THE IRISH TIMES, June 16th 1904

The morning of June 16th, 1904, in Dublin. A Thursday. The day that would become known as Bloomsday. A city waking up to its own rhythms — trams clattering over cobblestones, the calls of street traders in the markets, the sea-stained air drifting in from the Liffey. And on the front page of The Irish Times, not a single news article.

Instead, the front page was a portrait of commerce: banks and insurance firms promising security in an age of empire, laundries ensuring linen was crisp and clean, hotels offering sanctuary to weary travelers, tailors fitting gentlemen for the latest London fashions. A page filled with the silent transactions of a city alive with business, ambition, and necessity. Births, marriages, deaths — private joys and sorrows set in print between the relentless march of advertisements. The ephemera of a world turning, unaware that on this day, in this city, a man named James Joyce was watching, listening, absorbing.

A Paper Worthy of the Story

It is this page, this moment in print, that we have resurrected in our latest poster — a facsimile of The Irish Times on the morning of Bloomsday, printed by hand onto the finest 250g Fabriano Tiepolo 100% cotton paper, measuring 56x76cm . A tribute to the texture of history, to ink and industry, to a Dublin on the cusp of immortality.

To honor this document of Dublin’s past, we have chosen to print it on Fabriano Tiepolo, a paper of exquisite character. Mould-made, acid-free, with a natural grain that catches the light and holds the ink in a way that feels timeless. The deckled edges, imperfectly perfect, recall an era when paper was not simply a vessel but an art in itself. Each sheet bears the Fabriano watermark — a mark of quality recognized for centuries: a circle enclosing a star, the emblem of a craft refined over generations.

The Fabriano paper mill, founded in 1264 in the Italian Marche region, has been at the heart of fine paper-making for over seven centuries. Used by Michelangelo for his sketches, trusted by the Vatican for its official documents, and sought after by artists and writers alike, Fabriano’s legacy is one of patience, precision, and an unwavering commitment to excellence. From the Renaissance to Modernism, their paper has carried the weight of ideas, the force of creativity, the permanence of ink against time.

The Irish Times maintained a front page dominated by advertisements (or at best, a general news digest) well into the 20th century. It wasn’t until March 21, 1941 that the paper featured the first proper headline and editorial story on the front page. That day’s edition led with WWII news:

“Modified allied front in Greece: Germans surround Mount Olympus.”

Prior to 1941, front-page content was primarily classifieds, announcements, or adverts. Even major events like the sinking of the Titanic (1912) or Archduke Ferdinand’s assassination (1914) were buried deeper in the paper.

Welcome to the journey.

#Bloomsday #JamesJoyce #Fabriano #Ulysses #IrishHistory #TheIrishTimes