Member Spotlight: Bloomsday Festival, Guided Tour of Monto AR
Bloomsday Festival 2025 starts this week and it provides a unique opportunity to step into the hidden history of Dublin’s infamous red-light district with Monto AR, an immersive augmented reality experience designed by our member Jennifer Shortall in partnership with another member, Imvizar.
Jennifer says, “For anybody with an interest in the historic part of Dublin known as Monto, if you'd like to see storied old buildings resurrected before your very eyes, or if you're just a bit curious about the notorious red-light district that thrived amongst the poverty-stricken slums of the 20th century docklands, or even if you just want to see how this whole Augmented Reality thing works... then head on over to book your tickets and join me for a lunchtime stroll around Monto AR.”
From the festival website:
”Monto AR is a location-based, walkable immersive experience with six stops on a circular route around the streets that made up Joyce’s Nighttown:
📍 Foley Street (formerly Montgomery Street)
📍 James Joyce Street (formerly Mabbott Street)
📍 Railway Street (formerly Mecklenburgh Street Lower)
Users can access the experience for free on their personal mobile devices (phone, tablet, etc.) by downloading the Imvizar app and visiting the location. The app uses geolocation to identify when you are near one of its experiences.
At each of the six stops, the app will prompt you to scan a physical feature with your phone’s camera, and a digitally recreated scene will appear before your eyes.”
