Site of Genevel's Inn, Dublin South City, Co. Dublin
In the heart of Dublin's south city lies a patch of ground with a story that reaches back over seven centuries. This was once the site of Genevel's Inn, a medieval establishment that took its name from its proprietor, Sir Henry Geneval.
Site of Genevel's Inn, Dublin South City, Co. Dublin
The inn would have served as a vital stopping point for travellers and merchants passing through medieval Dublin, offering food, drink, and lodging at a time when such amenities were scarce and journeys were long and arduous.
What we know of the inn comes largely from historical records rather than physical evidence. Sir Henry’s wife, Maud Lacey, is documented as having died in 1302, providing us with a rare glimpse into the personal history of the site’s owners. The Lacey family were significant Anglo-Norman landholders in medieval Ireland, suggesting that this wasn’t just any roadside tavern but likely a respectable establishment catering to merchants and nobility travelling to and from Dublin.
Today, nothing remains above ground to mark where Genevel’s Inn once stood. The medieval structures have long since vanished beneath centuries of development and change, leaving only documentary evidence and map references to tell its tale. Yet this absence of physical remains is itself part of Dublin’s story; a reminder of how the modern city sits atop layers of history, where medieval inns, Viking settlements, and Georgian townhouses have each had their moment before giving way to what came next.
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Bradley, J. & King, H. (1988) Urban Archaeological Survey, Dublin, Volume 4. A report commissioned by the Office of Public works (Unpublished).