Bloomsday Festival 2026: A Tale of Two Cities-The Dublins of Swift & Joyce

Join us at for a special lecture on Sunday, 15 June at 6pm by Dr. Brendan Twomey about how the city of Dublin shaped (and were shaped by) two of its most iconic writers: Jonathan Swift and James Joyce.

This illustrated talk will use the of 1728 and Swift's comments on Dublin city as a starting point. Swift and Joyce may have been separated by two centuries but to say that they were opinionated about their native city is an understatement. Both writers have instant global visual and literary recognition that is forever associated with Dublin and both are still relevant "after all these years." Both sought, albeit using very different registers and coming from very different social, economic and cultural perspectives, to capture the essence of the spirit of their home city as reflected in its people, its politics, as well as its physical manifestation in its streetscapes and its buildings.

Most of all, both hold a special place in the hearts of modern day Dubliners, who celebrate their lives and works annually with the Bloomsday Festival and . We 'reJoyced' in 2022 with the centenary celebrations of Ulysses. This year, it is Swift's turn as we mark the 300th anniversary of the publication of Gulliver's Travels.

Join us as Dr. Twomey explores the "Dublins" of Swift and Joyce's times, weighing the merits of the old addage "the more things change, the more they stay the same" and the literary masterpieces they have produced.

Dr. Brendan Twomey is an academic and retired banker. In 2018, he completed his PhD in History at Trinity College Dublin. He has published extensively on the financial history of eighteenth-century Ireland. His current research interests are focussed on celebrating the 300th anniversary of the publication of Gulliver’s Travels, first published in 1726, and on continuing his research into the financial and legal affairs of Jonathan Swift.

is organised by in partnership with Fáilte Ireland and the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport.

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