005|p=522}}

File:Shopping in Dublin Grafton Street Luftbild (21952212409).jpg

In 2008, Grafton Street was the fifth most expensive main shopping street in the world, with rental pricing of €5,621/m²/year,{{cite news|title=Grafton Street now the fifth most expensive shopping spot in the world|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/business/arid-20078093.html|work=The Irish Examiner |date=21 November 2008|access-date=22 January 2023}} and the thirteenth most expensive main shopping street in the world in 2016 at rental pricing of a much lower region of €3,300/m²/year.{{Cite web|url=http://www.cushmanwakefield.com/en/research-and-insight/2016/main-streets-across-the-world-2016-2017/|title=Main Streets Across The World 2016–2017|last=Tano|first=Joanna|date=16 November 2016}}{{Cite news |last=Hosford |first=Paul |date=16 November 2016 |title=Grafton Street is the 13th most expensive main street to rent on in the world |url=https://www.thejournal.ie/grafton-street-expensive-main-street-3084302-Nov2016/ |access-date=22 January 2023 |work=TheJournal.ie |language=en}}

==Pedestrianisation==

By the 1960s, Grafton Street had become congested with cars and buses, which caused serious pollution.{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/memory-lane-an-irishman-s-diary-on-grafton-street-1.3903637|title=Memory lane – An Irishman's Diary on Grafton Street|first=Hugh|last=Oram|newspaper=The Irish Times|date=27 May 2019|accessdate=22 March 2021}}

Pedestrianisation of the street was first trialled in September 1971, for a period of 4 weeks.{{Cite book|last=McDonald|first=Frank|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/60079186|title=The destruction of Dublin|date=1985|publisher=Gill and Macmillan|isbn=0-7171-1386-8|location=Dublin|pages=313|oclc=60079186}} After many delays, permanent pedestrianisation of most of the street was established in 1982, and the street was then repaved in 1988, with new street lighting also fitted.{{sfn|Bennett|2005|pp=114–115}} Objections to pedestrianisation came from councillors and small business owners, who alleged that it would lead to an increase in petty crime and antisocial behaviour.{{cite news|title=Grafton Street can still be a wonderland|newspaper=The Irish Times|date=4 December 1987|id={{ProQuest|530982334}}}}{{cite news|last1=McDonald|first1=Frank|title=Traders gather to celebrate Grafton Street's new look|newspaper=The Irish Times|date=17 August 1988|id={{ProQuest|531164630}}}} The northern end of the street, between Nassau Street and College Green, one side of which is occupied by the walls of Trinity College, is not pedestrianised.{{cite web|url=https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.3438526,-6.2593698,18.63z|title=Grafton Street|publisher=Google Maps|accessdate=2 June 2021}}

Properties

File:NLI Fusiliers Arch Grafton Street.jpg

Grafton Street has had a number of periods of redevelopment in its history, including in the 1860s, 1880s, early 1900s, and 1990s. On some occasions, the demolition of buildings led to the collapse of some of their neighbour's. Altogether, this activity has resulted in a mixture of periods and styles, with few notable interiors or street surfaces extant. Some of the Georgian plot sizes and facades are still visible on some buildings, such as Nos. 31–33 and 63. No. 14 retains the window pattern of an early Dutch Billy house.{{sfn|Casey|2005|p=519}} At the north end of Grafton Street, surviving largely intact, is the Provost's House, Trinity College, home to the head of the college and the University of Dublin.{{sfn|Bennett|2005|p=114}}

The English Grammar School was founded at No. 75 Grafton Street in 1758, by Samuel Whyte, first cousin-in-law of the actor and impresario Thomas Sheridan. Students included Richard Brinsley Sheridan, Robert Emmet, Thomas Moore and Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington. It closed in 1824.{{sfn|Bennett|2005|p=114}} Hodges Figgis first bookshop was at 104 Grafton Street, opening in 1797. It moved to its current location in Dawson Street in 1920.

Bewley's Oriental Café opened on Grafton Street in 1927, on the site of Whyte's Academy,{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.ie/business/media/iconic-irish-brand-remains-true-to-old-quaker-values-as-coffee-scene-continues-to-grow-35521077.html|title=Iconic Irish brand remains true to old Quaker values as coffee scene continues to grow|newspaper=Irish Independent|date=12 March 2017|accessdate=18 March 2021}} and became a popular place to gather and socialise.{{cite book|title=Georgina Campbell's Ireland, the Best of the Best|first=Georgina|last=Campbell|publisher=Georgina Campbell's Guides|year=2005|isbn=978-1-903-16421-1|page=29}} In 2004, it was announced that Bewley's Grafton Street and Westmoreland Street cafés would close, putting 243 jobs at risk.{{cite news|url=https://www.rte.ie/archives/2019/1101/1087992-bewleys-cafes-close/|title=Bewley's Cafe closes|work=RTE|date=30 November 2004|accessdate=18 March 2021}} Following a campaign, the café on Grafton Street, which had closed, was reopened.{{cite news |title=On the rocky road... |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/business/on-the-rocky-road-1.1237958 |access-date=12 November 2021 |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=30 January 2009 |quote=Bewleys ... controversially closed in 2004, before re-opening a year later in partnership with Café Bar Deli. Since then, it has seen many menu changes – and price increases. It also survived a protracted but now resolved row with landlords ...}} Subject to a €1m redevelopment scheme in 2015,{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.ie/life/food-drink/food-news/bewleys-cafe-on-grafton-street-shuts-its-doors-for-six-months-this-afternoon-31027830.html|title=Bewley's Cafe on Grafton Street shuts its doors for six months this afternoon|newspaper=Irish Independent|date=27 February 2015|accessdate=10 November 2021}} the café closed again following a collapse of trade during the COVID-19 pandemic. The then mayor, Tom Brabazon, expressed a hope that it might re-open after the pandemic.{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/business/retail-and-services/bewley-s-on-grafton-street-to-close-permanently-with-loss-of-110-jobs-1.4246773|title=Bewley's on Grafton Street to close permanently with loss of 110 jobs|newspaper=Irish Times|date=6 May 2020|accessdate=10 November 2021}}{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/consumer/dublin-s-mayor-says-he-will-lead-effort-to-save-bewley-s-cafe-1.4247812|title=Dublin's mayor says he will lead effort to save Bewley's cafe|work=Irish Times|date=7 May 2020|accessdate=10 November 2021}}

Monuments

The northern end of the street was for many years the location of the Molly Malone statue, a well-known tourist attraction and meeting place. The statue was moved from Grafton Street to nearby Suffolk Street in 2014, to make way for an extension to the Luas tram system, which runs along the northern part of Grafton Street.{{cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/statue-of-limitations-what-makes-a-good-public-monument-divides-opinions-6b8m2clbp|title=Statue of limitations: what makes a good public monument|newspaper=The Times (of London)|date=20 February 2021|access-date=19 March 2021}}

A life-size bronze statue of Dublin musician and leader of Thin Lizzy, Phil Lynott, was unveiled on Harry Street, off Grafton Street near the Stephen's Green end, in August 2005.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/4167918.stm|title=Thin Lizzy's Lynott back in town|work=BBC News|date=20 August 2005|accessdate=19 March 2021}} In May 2013, the statue was tipped over by two vandals, who were subsequently arrested.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-22489816|title=Phil Lynott statue is vandalised in Dublin|date=10 May 2013|work=BBC News|accessdate=4 March 2022}} In 2017, it was damaged after being hit by a truck, and spent several months in repair. The statue has become a well-known tourist attraction for music fans.{{cite news|url=https://www.thejournal.ie/phil-lynott-disappearance-3657951-Oct2017/|title=Dublin's Phil Lynott statue has disappeared. Again. But we know where he is this time|work=Journal.ie|date=22 October 2017|accessdate=4 March 2022}} In keeping with the tendency for Dubliners to nickname statues, it is known to locals as the "Ace with the Bass".{{cite web|last=O'Mahony|first=Claire|url=https://dublin.ie/live/stories/dublin-treasures-phil-lynotts-statue/|title=Dublin's Treasures – Phil Lynott Statue|website=dublin.ie|accessdate=4 March 2022}}

