James Joyce Tower and Museum, Ireland

The James Joyce Tower was one of a series of Martello towers built to withstand an invasion by Napoleon. It now holds a museum devoted to the life and works of James Joyce, who made the tower the setting for the first chapter of his masterpiece, Ulysses.

The tower is beautifully located only 8 miles south of Dublin on the coast road, this tower is the perfect setting for a museum dedicated to Joyce, a writer of international renown who is the writer most associated with Dublin.

Joyce spent 6 nights at the Martello tower in 1904 and this was the inspiration for the the opening of his great novel Ulysses. The gun platform with its panoramic view, and the living room inside the tower are much as he described them in his book.

The tower was leased from the British War Office by Joyce's university friend Oliver St. John Gogarty. Joyce left after an incident in which Gogarty fired a gun in his direction. The opening scenes of Ulysses are set the morning after this incident. Gogarty is immortalised in the novel as "Stately, plump Buck Mulligan".

The museum's collection includes letters, photographs, first and rare editions and personal possessions of Joyce, as well as ephemera associated with the Dublin of Ulysses.

Ulysses was set on 16th June 1904. On Bloomsday, 16th June, the museum will be open from 8am-6pm for readings and celebrations.

Opening Times

April to end of August
Tuesday-Saturday: 10am-5pm (Closed 1pm-2pm)
Sunday: 2pm-6pm
Closed on Mondays
Other Months: Open by prior arrangement

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Ticket Prices

Adults: €6.00
Student/Seniors: €5.00
Children: €4.00
Family: €15

Group Admission Prices:

Adults: €5.25
Student/Seniors: €4.25
Children: €3.25
Minimum group number is 20

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Disabled Facilities

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More Information

Telephone: 00 353 (0) 1 2809265

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