Bloomsday is celebrated in Dublin and further afield every June 16, the same date that James Joyce's Ulysses takes place.
If you're lucky enough to be spending this Bloomsday in Dublin, chances are you'll want to visit all the top places mentioned in James Joyce's iconic "Ulysses."
To help you on your way, IrishCentral has compiled a list of Dublin landmarks that are featured in James Joyce’s 1922 masterpiece, which follows protagonist Leopold Bloom on his day-long journey through the streets of Dublin.
Joyce’s work is so beloved by his fans that is it celebrated around the globe annually on Bloomsday, June 16, the very same date that Dedalus set out into Dublin in 1904.
You can retrace the steps of Leopold Bloom by taking your own tour of Dublin's following sites:
Martello Tower, Sandy Cove
This spot is now home to The James Joyce Tower and Museum. The first chapter of "Ulysses," Telemachus, features this landmark.
The museum showcases Joyce’s possessions and other memorabilia associated with the novel, including an empty pot of Plumtree’s Potted Meat. The tower has been restored to resemble the rooms as they would have been in 1904. The museum was created through the efforts of artist John Ryan. Ryan is responsible for the first Bloomsday in 1954.
Martello Tower (Getty Images)
Clifton School, Dalkey
Located in a seaside suburb of Dublin, some eight miles southeast of the city center, the Clifton School is today the site of the Summerfield Lodge. Joyce himself taught history here for one term in this setting for the Nestor episode.
Sandymount Strand
This beach is situated on the east coast of Ireland, next to the village and suburb of Sandymount in Dublin. Considered the most famous beach in Irish fiction, it makes up the south side of Dublin Bay.
Sandymount Strand serves as the setting for both the third episode Proteus and the 13th episode Nausicaa in the book. The most controversial scene in the novel takes place here as Leopold Bloom pleasures himself to a young Gertie lifting her skirt. This scene led to Ulysses being banned in the USA for obscenity.
Sandymount Beach (Ireland's Content Pool)
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Glasnevin Cemetery
Ireland’s largest non-denominational cemetery is 120 acres and dates back to 1832. The setting for the Hades episode is marked by high walls and watchtowers that were originally built to deter body-snatchers in the 18th and 19th centuries. Such prominent Irish figures as Daniel O’Connell, Micheal Collins, Éamon de Valera, Christy Brown, and Luke Kelly of The Dubliners are all buried here.
Glasnevin Cemetery
Princes Street, Dublin
The street is a major thoroughfare and urban center in Dublin. The Aleous episode was set here. It runs off O’Connell Street and was the site of the old Capitol Theatre.
National Library of Ireland, Dublin
The building, designed by Thomas Newenhan Dean, dates back to 1877. Located on Kildare Street, this Irish institution is a reference library housing Irish-related books, manuscripts, music, newspapers, periodicals, and photographs. It provides genealogy services as well. The library is featured prominently in the Scylla and Charybdis episode.
The National Library of Ireland (Getty Images)
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Grafton Street, Dublin
The famous street is one of the major thoroughfares of Dublin, running from St. Stephens Green to College Green. Lined with high-end shops it is considered the fifth most expensive main shopping street in the world.
Grafton Street is also famed for the Trinity College Provost's House, the Molly Malone statue, and street performers. Famous entertainers such as Glen Hansard (from the movie “Once,”) Damien Rice, and Rodrigo y Gabriela have plied their musical craft on Grafton Street as street buskers.
It acts as the setting for The Wandering Rocks chapter.
Grafton Street (Ireland's Content Pool)
Ormond Hotel, Dublin
The hotel is located in Dublin on Ormond Quay on the River Liffey. The hotel, the setting for the Sirens episode, has been completely remodeled since Leopold Bloom stayed there in 1904. It was originally one building and not the five that occupies the site today. The hotel tries to keep Joyce’s legacy alive with a plaque commemorating the spot and a Sirens Lounge.
Barney Kiernan's, now the Claddagh Ring, Little Britain Street
The famous setting of The Cyclops episode takes place in the pub Barney Kiernan's. This watering hole, located on 8-10 Little Britain Street in Dublin, is now known as the Claddagh Ring.
How do you celebrate Bloomsday? Let us know in the comments!
* Originally published in June 2014. Updated in 2023.
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