Tuesday, 31 March 2026 at 12pm

The James Joyce Centre was delighted to host the launch of the 9th volume of Cut & Paste: Remembering Arthur Griffith with guest speaker Bryan Dobson on Tuesday, 31 March at 12pm.

Bryan Dobson is a retired Irish journalist, newscaster and presenter for RTÉ.

Published by Printwell Books, Cut & Paste is an annual publication that focuses on Arthur Griffith and his times. Edited by Cormac O’Hanrahan, this year’s edition includes articles by Colum Kenny, Felix M. Larkin, Brian Maye, Gerard Shannon, Aaron Ó Maonaigh, Turlough Crowe, Des Gunning, Brendan Twomey and Andrew Basquille.

Copies are available for purchase at The James Joyce Centre. You may also order online at printwellbooks.com.

The James Joyce Centre is supported by the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport.

The post Cut & Paste No. 9 Launch appeared first on James Joyce Centre, Dublin, Ireland.

8-13 February 2026

On 8-13 February 2026, Director Darina Gallagher and Dr. Josh Q. Newman visited the Under and Tuglas Literary Institute in Tallinn, Estonia for a job shadowing programme that is part of an Erasmus+ short-term mobility project, “Digital Transformation in European Writers’ Museum.”

The six-month project aims to improve digitization competences, facilitate the accessibility and usability of collections, reach a wider audience through online platforms, enable an exciting museum experience for all people, expand the circle of cooperation partners and present the project results internationally. The project hopes to significantly improve the digitisation knowledge and skills of memory institutions in order to present the literary and cultural history of 20th-century Europe in a broader and more inclusive way.

You can read more about our experiences in this blog: Digital Transformation in European Writers’ Museums: Part 1.

We wish to express our gratitude to Hegely Klaus, Dr. Elle-Mari Talivee, Iris Eelmaa of the Literary Institute as well as the Tallinn Literature Centre and the Estonian Academy of Sciences. The next phase of the project will take place this month at the Petőfi Literary Museum in Budapest, Hungary.

The project is co-funded by the European Union and facilitated by Léargas. The James Joyce Centre is supported by the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport.

The post Eramsus+ Short-Term Mobility Project: Part 1 appeared first on James Joyce Centre, Dublin, Ireland.

6 February 2026 at 6.30pm

The James Joyce Centre was delighted to host the premiere of 18 More Ballads after James Joyce’s Ulysses Volume II by Val O’Donnell on Friday, 6th February at 6.30pm.

Adding to the success of his 2024 18 Ballads from James Joyce’s Ulysses, Val is at it again with 18 more vibrant, playful and engrossing ballads set to airs of music referred to in Ulysses and Joyce’s other work. It includes short quotes from Joyce’s work, a note on the music and suggestions for accessing the original sheet music and performances of the airs chosen for the ballads.

Although there are about 700 songs referenced in Ulysses, only a few songs are actually performed by the characters. Only one of the episodes – ‘Sirens,’ which is set in the saloon bar of the old Ormond Hotel – is the setting for an informal afternoon concert. Even then, we only hear snatches of the music being sung. Val thought it would be a good idea to give a musical voice to some of the characters and to set their ballads to music associated with Joyce.

After the inaugural performance in 2024 and another in 2025, the James Joyce Centre was honoured to host the third.

Copies of 18 More Ballads are on sale in our giftshop and are available for shipping. The book was published by Printwell Books.

Our special thanks to Val, Sinéad Murphy, Joe Ryder, Andrew Basquille and Darina Gallgher for their wonderful performances.

About Val
Val O’Donnell has a connection with the theatre for over 50 years as an actor, director and adaptor of Irish literature.

In 2011, Val established The JoyceStagers Theatre Company to perform his adaptations from the works of James Joyce. The JoyceStagers have performed “The Funeral of Paddy Dignam,” adapted by Val from the 6th episode of Ulysses, annually on Bloomsday at Glasnevin Cemetary. They have also performed his adaptations from Episodes 8, 12, and 16 at various locations in Dublin during the Bloomsday Festival. Val has a lifelong interest in music and plays piano. Email him at donnellvalo@gmail.com.

