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GALWAY BLOOMSDAY 2026
As is generally well known, the writer James Joyce came from Dublin. Something he never let us forget: all his major works feature our Capital city either in location or subject matter, and even name.
What is less well known is the second Irish town he referenced in some way in almost all his works is Galway.
Not surprising – his wife and partner for over 36 years was Nora Barnacle of Galway. Bowling Green, under the shadow of the steeple of St Nicholas Collegiate Church is where her family home is, now a small, private museum to Joyce and Nora and their era.
Many references to Galway, either directly or oblique, occur and reoccur in all Joyce’s work. Indeed, some nuggets of material he must have picked up on only two visits here (1909 and 1912) are reworked in his books and stories in some form or other. It’s as if he’s almost as fascinated by Nora’s homeplace as his own Dublin.
Bloomsday, June 16th is now widely celebrated in the Joycean calendar annually. It’s the fateful date of his first ‘walking out’ or date with Nora Barnacle in Dublin in 1904. When John Joyce, his father, heard he was seeing a girl named Barnacle, he is said to have remarked, “at least she’ll stick to him.”
The Galway Tour Guides Association is holding a special Galway Bloomsday on Friday, June 19, beginning with a James Joyce-Nora Barnacle related walking tour of Galway with Galway Tour Guide and author, Jim Ward, followed by a ‘Ulysses-inspired’ brunch in Caprice restaurant, a visit to the Barnacle home on Bowling Green and optional drinks in Tigh Nora on Cross Street.
Galway Bloomsday is hosted by Galway Tour Guides Association and supported by the James Joyce Centre in Dublin and Fáilte Ireland Wild Atlantic Way team.
Ticket to Galway Bloomsday are now available on Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bloomsday-in-galway-stories-of-james-joyce-and-his-muse-nora-barnacle-tickets-1991018611263