"Dunphy's," a pub owned by Thomas Dunphy, sat at the
intersection of the North Circular Road and the Phibsborough
Road. Turning north toward the Royal Canal, the procession
hangs a right at "Dunphy's corner"
onto Phibsborough, prompting reminiscence of the time a hearse
overturned making the turn and spilled its contents onto the
pavement.
In addition to the gruesome thoughts elicited by this memory,
Simon Dedalus thinks of car races navigating urban corners: "First
round Dunphy's, Mr Dedalus said, nodding. Gordon Bennett
cup." And Bloom thinks sardonically of the pub's
convenient proximity to the cemetery: "Dunphy's
corner. Mourning coaches drawn up, drowning their grief. A
pause by the wayside. Tiptop position for a pub. Expect
we'll pull up here on the way back to drink his health. Pass
round the consolation. Elixir of life."
According to Thom's, in 1904 the pub was owned by John Doyle.
In 1907 Doyle rebuilt the establishment and named it after
himself. It remains "Doyle's" or "Doyle's Corner" to this day.
