Tour Dublin Like James Joyce

While James Joyce may be the bane of many an English major’s existence, few would deny the writer knew his stuff and is an inspiring literary figure, regardless of how hard it can be to wade through Ulysses. Fans of the writer and the novel can enjoy Dublin as James Joyce knew it, through walking tours and various spots in the city dedicated to the work.

The James Joyce Centre is a great place to start. The museum is housed in a historic townhome once owned by a Professor Denis J. Maginni, who appears as a character in Ulysses. Exhibitions on display include illustrations from Dubliners, documentary films, information on the many editions of Ulysses and recreations of Joyce’s living arrangements. The center also offers several different walking tours of the city, including the Joyce Circular tour, which visits Joyce’s alma mater and settings of scenes from several of his works; the Dubliners tour, which visits key places from the book by the same name; and the Footsteps of Leopold Bloom Tour, highlighting settings from Ulysses.

If you’d rather explore the city yourself, there’s a Google Maps filter allowing you to mark locations from the book right onto a modern-day map, using the easy guide, which organizes locations by chapter. You can then plan out a route for yourself.

Want even more Joyce? Go to Dublin during the Bloomsday Festival, June 11–16. The entire plot of Ulysses takes place on June 16, and the day has become a holiday, aptly named after the main character, Leopold Bloom. Dubliners dress up like characters from the book, eat foods mentioned in the text and enjoy plenty of tours, pub crawls and festivities.