Three Castles Burning

'Readers will enjoy learning about hidden architectural details or unassuming plaques marking important events that might otherwise escape notice throughout the city. Archived and present-day photographs accent interesting facts and historical vignettes, pairing nicely with Fallon’s accessible writing. Well-researched and full of interesting facts, this book is sure to surprise even Dubliners and makes a perfect companion for any walking—or armchair—tour around the city.’

-- Grace Rosean * Booklist *

‘A delightful potted history of Dublin . . . that refrain, “who knew?” is one the reader might find themselves repeating on every page, such is the mine of information contained in each chapter of this little book.’

-- Anne Cunningham * Irish Independent *

‘Entertaining stories from Dublin’s past allows hidden gems to shine.’

-- John Walshe * Sunday Business Post *

‘If Los Angeles feels like it was designed for the driver, and New York City for the subway passenger, Dublin, one could say, was made for the pedestrian. Its reputation as a city best experienced on foot was secured a century ago with the publication of James Joyce’s Ulysses, a novel with an emphasis on perambulation. It remains true today; few places better suit a weekend of wandering. And you’ll find few better guides than historian Donal Fallon, author of the new book Three Castles Burning: A History of Dublin in Twelve Streets, and host of a popular social history podcast. On a recent stroll, Mr. Fallon was repeatedly stopped by denizens, eager to share discoveries and pose for selfies. That a historian can be a local celebrity testifies to the degree to which the past remains present here.’

-- Matt Kronsberg * Wall Street Journ