(Poelker) St. George and a Century

"The Belfry of George's Church sent out constant peals of worshipers, singly or in groups, traversed the little circus before the church, revealing their purpose by their self-contained demeanour no less than by the little volumes in their gloved hands."


In “Boarding House,” Joyce describes a busy Catholic Church scene. True, I wasn't there on a Sunday, but I could tell from the surroundings that this house of god has fallen into disuse. The block had very few passers by, and none of them seemed to regard the building and its impress architecture with any reverence. These people seemed to have a worldlier daily “purpose” than Joyce’s characters as they strolled about with their families, chatted with their friends, or walked alone on some unknown errand. It was nothing like a “circus.”

A wrought iron fence around the grounds gave it the feeling of a monument to the forgotten religious history of Ireland. This feeling is likely a result of the drop in church attendance in the century since Joyce wrote the book. In back of the church is a working class apartment complex, as is much of the surrounding area. The cars parked there were from residents, rather than churchgoers of clergymen.

As we wandered the neighborhood after leaving the Church, I began to get more a feel for the paralyzed city Joyce was describing. For the first time since I arrived in Dublin, I found myself away from the hoards of international tourists and expensive pubs. A man with cloudy, bloodshot eyes muttered insults as we walked by. Teenage girls their young children in strollers. Noticing our backpacks, accents, and large maps, a friendly pedestrian gave us directions back to Trinity that would keep us out of a dangerous area. The action of “The Boarding House” happened on these streets only a century ago, and its less than genteel characters would have fit in today.