James's Street, Dublin
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 Buildings, some disused, on James's Street in 2026 | |
  | |
| Native name | Sráid San Séamas (Irish) |
|---|---|
| Former name | Saint James's Street |
| Length | 740 m (2,430 ft) |
| Width | 12 metres (39 ft) |
| Location | Dublin, Ireland |
| Postal code | D08 |
| Coordinates | 53°20′35″N 6°17′26″W / 53.34306°N 6.29056°W |
| west end | Mount Brown |
| east end | Thomas Street |
| Other | |
| Known for | St James' Church (Church of Ireland) St James' Church (Roman Catholic) St. James's Hospital St. James's Gate |
James's Street (Irish: Sráid San Séamas)[1] is a street in the Liberties area of central Dublin, Ireland. Originally the location of one of the medieval city gates of Dublin, St. James's Gate, it has been the home of St. James's Gate Brewery since the 18th century.
The street runs from approximately the steps of Cromwell's Quarters and Mount Brown to the junction with Watling Street and Thomas Street.[citation needed] The street is a continuation of High Street and the ancient Slighe Mhór out of the city to the west.
St. James's Gate, located on the modern James's street, was the western entrance to the city during the Middle Ages. During this time the gate was the traditional starting point for the Camino pilgrimage from Dublin to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia (Spain).[2] The area has been a departure point for the Irish pilgrims since at least the year 1220.[3]
The street and gate appear numbered and annotated on John Speed's Map of Dublin (1610).
Though the gate was demolished in 1734,[4] the name is still used for the surrounding area,[5] and in particular for the St. James's Gate Brewery which was taken over by Arthur Guinness in 1759.[4]
The Record of Protected Structures, maintained by Dublin City Council, includes a number of buildings and structures on James's Street.[6] These include several buildings associated with St. James's Gate Brewery and St. James's Hospital, St James' Catholic Church, the former St James' Church of Ireland church and the areas former post office. A fountain obelisk and sundial near Bow Lane West designed by Francis Sandys[6] and built in 1790,[7] is also protected and located near the junction with Steeven's Lane.
St James Catholic Church, built in 1852, is the home of the Camino Society of Ireland, providing information on the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage.[3]
An internal railway for the Guinness brewery existed under the street in the past, but is now closed off, however a pedestrian tunnel connecting Guinness plant on either side of street still exists.
The roasting of barley at St. James's Gate Brewery for the production of Guinness, which produces a "coffee-like pungency", creates an aroma in the James's street and wider Liberties area that is very noticeable, and has been noted by The Irish Times as one of the "quintessential smells of Dublin."[8]
