Category: Children

Breathe and Bloom: Of Fathers and Figures

Written by Conor on May 24, 2025.

Happenings Ireland in partnership with the Bloomsday Festival and James Joyce Centre present Breathe and Bloom: Of Fathers and Figures, a unique celebration of Bloomsday and Father’s Day on Sunday, June 15th at 11am-1.30pm in Brighton Square.

James Joyce was born on February 2nd 1882 in 41 Brighton Square. This Father’s Day, we return to where it all began for a joyful, reflective, and slightly whimsical celebration of fatherhood, physicality, and Ulysses. Join us for a Bloomsday event unlike any other: Breathe and Bloom, where strong bodies, deep breaths, literary minds, and family memories come together in one beautiful park.

Ulysses may not be your go-to wellness guide but Leopold Bloom’s meditations on his body and mind—his Sandow’s exercises, his moments of self-care and doubt—are surprising windows into early wellness culture. This year, we honour those insights with a playful Father’s Day twist. We celebrate not only Bloom’s bodily awareness but also his role as a flawed, compassionate, and deeply human father figure.

Whether you’re a father, have a father, or are just father-curious, come connect with generations past and present through breath, movement, story, and song.

✨ The Slightly Whimsical but also very serious programme:

🧘 11:00–12:00 | Yoga and Breathwork in the Park with Michael Ryan (father of two and yoga teacher to President Michael D Higgins): A grounding, family-friendly yoga session open to all ages and levels. Designed to be welcoming for fathers, daughters, grandads, sons, mentors and mentees. Expect breath, stretch and laughter.

💪 12:00–12:30 | “Sandow’s Ghost: A Return to Strength” with Dr. Conor Heffernan: A lively talk and demonstration on the historical influence of Eugen Sandow, the father of modern bodybuilding and Bloom’s fitness muse. Dr. Conor Heffernan, Lecturer of Social Sciences of Sport in Ulster University, brings insight and humour with interactive exercises and optional participation for anyone brave enough to try out some Victorian dumbbell reps. Our special Father-Child Sandow Showdown is encouraged but not required!

🎭 12:30–1:30 | Readings, Music & The Family Picnic Lawn: Readings of Joycean passages exploring fatherhood, folly and feeling by local artists and special guests. Interspersed with music, children’s readings, and opportunities for attendees to share a line, a lyric, or a toast to their own father figure. Bring a blanket, some sandwiches or whatever you fancy, and make an afternoon of it.

🎨 Bonus Experiences | The “Letter to My Da” Tree: Write or draw a note to your dad, past or present, and hang it in our blooming tribute tree.

🏋️‍♂️ Bonus Experiences | Sandow Kids Station: Mini weight-lifting (safely foam-based!) and Victorian mustache crafting for the young and young-at-heart.

Come enjoy a morning and early afternoon of yoga, mindfulness and fun in what is a Bloomsday Festival and Fathers Day first!

The Yoga in the Park class is €10. The other activities are free and open to the public.

Bloomsday at the James Joyce Centre

Written by Conor on May 7, 2025.

The James Joyce Centre opens its doors to celebrate the greatest day of the year — Bloomsday! We will be open to the public for free on Monday, June 16th from 9:30am to 6pm.

The James Joyce Centre is proud to organise the Bloomsday Festival on behalf of the city of Dublin. As a token of our appreciation to Dublin and all the participants of Bloomsday, we will open our doors to the public for free. Come see Leopold Bloom’s door from No. 7 Eccles Street, where it all began. Browse our exhibitions, parlour rooms, and interactive guides to Joyce’s life and work. Marvel at the beautifully preserved 18th century townhouse, a stunning example of high Georgian architecture. See the Maginni Room, named after “Mr Denis J Maginni, professor of dancing &c,” the real-life dance instructor who used the room as his dance studio and is mentioned in Ulysses!

Listen to the beautiful music of Classical Joyce at 10am and a trepidatious performance by the Fingal Mummers at 2pm. The Bloomsday Film Exhibition by the Bloomsday Film Festival will be playing in the Volta Room throughout the day starting at 10am.