The James Joyce Centre is supported by the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport.

The post 18 More Ballads by Val O’Donnell appeared first on James Joyce Centre, Dublin, Ireland.

2 February 2026

On Monday, 2 February 2026, the James Joyce Centre was open to the public for free to celebrate the birthday of James Joyce.

We had a wonderful time filled with joy, laughter, tours, songs, readings and more than a little cake. Mr Joyce himself (aka John Shevlin) even managed to make an appearance at his own party.

Thanks so much to Noel O’Grady, Eileene McLoughlin, Jack Walsh, Paul Reardon, Sinead Murphy and to all of those who joined us for this special day.

Happy 144th James!

The James Joyce Centre is supported by the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport.

The post Happy Birthday Mr. Joyce! appeared first on James Joyce Centre, Dublin, Ireland.

15 January 2026 at 6.30pm

A text like Finnegans Wake can understandably be met with a degree of intimidation from an unfamiliar audience. But what if it were possible to make the experience of browsing through the text easy and enjoyable?

The Finnegans Web project in Japan was launched on Bloomsday 2025 with the aim of making Finnegans Wake accessible to all. On Thursday, 15 January 2026 at 6:30pm, Finnegans Web co-founder Kenji Hayakawa presented an overview of the project as well as the inner workings of its two main pillars, the Notes and the New Translation. This talk offered practical insights into ways of encouraging and supporting a wider readership to pick up and enjoy a book like Finnegans Wake.

Kenji Hayakawa is a translator and interpreter based in Dublin, Ireland. Working with the English-Japanese pair, he has translated a wide range of material including books by Yoko Tawada, Noam Chomsky, Dipesh Chakrabarty and others. He is the founder and host of Reading Finnegans Wake, a Japanese-language weekly livestream programme endorsed by the Embassy of Ireland in Japan, the James Joyce Centre and the Blooms & Barnacles Podcast. Currently, he is working on a new Japanese translation of Finnegans Wake.

You can access his translation at www.finneganswake.net.

The James Joyce Centre is supported by the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport.

The post The Finnegans Web Project appeared first on James Joyce Centre, Dublin, Ireland.

12 & 13 December 2025 at 7pm

Bewley’s Café Theatre and The James Joyce Centre presented Charles Dickens’ timeless classic A Christmas Carol! Watch as you are transported back to Victorian London and follow the heartwarming journey of Ebenezer Scrooge on Friday & Saturday, 12 & 13 December 2025 at 7pm.

Performed by Michael James Ford, Sinead Murphy, and Sam Ford, the performance showed Scrooge’s ghostly journey to redemption, accompanied by a richly atmospheric live musical score. A sell-out hit at the Viking Theatre for the past nine years, it was the perfect way to experience Dickens’ masterpiece and share his world of phantoms, darkness, merriment, and everlasting goodwill.

“Don’t miss this delightful version of the classic.” Sunday Independent

“…fine dramatic storytelling…perfect for the season.” Red Curtain Review

“It lingers in the mind…it really is superb.” Donnchadh O’Laoire

The James Joyce Centre is supported by the Department of Culture, Communication and Sport.

The post A Christmas Carol appeared first on James Joyce Centre, Dublin, Ireland.

6 December 2025 at 7pm

We were pleased to host a screening of the 1977 adaptation of James Joyce’s novel, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man (dir. Joseph Strick) on Saturday, 6th December 2025 at 7pm.

The film depicts the coming-of-age of Stephen Dedalus at the turn of the 20th century. It poignantly explores the timeless themes for which Joyce is known; national identity and personal belonging, loss of youth and innocence, and the complexities of artistic life.

The James Joyce Centre is supported by the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport.

The post A Portrait of the Artist Film Screening appeared first on James Joyce Centre, Dublin, Ireland.

5 December 2025 at 6.30pm

The James Joyce Centre was pleased to host a discussion with Portuguese writer Pedro Chagas Freitas in an event organised by the Embassy of Portugal to Ireland in collaboration with Literature Ireland on the subject of his new book, The Day I Found You, on Friday, 5 December 2025 at 6.30pm. Moderated by Sinéad Mac Aodha, Director of Literature Ireland, this literary gathering fostered a wide-ranging discussion about this exciting new novel and its exploration of love and loss.

