Ireland’s oldest pen shop to close its doors in May

The Pen Corner, which is located in an iconic landmark building on College Green, has been a family run business since 1927.

After almost a hundred years in business, and patronage from an impressive array of famous writers, musicians and actors, The Pen Corner will close for good next month. The closure comes as a result of loss of business due to the pandemic, a rent of €75,000 a year and the effects of modern technology on handwriting. https://twitter.com/DeeMcQuillan/status/1514536924010188802?s=20&t=nNzs29K-Agc_le91utEYdg Well known for its selection of pens, pencils and stationery, The Pen Corner was founded by Florence Fitzgerald and her husband, Paddy O’Brien, who met while working together at a stationery store on nearby Dame Street. Shop manager Aileen Morin, who has worked in The Pen Corner for over 20 years, told the Irish Times that pens can be "very sentimental", and associated with family and friends for many people.

Pens are very sentimental and very tactile and associated with family and friends. Coming in and trying on pens is what the Pen Corner is about – it’s like trying on shoes in a shop, and pens allow for a different way of writing and improve writing. We see children come in and the effect on them of trying out a pen for the first time. We have been on limited opening hours for some time, and it is hard to come to terms with its closure for all of us who work here. We will try to trade online, but it is still such an adjustment.

According to the Irish Times, customers and fans of The Pen Corner over the years have included Grace Kelly, Elvis Costello, Kurt Cobain and Pierce Brosnan. Irish writers Seamus Heaney, Brian Friel and John Banville also visited the shop, with Banville declaring it to be his favourite in Dublin. Header image via Twitter/olddublintown READ NEXT: Dublin named Europe's most expensive city to visit