The Irish Tour of 1858: A Grueling Circuit
Celebrity that peculiar blessing and curse followed Charles Dickens across the Irish Sea in August 1858, when the already-legendary novelist commenced on a reading tour that would take him from Dublin‘s packed theatres to the windswept shores of Carrickfergus. The journey began inauspiciously enough: sailing overnight from Holyhead on August 21, escaping London’s infamous “Great Stink” only to encounter what Dickens himself deemed “very, very nasty” seas. This rough crossing proved a fitting metaphor for what lay ahead, a tour that, despite its lucrative returns and adoring crowds, would leave the author exhausted and unwilling to repeat the experience.
Dublin greeted him with characteristic fervor. After checking into Morrison’s Hotel on Nassau Street, Dickens wandered the city for six to eight hours in all directions, rode through Phoenix Park, and walked to O’Connell Street, where the Ambassador Theatre now stands. There, pushing through masses of fans, he performed before three thousand spectators, reading “The Story of Little Dombey” and other selections. The audience’s quickness for humor delighted him, and the £340 profit, roughly £15,000 in today’s currency, surely sweetened the effort. Yet profit wasn’t pleasure.
The schedule proved “rapid and comfortless” from the start. Belfast came next in late August, where Dickens explored the Giant’s Cradle in Brown’s Bay and strolled by the sea at Carrickfergus, moments of respite amid three public readings. The overwhelmingly affectionate Belfast audiences proved even better than Dublin’s, their warmth temporarily lifting his spirits. Then onward by train to Cork, arriving August 30 or 31, where the Imperial Hotel became his temporary refuge. At the Athenaeum (now Cork Opera House), over a thousand stalls sold across three readings, with many turned away on the final night. He kissed the Blarney Stone before departing, perhaps hoping for eloquence to mask his mounting fatigue.
Limerick served as the finale: two nights at the Theatre Royal, where the crowd rushed upon opening, including improbably, absurdly, three ducks. The £40 earned on opening night mattered little; Dickens dismissed it as a low-activity area and pressed forward.
The tour’s true cost wasn’t measured in pounds but in stamina. Manager Arthur Smith accompanied him, though Dickens wisely left his children behind; the rigor deemed too harsh for them proved equally punishing for their father. When offered a Dublin repeat, he declined. The work was simply “too hard,” the travel too exhausting, the whole enterprise too business-focused to extract any real joy from the adulation. Unlike modern educational group tours that might span a week exploring Ireland’s historical landmarks and cultural attractions, Dickens’s journey offered no leisurely discovery, only relentless performance.
Dickens would return to Ireland in 1867 and 1869, drawn back by duty or determination or perhaps the siren call of those packed houses. But that first tour of 1858 taught him something essential about celebrity: it could fill theatres and empty you simultaneously, leaving behind only receipts and the memory of three bewildered ducks rushing through a door in Limerick.
Following in Dickens’s Footsteps: A Modern Journey Through the 1858 Emerald Circuit
Today, retracing Charles Dickens’s 1858 Irish tour offers a far more comfortable experience than the “rapid and comfortless” circuit he endured. In Dublin, visitors can begin near the site of Morrison’s Hotel on Nassau Street (the original building no longer stands), just steps from Trinity College and Grafton Street. A stroll through Phoenix Park remains as restorative now as it must have been for Dickens after his rough sea crossing. The best time to explore Dublin is from May to September, when long daylight hours make literary walking tours especially enjoyable. For an elegant stay, consider The Merrion Hotel or The Shelbourne, both within walking distance of Dickens’s old haunts. Nearby dining favourites include The Bank on College Green for historic atmosphere and The Winding Stair for refined Irish cuisine with literary flair.
From Dublin, follow Dickens north to Belfast and Carrickfergus, where he briefly escaped the intensity of public readings with sea air and coastal exploration. Visitors today can walk the historic walls of Carrickfergus Castle or venture to Brown’s Bay along the scenic Causeway Coastal Route. Late spring and early autumn offer the best combination of mild weather and lighter crowds. For accommodation, The Merchant Hotel in Belfast blends Victorian grandeur with modern luxury, while Dobbins Inn in Carrickfergus provides character and history. Dining highlights include OX Belfast for Michelin-starred creativity and Ownies Bar & Bistro in Carrickfergus for hearty local fare.
In Cork, Dickens found both packed houses and the irresistible pull of the Blarney Stone. Visitors can tour Blarney Castle and climb to kiss the famous stone, ideally early in the morning during the summer months, to avoid queues. The modern Cork Opera House, successor to the Athenaeum where Dickens performed, continues the city’s strong theatrical tradition. The city is particularly vibrant during the Cork Jazz Festival in October. For a central stay, the historic Imperial Hotel, where Dickens himself stayed, offers a tangible link to the tour. Food lovers should not miss Market Lane or the English Market’s Farmgate Café for classic Cork produce.
Finally, Limerick, scene of the infamous “three ducks” incident at the Theatre Royal, rewards visitors with far more serenity than Dickens experienced. While the original Theatre Royal no longer operates, the city’s cultural life thrives at venues like Lime Tree Theatre. Explore King John’s Castle for sweeping Shannon views, best enjoyed between April and September. The Savoy Hotel provides stylish comfort in the city centre, while The Curragower Bar & Restaurant pairs riverside dining with historic surroundings. Unlike Dickens’s hurried finale, modern travellers can take their time here, perhaps even pausing long enough to appreciate that the only thing likely to rush through the door today is another satisfied guest.
Today, unlike Dickens’s “rapid and comfortless” sprint across Ireland, travellers can experience the Emerald Isle at a far gentler pace, lingering in Phoenix Park, tracing castle walls in Carrickfergus, pausing at the Blarney Stone, or enjoying a quiet riverside evening in Limerick (mercifully duck-free). Charles Dickens may have left Ireland exhausted, but modern visitors leave enriched. If you’re planning your own literary journey through Dublin, Belfast, Cork, and Limerick, tune in to Irish Tourist Radio (ITR) for local insights, travel tips, weather updates, and cultural stories that help you explore Ireland with curiosity and without the fatigue of a 19th-century reading tour.
