Bloomsday

Bloomsday Festival

Bloomsday celebrates Thursday 16 June 1904, the day depicted in James Joyce’s novel Ulysses. The day is named after Leopold Bloom, the central character in Ulysses. The novel follows the life and thoughts of Leopold Bloom and a host of other characters – real and fictional – from 8am on 16 June 1904 through to the early hours of the following morning.

Celebrations often include dressing up like characters from the book and in clothes that would have been the style of the era. One of the hallmark fancy dress items of Bloomsday is the straw boater hat. Celebrations come in many different forms like readings, performances and visiting the places and establishments referenced in the book.

Ulysses and Dublin City 

As the capital, Dublin has often been the epicenter of cultural activity, and its streets – and colourful inhabitants – have proved a timeless source of inspiration for writers. The entire epic tale of Ulysses (which is more than 700 pages long) captures events taking place across the city on 16th June 1904. Step into the shoes of the main character of Ulysses, advertising canvasser Leopold Bloom, while wandering through Ireland’s capital city, Dublin. On your next visit to Dublin, why not let us arrange a luxury private chauffeur drive tour to explore the historic sights or a wonderful local tour guide to accompany you on a stroll through the city centre to see the areas associated with James Joyce and his wonderful books and characters.

When you’re ready to stretch your legs, Dublin has a range of options to take you deeper into its literary world.
Start with a visit to the James Joyce Cultural Centre situated in a stunning Georgian townhouse, offering visitors historical and biographical information about James Joyce and his influence in literature.

Have a photo stop at the James Joyce Statue – Widely acclaimed as Ireland’s most famous author, James Joyce is immortalized in brass, in a life-sized statue on North Earl Street, adjacent to the O’Connell Street GPO. Although he spent much of his life abroad, Joyce wrote prolifically about his home country, and particularly the city of his birth. Rest your legs at the Winding Stair Bookshop, one of the oldest surviving independent bookshops in Dublin. The bookshop has a unique atmosphere; a relaxed haven in the centre of the bustling city. The front part of the shop holds new books, while the smaller section at the back of the shop holds second-hand books. It is the perfect shop for browsing and there is always a something a little bit different to be found.

Visit Ireland For Bloomsday

When booking with Specialized Travel you can Travel Your Way with individual customized tours allowing you to have your ideal vacation whilst we do all the planning. Get in touch with us today and start planning.