James Joyce Tower and Museum
The James Joyce Tower and Museum is a Martello tower in Sandycove, Dublin, where James Joyce spent six nights in 1904. The opening scenes of his 1922 novel "Ulysses" take place here, and the tower is a place of pilgrimage for Joyce enthusiasts, especially on Bloomsday. Admission is free. History. The tower was leased from the War Office by Joyce's university friend Oliver St. John Gogarty, with the purpose of "Hellenising" Ireland. Joyce stayed there for six days, from 9 to 14 September in 1904. Gogarty later attributed Joyce's abrupt departure to a  midnight incident with a loaded revolver. The opening scenes of "Ulysses" are set the morning after this incident. Gogarty is immortalised as "Stately, plump Buck Mulligan" (the opening words of the novel). The tower now contains a museum dedicated to Joyce and displays some of his possessions and other ephemera associated with "Ulysses" (e.g., "Plumtree's Potted Meat" pot). The living space is set up to resemble its 1904 appearance, and contains a ceramic panther to represent one seen in a dream by a resident. It is a place of pilgrimage for Joyce enthusiasts, especially on Bloomsday. It was purchased  in the 1950s by architect Michael Scott whose house is next door. He then donated the tower for the purpose of making it a museum. The Tower became a museum opening on 16 June 1962 through the efforts of Dublin artist John Ryan. Ryan also rescued the front door to 7 Eccles Street (now at the James Joyce Centre) from demolition and organised, with Brian O'Nolan, the first Bloomsday Celebration in 1954. The James Joyce Tower is open 365 days a year, 10am-6pm (10am-4pm in Winter). Admission is free, but donations are needed for upkeep. The museum is run by  the Friends of Joyce Tower Society on a voluntary basis.