Enjoy the acclaimed performance of Declan Gorman’s The Dubliners Dilemma at 4pm and listen in on a live recording of the Blooms & Barnacles Podcast: Could an AI Write Ulysses? at 6.30pm. Please note that these two events are ticketed.

Seedcake will be provided by the Parnell Street Bakery for visitors to enjoy. An appearance by “Alice,” a vintage car built in 1904, will grace North Great George’s Street.

There will be readings, talks, music, children’s events, and fun throughout the day!

Feel free to dress up in your finest bowler hats and Edwardian garb as you join visitors from all over the world for an unparalleled cultural celebration.

Admission is free and open to the public. No booking is necessary.

We hope to see you there!

All Hallows Bloomsday Choir Concert

Written by Conor on April 30, 2025.

“He had reached the open backdoor of All Hallows.”

Join us this Bloomsday in the beautiful and historic St. Andrew’s Parish Church, Westland Row (also known as All Hallows, where Leopold Bloom observes mass in Ulysses), as we celebrate the Musical Hall era and its influence on James Joyce. Enjoy Joycean favourites found in Ulysses such as “Love’s Old Sweet Song,” “Seaside Girls” and many more. This is a free, family friendly event, commencing at 11am and lasting 30 minutes. All are welcome and singing along is very much encouraged! After the performance there will be a free 15 minute tour of the Church.

The event is free.

Boulevard Bloom

Written by Conor on April 30, 2025.

“the thoroughfare hitherto known as Cow Parlour off Cork Street be henceforth designated Boulevard Bloom.”

So says former Lord Mayor of Dublin Timothy Harrington in Chapter 15 (‘Circe’) of James Joyce’s Ulysses. And who are we to object?

The Tenters Celebrated Heritage Group cordially invites you to join us in Cow Parlour off Cork Street in Dublin 8 for our Boulevard Bloom event on Bloomsday, Monday, the 16th of June at 10.45am. The morning will start with a brief introduction to the history of Cow Parlour, which has been in existence for at least 300 years. We will then be joined by Mr Harrington, who will propose the renaming of Cow Parlour to ‘Boulevard Bloom.’ We are confident that there will be no objections to the proposal and for it to be carried unanimously. After the official business is completed, we will have a cuppa and cake, seated at linen covered tables more suited to the new Boulevard status of Cow Parlour. Music and singing will of course be the order of the morning.

Each year, we are joined by the 6th Class pupils and their teachers from four of the local National Schools. The children have all submitted written pieces of a journey they have taken. One child from each school to read aloud their individual piece. We will have a reading of Joyce’s fable, The Cat and the Devil (which was originally a letter written to Joyce’s grandson, Stephen).

We are encouraging the wearing of hats to add to the Bloomsday atmosphere. All are welcome. Rest assured, this renaming of Cow Parlour to Boulevard Bloom will only be a temporary one . . . All in the spirit of Leopold Bloom!

The event is free and open to the public.

A Blooming Great Day: Reading and Workshop with Úna Woods

Written by Conor on April 30, 2025.

It seems like just another ordinary day for Rosie and her grandad. But as soon as they step outside, they find themselves on a blooming great adventure around Dublin on the 16th of June, 1904!

Join us at the James Joyce Centre on Sunday, June 15th for a children’s event of fun, mischief, and Joyce! Author and illustrator Úna Woods will read from her new children’s book A Blooming Great Day (The O’Brien Press) and lead a drawing workshop. The children will draw scenes from the book and design their own hats! This is a great way for children to be introduced to Joyce and to partake in Dublin’s great literary tradition.

Tickets are €10 with special 2-for-1 sale.

Úna Woods is a children’s book illustrator and author who lives in Dublin with her husband and two children and their ginger cat. Her previous books include Have You Seen the Dublin Vampire? and A Spooktacular Place to Be, both published by The O’Brien Press. Úna loves working with bright colours and patterns. She also loves reading and running.

Bloomsday for Kids: The Cat and the Devil

Written by Conor on April 30, 2025.

