Journalist, film critic, pundit and ferocious conversationalist George Byrne died last week. John Fleming remembers the early years.

A nineteenth century Dublin institution, first located in Eustace Street and then in D’Olier Street, afforded its members access to newspapers, pamphlets and serious literature, all for the price of one guinea a year.

A poem by Keith Payne from his latest collection

In the atmosphere of bitterness and political contention which followed the setting up of the new Irish state in the 1920s, Trinity College Dublin wished to be allowed to stand somewhat apart from the rest of society as a unionist bastion. It was not to prevail.

In 1821, the ‘Earl of Moira’, bound from Liverpool to Dublin, sank near the Cheshire coast with great loss of life. Many of the passengers ‘were of most respectable families’ and on their way to accompany King George on an Irish visit. The people of Wallasey fell on their possessions with great glee.

In November 1938, on the pretext of revenge for the assassination in Paris of German diplomat Ernst vom Rath by Herschel Grynszpan, the Nazis launched the attack on Jewish life and property known as Kristallnacht. Some subsequent exiles ended up in Ireland.

Blazes Boylan’s secretary, Miss Dunne, didn’t like too much ould nonsense in her love stories. Did Walter Hartright love Marian Halcombe or didn’t he? Probably not, but did Blazes Boylan love Marian Tweedy (Molly Bloom)?

When told that the Guinnesses had been good for Dubliners Brendan Behan responded that Dubliners had been good for the Guinnesses.. A good quip, but not entirely fair, as the historical record indicates.

One of Dublin’s main North-South thoroughfares once boasted a fine dining venue which attracted poets and writers, when they had a few bob.

Thomas Moore has fallen out of favour. Even his statue seems to have disappeared. His flame still burned brightly however on the occasion of his centenary in 1879, when a concert in his honour almost led to a riot.