irish writer george russell

Poet, playwright, painter and mystic, George Russell, Known as AE.
From the start of their married life, the Russells' home was a welcoming place, especially when they moved to 25 Coulson Avenue, Rathgar, where they had two distinguished neighbours, Maud Gonne and Countess Markiewicz.

It was here, hanging about against the railings that, late one August night in 1902, AE met a tall thin young man. This was James Joyce, who had been waiting there since earlier in the evening.
When AE finally appeared, the young writer enquired if it was not perhaps too late to come calling but AE, in true spirit, replied that it was never too late and invited him in.

They sat up until four o'clock next morning and AE, by suggesting to Joyce that he write a story for The Irish Homestead, may unwittingly have been the inspirer of Dubliners.
From 1905 on, AE edited The Irish Homestead, which much later became The Irish Statesman. While the Russells were still living at Coulson Avenue, his play Deirdre was first performed by W. G. Fay's Irish National Dramatic Company at St. Teresa's Hall in Clarendon Street. Though his work kept him very much involved, he managed to write poetry on a reasonably regular basis until his death. Of all his Dublin addresses, it is 17 Rathgar Avenue that remains most associated with him, for he lived there for over twenty-five years.