James Joyce penned this story in a letter to his four-year-old grandson Stephen (“Stevie”). It is commonly known as “The Cat and the Devil.” However, it is also known as “The Cat of Beaugency.” The letter of 10 August 1936, where it was first told, begins:

“My dear Stevie: I sent you a little cat filled with sweets a few days ago but perhaps you do not know the story about the cat of Beaugency”.

This marvellous story has been brought to life by Morgan Cooke, Zita Monaghan McGowan and Molly Mew.

The event is free and open to the public. There will be sitting and standing room available.

Rathgar Bloomsday Festival

Written by Conor on April 30, 2025.

James Joyce was born in Rathgar in 1882. Dress up and come celebrate all things Joyce at Rathgar Village Square, sponsored by Dublin City Council and Rathgar Business Association. They will be readings of Ulysses, jazz from Razzmajazz, food stalls, and face painting and Alpacas for the kids. The event is free of charge and will be outdoors, weather permitting.

Silk Worm Families: Quilling Blossoms for Bloomsday

Written by Conor on April 30, 2025.

A fun and crafty event for all the family this Bloomsday!

Celebrate Bloomsday by creating decorations inspired by flowers mentioned in James Joyce’s Ulysses. During this engaging workshop for young artists and their families, we will explore the beautiful technique of paper quilling. Using colourful paper strips, we will roll, shape, and glue pieces together to form intricate flowers, leaves, and swirling patterns. This hands-on activity fosters creativity, fine motor skills, and patience, allowing kids to design their own decorative artwork. Whether crafting a blooming garden or a whimsical floral scene, children will enjoy the process of transforming simple paper into stunning, three-dimensional art.

Limited to 20 children aged 6-11 years and their parents or guardians.

The event is free but booking is essential.

Bloomsday Writing Competition 2025

Written by Conor on April 30, 2025.

The Museum of Childhood Ireland and Marsh’s Library present its annual Bloomsday competition, open to anyone under 18, with prizes for primary school and second level entrants!

What to write

James Joyce was an Irish writer who wrote a very famous book called Ulysses. The story takes place over a single day, June 16th, 1904. Every year, fans of Joyce and Ulysses celebrate the book on Bloomsday (named after the main character, Leopold Bloom). For Bloomsday 2025, we would like YOU to write a short story of no more than 500 words. Like Ulysses, it should take place in a single day, but with a twist. Use this painting below, Shapeshifter by Diana Copperwhite, as your starting point. Then, let your imagination run free and describe the day. If you are stuck for ideas, we’ve some suggestions below to get you started, but it is up to you to decide what you’d like to write.

Ideas Lab

You can write whatever you want, but if you’d like a few ideas, here goes:

Look at the painting from the outside. What do you see? Why do you notice that? What more can you find out?
Imagine you are inside the painting. What is happening? What can you hear/see/smell/taste? How do you feel, and why? What were you doing, and what happens next?
Think of where the painting might be located. Where is it? Are you there? Is there anyone else there with the painting? Why are they there, what are they doing and how are they feeling?

If you prefer, you can even submit your entry in the form of a storyboard. You can map out the key events in your story by illustrating them.

How to submit entries

As authors must be under 18, they cannot submit their own work. Entries must be emailed by a teacher or responsible adult, with appropriate parental permission. Do not include the entries in the main body of the email. Send them as an attached file (e.g., a Word document or PDF) to eeivers@museumofchildhood.ie.

Each attached file must include:

the story itself.
the writer’s first name, age and their location (county or country).

Make sure you do not include any other author identification details in the file. In the email itself, the adult submitting must:

confirm that the story is original, and that it is the work of the author.
tell us if the author is attending a primary or a second level school.
provide contact and personal details for the adult submitting the story.

If you are a teacher submitting on behalf of some of your class, you only need to confirm originality once, for all entries submitted. Please also include your school name and roll number. This information will be used to identify prize-winning schools.

We will announce our overall winner and finalists on June 16th, 2025. All finalists will be invited to an Awards Ceremony in Marsh’s Library, Dublin in September.

Rules and more information

See below for a quick summary of the main rules, or click the link lower down for full details.

