James Joyce Tower

The Martello tower in Sandycove is one of the most literary spots in Ireland: it's the setting for the opening scene of James Joyce's Ulysses, and Joyce himself stayed here for six nights in 1904. Today the squat granite building houses a small, volunteer-run museum with personal belongings of the writer. Admission is free, and the climb to the roof rewards you with a view over Dublin Bay – the very same view Joyce describes in the novel.

History of the tower

The Sandycove tower belongs to a chain of Martello towers built along the Irish coast between Dublin and Bray from 1804 onwards. The British authorities had these round fortified towers built from solid granite, with walls a metre thick, as an early-warning system against a possible Napoleonic invasion. Once the Napoleonic threat had passed, they quickly lost their military purpose.

In 1954, the Irish architect Michael Scott acquired the tower. Together with the director John Huston and the Dublin artist John Ryan, he converted it into a museum. It opened on 16 June 1962 – deliberately timed to fall on Bloomsday, the day on which Ulysses is set. Ryan had already organised the first Bloomsday festival back in 1954, together with the writer Brian O'Nolan.

Joyce at the tower

From 9 to 14 September 1904, the 22-year-old James Joyce stayed six nights at the tower. His host was Oliver St. John Gogarty, a university friend who had rented the tower from the War Office. Joyce fled the tower in haste after a night-time incident involving a loaded revolver. That very morning after is the opening scene of Ulysses: Gogarty was immortalised as "Buck Mulligan", and the novel opens with the words "Stately, plump Buck Mulligan".

If you want to dig deeper into Joyce's Dublin, the James Joyce Cultural Centre in the city centre is a rewarding follow-up stop. For an overview of the city's literary heritage, see the guide to literary Dublin.

The exhibition

The museum displays personal items from Joyce's estate: his guitar, a waistcoat, and various first editions of Ulysses. Among the exhibits is also a "Plumtree's Potted Meat" jar, mentioned several times in the novel. The upper floor has been furnished with furniture and everyday objects to evoke how Joyce and his friends might have lived there in 1904. A ceramic black panther by the fireplace nods to a dream sequence involving the character Haines.

From the roof of the tower, there's a panoramic view over Dublin Bay – the same view Joyce describes in the opening scene, as Stephen Dedalus looks out over the "snotgreen sea". The tower is small: the exhibition room, the furnished upper floor and the viewing roof can all be seen in around 30 to 45 minutes.

Bloomsday and events

On 16 June, Bloomsday, the tower turns into the setting for literary celebrations. Visitors in Edwardian dress gather in the morning, readings from Ulysses take place at several spots, and while the programme is free, booking is usually required. On this day the tower typically opens earlier than usual and gets correspondingly busy. If you want to experience the atmosphere without the crowds, a normal weekday morning is a better bet.

The theatre company Volta regularly performs episodes from Ulysses inside the tower itself, including the opening episode "Telemachus" and "Cyclops". Current dates and bookings are listed on joycetower.ie.

Forty Foot

Right below the tower lies the "Forty Foot" bathing spot. Originally a men-only nude bathing place, it's now open to everyone and one of Dublin's most popular swimming spots. It also features in Ulysses, where Buck Mulligan heads down for his morning swim. It's worth the short walk along the water almost regardless of whether you visit the museum.

Visiting and getting there

Admission is free, the museum is run by volunteers, and donations are welcome. Individual visitors don't need to book – walk-ins are explicitly welcome. Only groups of 15 or more should book in advance via the official website.

• Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday 10:00–16:00, closed on Mondays. A special programme runs on Bloomsday.
• Accessibility: the tower is not wheelchair accessible; the stairs to the upper floor and roof are narrow and steep.
• Getting there: DART to Sandycove and Glasthule, then about a 10-minute walk; buses 59 and 111 are an alternative. The tower lies around 14 km south of the city centre.
• Tip: the DART ride along the bay is an experience in itself, and pairs well with a visit to the neighbouring seaside town of Dún Laoghaire.