The History of Talbot Street Dublin – From Victorian Origins to Molloy’s Pub
Talbot Street is a window into how the Dublin City grew, modernised, and reinvented itself over nearly two centuries.
The Origins: Dublin Expands Beyond the Walls
In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Dublin was bursting at its medieval seams. The city walls were long gone, but the heart of the old city remained cramped. The authorities and private developers began to lay out new, planned streets to the north and east, seeking to connect the Georgian city with the port.
Talbot Street was one of these strategic developments. It was laid out in the 1840s–1850s, during a period of rapid urban planning designed to link the Custom House to the new railway terminus at Amiens Street (now Connolly Station). Dublin needed grand new streets to serve the influx of passengers, goods, and trade.
Naming the Street: A Nod to the Talbot Family
When new streets were planned, it was common to name them after prominent local aristocratic families and landlords who owned property in the area or whose influence was felt in city politics. The Talbots of Malahide Castle were one such family.
The Talbots had been major landowners in north County Dublin since the 12th century. By the 19th century, they also held urban properties in Dublin itself.
A Victorian Thoroughfare
By the mid-19th century, Talbot Street was a bustling Victorian commercial street. It was laid out wide enough for carts and carriages, lined with solid redbrick buildings designed for shops, boarding houses, and small warehouses.
The railway station at the eastern end (opened 1844) brought steady footfall. Talbot Street quickly became known for its mix of local businesses catering to travelers, dockworkers, and city dwellers alike. The area was lively—and sometimes rough around the edges—with lodging houses, pubs, and shops serving the busy port district.
Talbot Street around 1900
20th-Century Change
Through the 20th century, Talbot Street remained a vital artery for the north inner city. The street witnessed Dublin’s economic ups and downs: from Edwardian prosperity to the lean years of the 1950s and 1980s.
Many of its buildings retained their original Victorian façades, even as shopfronts changed and the street adapted to modern retail. Pubs like Molloy’s became fixtures, offering a constant in a changing urban landscape—a friendly pint, a familiar face, and a deep sense of local heritage.
Talbot Street Today
In recent decades, Talbot Street has seen renewed investment and development. It remains a busy connector between Connolly Station, the IFSC, and the city centre. Its shops, cafes, and pubs welcome both locals and visitors exploring Dublin’s historic northside.
Molloy’s Pub at 59 Talbot Street sits right in the middle of this living history. Step inside, and you’re part of a tradition that stretches back to when the street was first carved out of fields and laneways, named in honour of the Talbots of Malahide, and built as a proud example of Victorian Dublin’s ambition.