Deadline is Noon, May 16th 2025 and the author must be under 18 on that date.
Entries that exceed 500 words, or include defamatory, distressing, or inappropriate content will not be accepted.
Each entry should only include the writer’s first name, age, and approximate location (county in Ireland / country if outside Ireland). Contact details for a responsible adult are collected separately.

Full terms and conditions of the competition: https://museumofchildhood.ie/writing-art-project-2020-terms-and-conditions/

Governance: https://museumofchildhood.ie/governance/

Boulevard Bloom

Written by Conor on May 30, 2024.

“the thoroughfare hitherto known as Cow Parlour off Cork Street be henceforth designated Boulevard Bloom.”

So says former Lord Mayor of Dublin Timothy Harrington in James Joyce’s Ulysses. And who are we to object?

On Thursday 13th of June, ‘The Tenters Celebrated’ heritage group would like to cordially invite you to join us in Cow Parlour off Cork Street in Dublin 8 for our Boulevard Bloom event. The morning will start with a brief introduction to the history of Cow Parlour, which has been in existence for at least 300 years. We will then be joined by Mr Harrington, who will propose the renaming of Cow Parlour to ‘Boulevard Bloom’. We are confident that there will be no objections to the proposal and for it to be carried unanimously. After the official business is completed, we will have a cuppa and cake, seated at linen covered tables more suited to the new Boulevard status of Cow Parlour. Music and singing will of course be the order of the morning.

A Blooming Great Day: Reading and Workshop with Úna Woods

Written by Conor on May 3, 2024.

It seems like just another ordinary day for Rosie and her grandad. But as soon as they step outside, they find themselves on a blooming great adventure around Dublin on the 16th of June, 1904!

Join us at the James Joyce Centre on Bloomsday for a children’s event of fun, mischief, and Joyce! Author and illustrator Úna Woods will read from her new children’s book A Blooming Great Day (The O’Brien Press) and lead a drawing workshop. The children will draw scenes from the book and design their own hats! This is a great way for children to be introduced to Joyce and to partake in Dublin’s great literary tradition.

Tickets are €10 with special 2-for-1 sale.

Bloomsday Writing Competition 2024 for Young Authors

Written by Conor on April 28, 2024.

The Museum of Childhood Ireland and Marsh’s Library proudly presents its annual Bloomsday Writing Competition for Young Authors! We invite young authors to write a short piece of fiction inspired by Ulysses.

Please read on to learn about what’s involved, what to write, and how to submit an entry. Whether the author is a primary school pupil or a second level student, these core rules apply:

-Deadline is June 1st 2024 at 9am and the author must be under 18 on that date.
-Entries must not exceed 500 words, and cannot include defamatory, distressing, or inappropriate content.
-The story must be based where the young writer is currently living or recently lived, but set 100 years into the future.
-Each entry should only include the writer’s first name, age, and approximate location (county in Ireland / country if outside Ireland). Contact details for a responsible adult are collected separately.

Primary school pupils
James Joyce was an Irish writer who wrote a very famous book called Ulysses. In it, he describes a day in the life of three main characters, living in Dublin over 100 years ago. Think of where you live right now. What might it have been like 100 years ago? Would it be very different? Now, think 100 years into the future. In 2124, what do you think life will be like where YOU live? What will people be like and what will the area be like? Now, write a story about one day in the life of one character (it can be you or someone else), and base it where you live. Tell us what it is like in 2124, what has changed in people’s lives and what has stayed the same.

Second level students
James Joyce was an Irish writer who wrote a very famous novel called Ulysses. The story takes place over a single day, June 16th, 1904. It follows the activities of three main characters, who offer a unique perspective on the changes happening in Dublin at that time. Often people say that Dublin is the fourth character, because Joyce weaves the city’s streets, landmarks, and cultural nuances into the fabric of the story. Ulysses captures the essence of early 20th century Dublin, a city emerging from cultural and political unrest, and gives a snapshot of this time. You are asked to create a story that reflects and pays homage to Joyce’s ability to capture social, political and cultural changes, but is based in the future (2124). It must include three main characters, each offering a unique perspective on where you live, as you think it will be in 100 years from now. If you use artificial intelligence (AI) as part of the creative process, you must indicate how it has been used and explain how you have put your own unique, personal and creative stamp/angle of this story to make it an original entry.

