James Joyce Tower
Bloomsday Festival Programme 9 – 16 June 2025
Photo: Nick Bradshaw, Irish Times
TELEMACHUS
Two performances a day from 9-16 June | 09:30 and 11:00 | 40 mins running time | James Joyce Tower | €20 | BOOK HERE
Step inside the iconic Martello Tower in Sandycove, Dublin, and experience the opening episode of James Joyce’s Ulysses brought to life with this extraordinary production by VOLTA Theatre Company
CYCLOPS
Monday 9 June | 18:00 – 19:00 | Studio Theatre | DLR Lexicon Library | €20 | BOOK HERE
Tuesday 10 June | 18:00 – 19:00 | Studio Theatre | DLR Lexicon Library | €20 | BOOK HERE
VOLTA Theatre Company preforms the CYLOPS episode of Ulysses. Leopold Bloom finds himself in the proverbial lion’s den of Barney Kiernan’s, where the ‘broadshouldered deepchested stronglimbed’ Citizen demonstrates the ugly side of Irish Nationalism.
Druidy Druids
Wednesday 11 June 19:00 – 20:30 | James Joyce Tower | Round Room | €10 | BOOK HERE
The Druidy Druids perform an array of songs and music referred to in Joyce’s works, including his own “Bid Adieu”.
Bloomsday Lecture
Thursday 12 June | 18:00 – 19:00 | Level 3 | DLR Lexicon | Free | BOOK HERE
This year’s Bloomsday Lecture :”Discovering James Joyce’s Dublin by Reading and Running” will be delivered by Barry Sheehan creator of jj21k.com, a research portal exploring Joyce’s work and the city.
Molly’s Soliloquy
Friday 13 June | 16:00 – 17:00 | James Joyce Tower | Round Room | €10 | BOOK HERE
Reclining on a bed in the round room, Cáitriona Ní Threasaigh transports us to number seven Eccles Street as Molly Bloom reviews her day and, indeed, her life in this soliloquy from the final episode of Ulysses.
Bloomsday Belles
Saturday 14 June | 12:00 – 13:00 | James Joyce Tower | Forecourt | Free | BOOK HERE
Sunday 15 June | 12:00 – 13:00 | James Joyce Tower | Forecourt | Free | BOOK HERE
Emer Kenny and Rosie Murphy on Harp and vocals perform original music and song inspired by the female characters in Ulysses. Listen to selected excerpts as music and text is interpreted by contemporary dancer, Polina Skarha.
Ulysses aWake
Saturday 14 June | 14:00 – 15:30 | James Joyce Tower | Forecourt | Free | BOOK HERE
‘All the Ghosts of Ulysses’ is the original music at the heart of this play. Joyce’s characters are set free at the Tower to share their stories in the guise of the Idrone Players’ 18 actors, singers, dancers, and live musicians.
Happy Birthday John McCormack
Saturday 14 June | 16:00 – 17:00 | James Joyce Tower | Round Room | €10 | BOOK HERE
Recital with singer Noel O’Grady performing his “Ode to James Joyce: Portrait of a Tenor” and celebrating John McCormack’s birthday.
Ulysses Ballads
Saturday 14 June | 18:00 – 19:00 | James Joyce Tower | Round Room | €10 | BOOK HERE
A recital of new and original ballads by Val O’Donnell written to the airs of music mentioned in Ulysses
Bloomsday for Kids – The Cat and the Devil
Sunday 15 June | 13:30 – 14:00 | James Joyce Tower | Forecourt | Free | BOOK HERE
This is a children’s story written by James Joyce for his grandson Stephen performed by Morgan Cooke, Zita Monaghan McGowan and Molly Mew
Finnegans Wake – Suite Of Affections
Sunday 15 June | 14:00 – 16:00 | The Studio | DLR Lexicon | €20 | BOOK HERE
Electro-acoustic composer Roger Doyle performs original music inspired by Finnegans Wake with many voices reading .
Jim Norton reading Ulysses
Monday 16 June | 11:00 – 12:00 | James Joyce Tower | Forecourt | FREE | BOOK HERE
Jim Norton, distinguished Irish character actor, who read the definitive unabridged audio version of Ulysses for Naxos Audio books, will be reading from Ulysses outside the Tower on Bloomsday morning
Bloomsday – Monday 16 June 2025
The James Joyce Tower will be open on Bloomsday 2025 from 8am – 4pm
- 08:00 – Tower opens to visitors
- 09:00 – Raising of the flag by An Cathaoirleach
- 09:30 – TELEMACHUS
- 11:00 – Jim Norton reading from Ulysses
- 14:00 – Recital – Druidy Druids