Grafton Street is normally lit with Christmas lights during the festive season — in 2022, it was estimated that around 300,000 bulbs were used to illuminate the street. In 2019, a planned "Nollaig Shona Duit" (Irish for "Happy Christmas") light display was cancelled and replaced with "Grafton Quarter" signage, causing controversy.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.ie/regionals/dublin/dublin-news/q-and-a-are-dublins-christmas-lights-about-to-lose-some-sparkle-42011583.html|title=Q&A: Are Dublin's Christmas lights about to lose some sparkle?|newspaper=Irish Independent|date=23 September 2022|accessdate=5 October 2022}}

Busking

File:Teletubby Buskers.jpg costumes]]

Since the 1980s, Grafton Street has become internationally known for its street entertainment, particularly busking.{{cite magazine|url=https://theculturetrip.com/europe/ireland/articles/meet-the-buskers-of-dublins-famous-grafton-street/|title=Meet the Buskers of Dublin's Famous Grafton Street|magazine=The Culture Trip|date=5 November 2019|accessdate=4 March 2022}} Musicians, poets and mime artists commonly perform to the shopping crowds.{{cite book|title=The Rough Guide to Ireland|first1=Margaret|last1=Greenwood|first2=Mark|last2=Connolly|publisher=Rough Guides|page=88|year=2003|isbn=978-1-843-53059-6}}{{cite magazine|url=https://theculturetrip.com/europe/ireland/articles/meet-the-buskers-of-dublins-famous-grafton-street/|title=Meet the Buskers of Dublin's Famous Grafton Street|magazine=The Culture Trip|date=5 November 2019|accessdate=17 March 2021}} This was portrayed in the opening scene of the 2007 film Once, starring Glen Hansard of the Frames, a former Grafton Street busker.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/from-busker-to-oscar-26426920.html|title=From busker to Oscar|newspaper=Irish Independent|date=1 March 2008|accessdate=17 March 2021}} In Dublin, street performers must pay for a licence to busk (€30 per year as of 2019, plus €60 if using amplification), and on Grafton Street, each such performance is restricted to a maximum of one hour, and a musician cannot play within a {{convert|100|m|adj=on}} distance of that location until the following day.{{Cite web |date=29 June 2018 |title=Street Performance |url=https://www.dublincity.ie/business/business-licences/street-performance |access-date=22 January 2023 |website=Dublin City Council |language=en |quote="Street Performance Permit €30 per year ... Permit to use amplification €60 per year (mention of short-term permits also made)"}} Grafton Street has been the traditional home of the "big busk" on Christmas Eve, which aims to raise money for homeless charities.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/christmas-eve-big-busk-returns-to-dublin-with-glen-hansard-leading-tributes-to-late-shane-macgowan/a1665102025.html|title=Christmas Eve Big Busk returns to Dublin|newspaper=Irish Independent|date=24 December 2023|accessdate=13 September 2024}}

Grafton Street buskers have included:

Bono – lead singer of U2, has performed on Christmas Eve{{cite web|url = https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/music/u2s-bono-urges-crowd-to-dig-deep-for-homeless-as-he-busks-in-dublin-37656354.html | work = The Irish Independent | title = U2's Bono urges crowd to dig deep for homeless as he busks in Dublin | date = 24 December 2018 | access-date = 11 December 2019 }}
Paddy Casey – ex-Grafton Street busker and musician{{cite web|url = https://www.newstalk.com/news/glen-hansard-busking-558197 | publisher = NewsTalk | title = Glen Hansard and famous Irish musicians busk on Grafton Street for Christmas Eve | date = 24 December 2016 | access-date = 11 December 2019 }}
Mic Christopher – musician{{cite web|url = https://www.hotpress.com/music/heyday-meet-filmmaker-paid-tribute-mic-christopher-new-documentary-22782747 | publisher = Hot Press | title = Heyday: We meet the filmmaker who paid tribute to Mic Christopher in new documentary | date = 23 July 2019 | access-date = 11 December 2019 }}
Dermot Kennedy – Irish singer-songwriter{{cite web|url = https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/2022/11/22/dermot-kennedy-goes-back-to-his-busking-roots-to-launch-new-album-on-grafton-street/ | publisher = The Irish Times | title = Dermot Kennedy goes back to his busking roots to launch new album on Grafton street | date = 22 November 2022 | access-date = 10 April 2023 }}
Keywest – English-Irish pop rock band based in Dublin{{cite web|url = https://www.hotpress.com/music/keywest-make-store-appearances-support-upcoming-album-22790579 | publisher = Hot Press | title = Keywest to make in-store appearances to support their upcoming album | date = 2 October 2019 | access-date = 11 December 2019 }}
Chris Martin – frontman of Coldplay, performed with Little Simz, Burna Boy, Tini and Elyanna for a promo video of "We Pray" in August 2024{{Cite web |date=28 August 2024 |title=Coldplay: Chris Martin surprises Dubliners |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd6ywe4y41eo |access-date=2 April 2025 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB}}
Thom McGinty ("The Diceman") – former street performer and actor, during the 1970s–1990s{{cite news|url = https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/remembering-the-diceman-who-brightened-a-grey-dull-dublin-1.2165703 | newspaper= The Irish Times | title = Remembering the Diceman who brightened a grey, dull Dublin | date = 6 April 2015 | access-date = 11 December 2019 }}
David McSavage – stand-up comedy and music, later television performer in The Savage Eye{{cite news|url = https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/artsfilmtv/casting-a-savage-eye-on-life-and-death-225828.html | publisher = The Irish Examiner | title = Casting a Savage Eye on life and death | date = 19 March 2013 | access-date = 11 December 2019 }}
John Nee – imitated Charlie Chaplin{{cite news|url = https://www.rte.ie/archives/2018/0118/934178-grafton-street-performers/ | publisher = RTÉ | work= RTÉ News |title = RTÉ Archives – Entertaining On Grafton Street – 1983 | access-date = 11 December 2019 }}
Damien Rice – ex-Grafton Street busker{{cite web|url = https://www.hotpress.com/music/glen-hansard-bono-damien-rice-mundy-busk-on-grafton-st-6128112 | publisher = Hot Press | title = Glen Hansard, Bono, Damien Rice & Mundy busk on Grafton St | date = 24 December 2009 | access-date = 11 December 2019 }}
Rodrigo y Gabriela – Mexican guitar-playing duo{{cite news|url = https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/rodrigo-y-gabriela-they-ve-come-a-long-way-since-busking-on-grafton-street-1.2264019 | newspaper = The Irish Times | title = Rodrigo y Gabriela: They've come a long way since busking on Grafton Street | date = 27 June 2015 | access-date = 11 December 2019 }}
Allie Sherlock – YouTube singer, songwriter and guitarist{{Cite news|title='Amazing': 12-year-old Irish busker wows The Ellen Show|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/amazing-12-year-old-irish-busker-wows-the-ellen-show-1.3375116|newspaper=The Irish Times|language=en|access-date=9 May 2020}}
Hudson Taylor – musical duo from Dublin{{cite news|url = https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2019/1009/1082135-hudson-taylor-hail-thin-lizzys-lasting-influence/ | publisher = RTÉ | work= RTÉ News | title= Hudson Taylor hail Thin Lizzy's lasting influence | date = 9 October 2019 | access-date = 11 December 2019 }}

Cultural references

File:Grafton Street Disney Store.jpg on Grafton Street]]

