Molly’s Entrance

The title for this watercolour painting is taken from the door of the tenement where Leopold and Molly Bloom mythically lived together as husband and wife in “Ulysses”. The address was number seven Eccles Street in Dublin.

The reason for the title has sexual connotations as Molly was having an affair with Blazes Boylan while Leopold, her husband, was out about his business.

In later years, when the actual tenement was being demolished, the door and surrounds were rescued by John Ryan, a publican, and erected in his public house, The Bailey, in Dublin, where it was a huge attraction until this pub closed its doors.

The door was then rescued again. This time by Senator David Norris and his pals; and to this day the door and its surrounds live happily ever after in the James Joyce Centre in North Great George’s Street, Dublin.

Well worth a visit!