Ashtown
Ashtown
In Brief
When Bloom thinks of Martha
making supper for Jesus in her home, he pictures her bringing
in well water in a jar and imagines that it would be
"stonecold like the hole in the wall at Ashtown." Ashtown is a
suburb on the northwest edge of Dublin, a mile or two west of
the Glasnevin cemetery and
just north of the Phoenix Park. On Blackhorse Avenue, which
follows the course of the park's stone wall on the suburb's
southern border, sits a long and narrow pub called Hole in the
Wall. There was, and still is, a hand-pump next to the pub
where people can help themselves to well water.
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The building began life as a coach house in 1610, and became
a pub later in the 17th century. Its name derives from the
fact that for many years British soldiers who were stationed
in (and confined to) Phoenix Park would get beers from the pub
through a hole in the park wall. Bloom may or may not have
visited the pub. His focus in Lotus Eaters is on the
"lovely cool water" he remembers getting from the pump,
perhaps when attending horse races in Phoenix Park. He thinks,
"Must carry a paper goblet next time I go to the
trottingmatches," presumably so he can carry some water back
into the park. The pub is not far from the Ashtown Gate on the
north side of the park.