Grafton Street is mentioned several times in James Joyce's Dubliners and in A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man is the scene of the meeting between Stephen and Emma.{{cite book |last=Joyce |first=James |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0TI5wRK-jMUC&q=grafton |title=Dubliners |date=June 2009 |publisher=BiblioBazaar |isbn=9781110441563 |access-date=23 January 2023}}
There is a line in the poem "On Raglan Road" by the poet Patrick Kavanagh: "On Grafton Street in November we tripped lightly along the ledge"{{cite web|url=http://www.allthelyrics.com/lyrics/luke_kelly/on_raglan_road-lyrics-1152741.html |title=On Raglan Road |website=AllLyrics.com |access-date=23 January 2023}}
American singer-songwriter Nanci Griffith wrote and recorded a song called "On Grafton Street".{{cite web |author=Griffith, Nancy |url=http://www.lyricstime.com/nanci-griffith-on-grafton-street-lyrics.html |title=On Grafton Street |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090318022300/http://www.lyricstime.com/nanci-griffith-on-grafton-street-lyrics.html |access-date=23 January 2023|archive-date=18 March 2009 }} Griffith's song was subsequently covered by Frances Black on her album Talk to Me.{{cite web |url=https://secondhandsongs.com/release/143102 |title = Tracks on Talk to Me – Frances Black (April 1994)| website=SecondHandSongs |access-date=23 January 2023}}
Bagatelle, an Irish rock band of the 1970s and 1980s, refer to Grafton Street in their song "Summer in Dublin"; "And young people walking down Grafton Street, everyone looking so well".{{cite web|url = https://www.thetimes.com/article/dublins-fair-city-far-from-alive-alive-oh-as-tourists-stay-away-52fllhtwf| publisher = The Times | website = The Times| title = Dublin's fair city far from alive, alive, oh as tourists stay away | first = Julieanne | last = Corr | date = 9 August 2020 | access-date = 16 February 2023 }}{{cite web|url = https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/2022/07/30/sound-of-summer-40-great-sunny-anthems-from-past-and-present/ | publisher = Irish Times | website = irishtimes.com | title = Sound of summer: 40 great sunny anthems from past and present | first = Kevin | last = Courtney | date = 30 July 2022 | accessdate = 16 February 2023 }}
Grafton Street has featured on the Irish edition of the board game Monopoly since the first edition in the 1970s.{{Cite web |last=Rohan |first=Eamonn |date=27 September 2021 |title=A Quick History of the Irish Streets of Monopoly – OSi Blog |url=https://osi.ie/blog/quick-history-of-irish-monopoly-streets/ |access-date=25 January 2023 |website=Ordnance Survey Ireland |language=en-US |archive-date=9 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230209152207/https://osi.ie/blog/quick-history-of-irish-monopoly-streets/ |url-status=dead }}
Dido features a track entitled "Grafton Street" on her album Safe Trip Home. This song is a tribute to Dido's deceased father, who was Irish.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7687410.stm|work=BBC News|first=Peter|last=Bowes|title=Dido chills out in California|date=27 October 2008|access-date=27 October 2008}}
Grafton Street is mentioned in Ed Sheeran's song "Galway Girl" on his album ÷ (2017).{{cite news |title=Which pub on Grafton Street is Ed Sheeran talking about in his new song? |publisher=The Daily Edge |date=3 March 2017 |url=http://www.dailyedge.ie/ed-sheeran-grafton-street-3268895-Mar2017 |access-date=19 October 2020 }}

References

Citations

Sources

{{cite book|title=The Encyclopaedia of Dublin|first=Douglas|last=Bennett|publisher=Gill & Macmillan|year=2005|isbn=978-0-717-13684-1}}
{{cite book|title=Dublin: The City Within the Grand and Royal Canals and the Circular Road with the Phoenix Park|first=Christine|last=Casey|publisher=Yale University Press|year=2005|isbn=978-0-30010-923-8}}
{{cite book|title=Hidden Dublin : Deadbeats, Dossers and Decent Skins|first=Frank|last=Hopkins|publisher=Mercier Press|year=2008|isbn=978-1-856-35591-9}}
{{cite book|title=Reinventing modern Dublin: streetscape, iconography, and the politics of identity|first=Yvonne|last=Whelan|publisher=University College Dublin Press|year=2003|isbn=1-900621-85-1}}