The Ship

Ulysses contains several references to "the Ship," a public house on Lower Abbey Street, which runs east from O’Connell Street (Sackville Street in 1904), only two blocks north of the Liffey in the heart of downtown. Stephen Dedalus and Buck Mulligan make plans to meet there for drinks, but Stephen skips the appointment and instead sends Buck a taunting telegram at the Ship. Much later in the book, Stephen and Bloom discuss the possibility of meeting at the tavern for continued conversation.

JH 2014

Poster, date unknown, announcing the opening of The Ship. Source: Cyril Pearl, Dublin in Bloomtime.

The streetfront of the former Ship today. The tavern was rebuilt in 1917, after being destroyed in the Easter uprising of the year before. The bay windows continue to evoke the captain's cabin at the stern of a ship. Source: Gareth Collins.

Greek triremes engaging the Persian fleet at the battle of Salamis in 306 BC, artist unknown. Source: fouman.com.