How to submit entries
Young authors cannot submit their own work. Entries must be emailed on their behalf by a teacher or responsible adult, with appropriate parental permission. Do not include the entries in the main body of the email. Send them as an attached file (e.g., a Word document or PDF) to eeivers@museumofchildhood.ie.

Each attached file must include the story itself, the writer’s first name, age and their location (county or country). It should not include any other identification information. In the email itself, the adult submitting must confirm that the story is original, it is the work of the author, and it is based where the author currently lives or previously lived. The adult must provide their own contact and personal details. If you are a teacher submitting on behalf of one or more pupils or students, you only need to confirm originality once, for all entries submitted. Please also include your school name and roll number. This information will be used to identify prize-winning schools.

Awards Ceremony: Marsh’s Library in September, specific date TBC.

The winners will be announced on Bloomsday, June 16th on our website, but the ceremony will be in September.

Prizes: For the primary school level winner, second level winner, and their associated schools. We will also have one overall winner. Shortlisted finalists will receive certificates.

Sponsors: Experience Glasnevin, Gill Books, Faber-Castell, Futa Fata, The O’Brien Press.

Winning writers will be able to select a set of books from our sponsors’ websites. They will also receive a set of Faber-Castell materials, and Experience Glasnevin are offering a family pass to visit and tour / something from their gift shop.

The schools associated with the winning writers will receive sets of books from our sponsors, materials from Faber-Castell, and a class tour with Experience Glasnevin.

Full terms and conditions of the competition: https://museumofchildhood.ie/writing-art-project-2020-terms-and-conditions/

Governance: https://museumofchildhood.ie/governance/

Bloomsday at the James Joyce Centre

Written by Conor on April 18, 2024.

The James Joyce Centre welcomes you to its doors to celebrate the greatest time of the year — Bloomsday!

The James Joyce Centre is proud to organise the Bloomsday Festival on behalf of the city of Dublin. As a token of our appreciation to Dublin and all the participants of Bloomsday, we will be open free of charge on Sunday, June 16th from 9:30am to 4:30pm. Come see Leopold Bloom’s door from No. 7 Eccles Street, where it all began. Browse our exhibitions, parlour rooms, and interactive guides to Joyce’s life and work. Marvel at the beautifully preserved 18th century townhouse, a stunning example of high Georgian architecture. See the Maginni Room, named after “Mr Denis J Maginni, professor of dancing &c,” the real-life dance instructor who used the room as his dance studio and is mentioned in Ulysses! There will be readings, talks, music, children’s events, and fun throughout the day!

Feel free to dress up in your finest bowler hats and Edwardian garb as you join visitors from around the world for an unparalleled literary occasion. For more information, visit our website at www.jamesjoyce.ie.

We hope to see you there!

Rathgar Bloomsday Festival

Written by Conor on April 18, 2024.

Dress up and come celebrate all things Joyce at Rathgar Village Square, sponsored by Dublin City Council and Rathgar Business Association. They will be readings of Ulysses, jazz from Razzmajazz, food stalls, and face painting and Alpacas for the kids. The event is free of charge and will be outdoors, weather permitting.

Make Your Own Boater Hat! Live Online Bloomsday Workshop for Families by Chester Beatty

Written by Conor on April 3, 2024.

In honour of James Joyce and his iconic work, Ulysses, the Chester Beatty invites families to engage in a creative and sustainable craft activity: making your very own boater hat from recycled materials. Armed with cardboard, tape, and an array of decorative elements, you’ll have everything you need to fashion a personalized boater hat. Once they’re complete, share your masterpieces with us on social media!

The event is free but booking is essential. The event will be held online.

Materials:
Cardboard (cereal box cardboard & a thicker cardboard) – as much as you can find!
Scissors
Masking tape
Duct tape
Pen
Measuring tape
Ruler
Stapler
Glue

Optional materials:
Toilet roll tubes
Ribbon
Dark Coloured Material
Feathers
Flowers
Paint
Scalpel (if old enough to use one)
Markers

Share your hat with us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram!