Bloomsday

Bloomsday

June 16

James Joyce's novel Ulysses describes the events of a single day in Dublin: June 16, 1904. First published in Paris in 1922 because it had been banned elsewhere, Ulysses caused an uproar when it finally did appear in Ireland, and for a time, Joyce was reviled by the people of Dublin. But since 1954 Bloomsday—named after the novel's main character, Leopold Bloom—has been a Joycean feast day, observed with a number of events throughout Dublin that commemorate its illustrious author and the lives of his characters. There is a ritual pilgrimage along the "Ulysses Trail" (the path followed by Leopold Bloom), public readings from the novel, costume parties, and parades. Joyce fans can visit the Martello Tower, where the author lived, the James Joyce Centre, and Davy Byrne's Pub, where Leopold Bloom stops on his day-long odyssey. Restaurants specialize in serving the dishes that Bloom ate: kidneys for breakfast, gorgonzola cheese and burgundy for lunch.

CONTACTS:
James Joyce Centre
35 N Great Georges St.
Dublin, 1 Ireland
353-1-8788547; fax: 353-1-8788488
www.jamesjoyce.ie
Dublin Tourism
Tourism Centre
Suffolk St.
Dublin, 2 Ireland
353-1-6057700; fax: 353-1-6057757
www.visitdublin.com

SOURCES:
AnnivHol-2000, p. 101
DictDays-1988, p. 13
OxYear-1999, p. 252

Celebration day: Jun 16