Nora Barnacle House Museum
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Closed until May 31, 2025
Nora Barnacle House Museum
Nora Barnacle House Museum
4
Temporarily closedClosed until May 31, 2025
About
Just a few steps from Shop Street, by St. Nicholas Church nestles the smallest museum in Ireland, a perfect setting in which to take you back through the romantic mists of time. This tiny turn of the century house was the home of Nora Barnacle companion, wife & lifelong inspiration of James Joyce Ireland’s greatest writer. It was here in 1909, sitting at the kitchen table that Joyce first met his darling's mother. Letters, photographs & other exhibits of the lives ofJames Joyce & Nora Barnacle make a visit here a unique experience. The house is of interest to both those with a passion for literature & the history of Galway & Ireland. Having been preserved from the 1900s, it gives an insight into daily life at the turn of the century.
Duration: < 1 hour
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.0
22 reviews
Excellent
12
Very good
2
Average
5
Poor
2
Terrible
1
Lauren F
1 contribution
Jul 2023
Visiting Nora Barnacle's house was an absolute highlight of my time in Galway. If you're interested in Joyce, Irish literature, or Galway history circa early 20th century, this is a must-see! Clare is a knowledgeable and engaging guide.
Written July 24, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jackie U
Ireland12 contributions
The tiny, tiny home of Nora Barnacle, wife of James Joyce, is one of those rare experiences which can occasionally jump up on you and surprise you. They always have a guide in situ, which is either one of the Gallagher sisters who own the building (and should be beatified for having saved it and maintained it for the rest of us to enjoy!), or one of their army of friends, all of whom are terrific. You could spend a minute, or a day there, and they wouldn't mind - they will talk to you about Nora, Joyce or anything else you fancy on a related topic, for as long as you choose to stay there. The simplicity of the house is what gets you, and the fact that Joyce clearly enjoyed his time spent there, sleeping in the one tiny bedroom in this tiny house. And the fact that this is the house which produced the magnificient Nora is just the icing on the cake. If you take a fancy to do so, you can read aloud from one of the many Joyce books which are always lying about the house, and pay your own personal homage to the genius that was Joyce, and to the woman who inspired him. DO NOT miss this if you are visting Galway, I promise you, it will be one of your highlights. A rare, and authentic gem.
Written February 23, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
David M
Tampa, FL4,379 contributions
Oct 2016 • Couples
Nora barnacle was a precocious girl orphaned somehow. She lived here with her uncle and fell in love with a local boy who died early from TB.
Distraught, she left and moved to Dublin where she met Oscar Wilde. Although being his muse she remained in love with her original beau.
Distraught, she left and moved to Dublin where she met Oscar Wilde. Although being his muse she remained in love with her original beau.
Written October 17, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michael M
York, UK377 contributions
Aug 2020
We visited this house in Bowling Green street over a decade ago – the former house of Nora Barnacle, the wife and muse of the great Irish writer James Joyce. In fact, this was the Barnacle family home from 1894-1940, but was later turned into a private museum, restored to its former character, with period furniture and kitchen utensils.
However, it seems that the upkeep was too expensive and it has closed, despite some signs in the window, one suggesting a 3-5€ donation - glad to do so but to whom? . Hoping it can be restored to its former glory to honour Nora Barnacle.
However, it seems that the upkeep was too expensive and it has closed, despite some signs in the window, one suggesting a 3-5€ donation - glad to do so but to whom? . Hoping it can be restored to its former glory to honour Nora Barnacle.
Written September 8, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
FrankMcLynn
Munich, Germany232 contributions
May 2017 • Couples
Lovely house/museum. It was, however, closed.
Coitus interruptus.
The tourist office was of no help either.
Ah well - maybe next time.
Coitus interruptus.
The tourist office was of no help either.
Ah well - maybe next time.
Written June 4, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
kelgal
paradise,california8 contributions
Sept 2016 • Friends
Got there on a wet rainy morning and was met by Mary one of the owners of the museum and she had a lovely fire burning, she was wonderful, showed us photos of Nora and her family and answered all of our questions . Great little museum
Written September 25, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ktfloss
galway1,341 contributions
Small house. But if you are into story of NoraBarnacle worth a look
Written May 11, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sinead W
Melbourne, Australia95 contributions
Dec 2024 • Friends
Not a lot of people know about this place and it wasn't in our guidebook (Rough Guide 2022) but it is unmissable for Joyce fans, the owner gave us a private tour by arrangement and we learned so much. The collection of Joycean ephemera is impressive and the owner's knowledge extensive. This is well worth visiting.
Written January 19, 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ruth K
Loughborough, UK3 contributions
Aug 2024 • Family
One of the highlights of our showery weekend in Galway was the Nora Barnacle House Museum. We were offered the choice of a self-tour or a guided talk. We asked for the talk and we did not regret it: our guide was extremely informative, impressive and engaging. Her quiet enthusiasm and obvious admiration for Nora was infectious. We sat rapt in the story of this remarkable woman and her daughter, and her significance for James Joyce. The house is small but offers comfortable seating for the talk. It is crammed with photos, copies of letters and other ephemera. We had always intended to visit the museum, but did not expect to enjoy it as much as we did or to learn as much about Cork, Dublin and turn of the century literary and social life. The hour or so we spent there was one of the highlights of our stay in Galway. I came away inspired and wanting to know more. One comment has stayed with me: without Nora there is no Ulysses.
Written September 14, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bàrbara B
31 contributions
Aug 2024 • Family
Very interesting place to visit for any Joycean lover or anyone interested in Irish literature. Everybody was friendly and welcoming. Highly recommended.
Written August 16, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Yes, the house is open again.
It opens for the summer months,
Thursday- Saturday
10am-4pm
The hours are updated on Google and instagram.
Written July 7, 2023
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