Bloomsday 2027
Wednesday 16 June 2027 · every year on 16 June
Bloomsday celebrates the Irish writer James Joyce and his 1922 novel Ulysses, which takes place entirely on a single day in Dublin: Thursday 16 June 1904.
Also on 16 June: World Refill Day · National Thank a Teacher Day · International Day of Family Remittances
What is Bloomsday?
Bloomsday is on Wednesday 16 June 2027.
Bloomsday celebrates the Irish writer James Joyce and his 1922 novel Ulysses, which takes place entirely on a single day in Dublin: Thursday 16 June 1904. It is named after Leopold Bloom, one of the book’s central characters, and is marked every 16 June in Dublin and by readers around the world.
Ulysses follows Leopold Bloom and a cast of Dubliners through the streets, pubs, shops and public buildings of the city over the course of one ordinary day. Bloomsday brings that day back to life. People dress in Edwardian clothes, retrace the routes in the book, eat what the characters eat and read the novel aloud, often in the places where its scenes are set.
The Bloomsday Festival calls itself one of Ireland’s most vibrant and unique literary celebrations.
Why 16 June?
Joyce chose the date for personal reasons. 16 June 1904 was the day of his first proper date with Nora Barnacle, the young woman from Galway who became his lifelong partner and, later, his wife. That October the couple left Ireland together for continental Europe, and Joyce lived abroad for the rest of his life.
Plan around Bloomsday and every key date in June
Content planning tools and templates for 2027: editorial calendars, Google Sheets, Excel, calendar feeds and printable calendars. The rest of 2026 is included.
The history of Bloomsday
1954: the first Bloomsday
The first organised Bloomsday took place in 1954, on the fiftieth anniversary of the day in the novel. According to the Bloomsday Festival, the writers Patrick Kavanagh, Flann O’Brien and Anthony Cronin, together with Tom Joyce, a cousin of James Joyce, and others, visited the Martello Tower at Sandycove, where the novel opens, and Davy Byrnes pub on Duke Street, reading parts of Ulysses along the way. The outing was organised and filmed by the artist and businessman John Ryan.
1994: the Bloomsday Festival
In 1994, the first Bloomsday Festival, the week-long celebration known today, was organised on behalf of the city of Dublin by the James Joyce Centre. The festival now runs in the days leading up to 16 June. In both 2025 and 2026 it ran from 11 to 16 June. Check the festival website for the 2027 programme.
Bloomsday traditions
- Edwardian dress. Straw boaters, bowler hats and period costume are everywhere in Dublin on 16 June.
- A Gorgonzola sandwich. At Davy Byrnes on Duke Street, fans order a Gorgonzola sandwich and a glass of burgundy, just as Bloom does in the book.
- Readings and performances. The festival programme includes readings, performances, re-enactments, tours, exhibitions, lectures, children’s events and a film festival.
- Joycean landmarks. Popular stops include Sweny’s Chemist on Lincoln Place, Glasnevin Cemetery and the James Joyce Tower and Museum at Sandycove.
How to mark Bloomsday
- Go to Dublin. From Britain, Dublin is a short flight or ferry away. Plan ahead if you want to join ticketed events.
- Look beyond Dublin. Tourism Ireland highlights the Yes Festival in Derry~Londonderry and County Donegal, which celebrates female artists inspired by Molly Bloom’s famous closing monologue in Ulysses.
- Host a reading. Choose a favourite episode and read it aloud with friends, a book group or colleagues. Many readers find the book easier to follow out loud.
- Start the book. There is no better day to open Ulysses for the first time. A reader’s guide or an audiobook can help with the harder chapters.
- Cook the Bloomsday menu. A Gorgonzola sandwich for lunch is the easiest place to start.
- Libraries and bookshops. Bloomsday is an easy hook for a display, a reading hour or a social media post about Irish writing.
If you enjoy days that celebrate the written word, you might also like National Writing Day.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
When is Bloomsday 2027?
Bloomsday 2027 is on Wednesday 16 June 2027. The Dublin Bloomsday Festival usually runs across the days leading up to it.
Why is Bloomsday on 16 June?
James Joyce set Ulysses on 16 June 1904, the day of his first date with Nora Barnacle, who later became his wife.
Who started Bloomsday?
The first Bloomsday, in 1954, was organised and filmed by John Ryan, with Patrick Kavanagh, Flann O’Brien, Anthony Cronin and Joyce’s cousin Tom Joyce among those taking part. The James Joyce Centre organised the first Bloomsday Festival in 1994.
What do people eat on Bloomsday?
The best-known Bloomsday meal is the Gorgonzola sandwich and glass of burgundy that Leopold Bloom has at Davy Byrnes pub in Ulysses.
What is Bloomsday?
Bloomsday celebrates the Irish writer James Joyce and his 1922 novel Ulysses, which takes place entirely on a single day in Dublin: Thursday 16 June 1904.
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