James Joyce never ran to Mullingar but this June, a group of runners, walkers, and cyclists will make the journey, tracing a 100km path from the James Joyce Tower in Sandycove to the midlands town that left its mark on both the man and his work.
Part literary pilgrimage, part endurance challenge, the Royal Canal Odyssey is a new grassroots initiative that reimagines Bloomsday as a living, moving tribute. It’s the first time such a journey has been attempted in Joyce’s name, connecting Dublin and Mullingar along a route inspired by Ulysses.
The event will take place on Saturday, 14 June 2025, with an early morning, 6am start at the James Joyce Tower in Sandycove, the novel’s opening setting. Adventurers will then follow the coastline through Blackrock and Sandymount before hitting Spencer Dock, the start of the Royal Canal. They will then make a short detour through central Dublin, echoing Leopold Bloom’s path on 16 June 1904, through Monto, James Joyce Street and North Great George’s Street, nodding to the author’s alma maters Belvedere College and O’Connell School, before joining the Royal Canal Way at Binn’s Bridge, a straight line passed Cross Guns Bridge and Glasnevin cemetery to Mullingar, where the author’s father once worked, and where Joyce spent a formative time as a young man.
The initiative was officially launched on Wednesday, 16 April 2025 at the James Joyce Tower & Museum, hosted by Curator, Alice Ryan with invited guests An Cathaoirleach Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council Cllr. Jim O’Leary and local MEP Barry Andrews.
The organisers hope the Royal Canal Odyssey will grow into an annual Bloomsday tradition, celebrating Irish literature and the greenways that now connect the country in ways the canal once did. The Royal Canal Greenway is a great example of ongoing efforts across Ireland to improve access to nature, transforming how we appreciate our shared spaces.
Cllr. O’Leary remarked, “I think this is a wonderful event. The idea of running 100 kilometres from James Joyce Tower to Mullingar along the Royal Canal as part of Bloomsday is a fantastic idea.”
The Royal Canal Odyssey is not a commercial pursuit, but rather an independent movement that has captured the imagination of a growing community. What began as a shared pursuit among friends has evolved into a meaningful expression of endurance, friendship and a shared spirit of adventure.
Travelling the route in their own time, carrying what they need and going at their own pace, some will complete the full 100km, while others are opting for various distances from 5km upwards with the goal of arriving in Mullingar around 5pm.
“ James Joyce Tower & Museum are delighted to support the Royal Canal Odyssey, a wonderful example of community spirit and connection, reimagined for the present day, yet rooted in the spirit of Bloomsday.” Alice Ryan, Curator added, “Joyce walked, wandered, and wondered, and this event captures all of that.” Visit www.royalcanalodyssey.ie to learn more.
