Bloomsday and Dublin Ireland 2014 | Ireland - Lonely Planet Forum

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Sat, 10 May 2014 17:50:55 +0000

Hey everyone, I am putting together my trip to Ireland next month for Bloomsday (a James Joyce oriented literary festival every June 16th) and I was hoping to get some general advice. I'll be in Ireland for about 5 days (and then off to Scotland and England for another week). I've looked over some of the resources such as the James Joyce Center (http://jamesjoyce.ie/) and last year's schedule (http://www.visitdublin.com/event/bloomsday_festival) to get a general idea since this year's is not out yet.

I was hoping someone with experience at Bloomsday could perhaps give me a little more insight: are there any events or things to do you particularly recommend or that were not really worth it? Is the festival popular and big or smaller and more niche? Any general advice you might have, like things I might not have thought of?

Thanks a bunch, you all are always awesome!

Edited by daedalusbloom

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Tue, 13 May 2014 17:34:29 +0000

In response to #0

It's bigger than you'd expect!!
I was at it last year I'm a Dublin local and I would def recommend Pat Liddy's walking tours http://www.walkingtours.ie/special-events/bloomsday-walk/
It's about 3 hours and brings you to all the sites around Dublin mentioned in Ulysees, and gives some local history to the area. definitely book in advance.
The tour ends in a quintessential irish pub in dublin city centre 'Davy Byrne's' and they serve special food on the occasion, everyone dresses up in Joycean clothes around there so if you have a flat hat or spectacles def bring them along!!
The tour also brings you into an old pharmacy that has been preserved and regularly does readings of ulyseees outside of the Bloomsday season.
I would also recommend going to fitzwilliam square which is an old georgian park that is only open to residents of the square ACCEPT on blooms day on which it opens to the public. I would also recommend going out to Sandycove (train takes 30 minutes) to the james joyce centre at an old napoleon martello tower on the seafront where he used to write. And when you see how beautiful it is to walk the sea front you'll see why! I've often walked from here to Dun laoighre along the sea front and theres lots of restaurants etc. trip advisor approved. Although I'm not sure I'd do all this on the one day cos that would probably be way too much walking. . . .