Pedro Chagas Freitas is a Portuguese writer, journalist, public speaker, and creative writing mentor, having founded the National Championship of Creative Writing in Portugal. With over 30 books published, his work has been translated into more than a dozen languages ​​and published in over fifty countries, with sales exceeding one million copies worldwide. The Day I Found You is the first of his novels to be published in English.

The James Joyce Centre is supported by the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport.

The post An Evening with Pedro Chagas Freitas appeared first on James Joyce Centre, Dublin, Ireland.

22 November 2025 at 7pm

Through music, poetry, and storytelling, The Poetry Stroll brought to life the history and literary landmarks of Dublin on Saturday, 22nd November 2025 at 7pm.

After a year of tracing the footsteps of James Joyce, Leopold Bloom, Cashel Boyle O’Connor Fitzmaurice Tisdall Farrell — and many others — around Sweny’s Pharmacy, Merrion Square Park, and Finn’s Hotel, the songs and verses performed during The Poetry Stroll have been gathered on an album: Lotus Eater: Songs & Verses.

This launch concert at the James Joyce Centre brought Joycean songs, poetry set to music, and a few original pieces into the bargain — by singer-songwriter Remco Jacobs, a.k.a. Lotus Eater.

The James Joyce Centre is supported by the Department of Culture, Communication and Sport.

The post Lotus Eater: Songs & Verses appeared first on James Joyce Centre, Dublin, Ireland.

Sunday, 16 November 2025 at 11am

The James Joyce Centre was pleased to host this family-friendly, authentic storytelling experience as young and old wereinvited to re-connect with their storytelling roots at Fable Family Festival on Sunday, 16 November.

Fable celebrates the power of storytelling, inspiring the next generation of seanchaí by re-imagining the traditional storytelling experience in ambitious and imaginative ways that engage young and curious audiences.

It was a magical day of storytelling, workshops, and creative activities for children. Families enjoyed fireside stories, songs, and tall tales with actor, singer, and storyteller Wren Dennehy and friends, where children sang along to the tale of Molly Malone and watched the Púca come to life in word and song.

Our seanchaís brought colourful myths reimagined for modern ears, including the specially commissioned story by children’s writer Dave Rudden, The Salmon of Knowledge, which celebrates wisdom, curiosity, perseverance, and the joy of sharing knowledge.

Children also joined Animal Story Time Yoga, where they moved and played like their favourite animal friends, imagining fantastic creatures and bringing their stories to life on the mat in a supportive and inclusive environment. In What’s Your Tall Tale, children worked with a storyteller to reconnect with Ireland’s rich storytelling tradition, creating their own tall tales through imagery and words.

In theatre and improv workshops with Dublin City Libraries’ Storyteller in Residence Aisling Breen, kids became storytellers themselves, using drama games, movement, and playful improvisation to develop characters, scenes, and adventures on stage. Finally, children celebrated heroes through art with acclaimed artist Kiki Na Art, designing and creating artworks inspired by mythic legends or real-life heroes.

​Fable on Film featured Seanchai recordings of mythic stories which families visited throughout the day.

​Children dove into creativity at Arts & Crafts: Create Your Own Salmon of Knowledge, where they crafted their own Salmon of Knowledge using recycled materials, paint, and imagination, celebrating wisdom, curiosity, and the joy of discovery through art. Alongside this, the Spellcasting Stand offered a magical space where storytelling and play werecombined as a tool for well-being, encouraging imagination and mindfulness.

For those who could not attend in person, the Fable Podcast offers accessible portals to ancient Ireland, featuring the 2025 unique adaptation of the Salmon of Knowledge, alongside classics from previous festivals, including renowned seanchaí Eddie Lenihan sharing stories of the “other folk,” alongside modern myths read by singer Jerry Fish and actress Mary Murray.​​​​​​​

Fable Family Festival is proudly sponsored by The Arts Council of Ireland with thanks to the James Joyce Centre.

The James Joyce Centre is supported by the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport.

The post Fable Family Festival 2025 appeared first on James Joyce Centre, Dublin, Ireland.