Bloomsday

Bloomsday is a celebration that takes place both in Dublin and around the world on 16th June every year.

In celebration of the life and legend of Irish writer James Joyce on Blooming Day, June 16th each year, we take a moment to honor and celebrate all that we have gained from the his works. The meaning of June 16th is taken from his 1922 novel, "Ulysses", which takes place on June 16, 1904 and follows a day in the life of the story's protagonist (Leopold Bloom). That was also the day Joyce had her first date with then-fiancée Nora Barnacle. Either way, Bloomsday celebrates these two occasions annually on June 16th. The story of Leopold Bloom is recognized as one of the most important works of modern literature and is largely considered a catalyst for the entire movement. Today, people in Ireland and Joyce fans around the world celebrate, read books, plays, crawl in pubs, and more to honor a man who changed literature forever.

History of Bloomsday

The first mention of Bloomsday celebration is found in a letter written by Joyce herself to Miss Weaver in 1924, mentioning that “a group of people observed what they called the Feast of Blooming Days on June 16". The story was originally serialized in the American magazine, "The Little Review", where the events of "Ulysses" tended to parallel Homer's epic, "The Odyssey". While in “The Odyssey” Odysseus has a 10-year journey home to his wife, Penelope, in contrast, Leopold Bloom's story is about him trying to avoid going home to his wife. While the story doesn't feature mythical gods, goddesses, or sirens, it follows an ordinary man confronting everyday life in what could be described as somewhat ridiculous realism. "Ulysses," on the one hand, has been called "the most striking landmark in modern literature," a work in which the intricacies of life are described with "unprecedented linguistic technique and stylistic virtuosity." ever, and unparalleled” by T.S. On the other hand, Eliot and a pile of cow dung full of worms, photographed by camera through a microscope by Virginia Woolf. It has been reinterpreted in various ways around the world and is still considered an unforgettable literary classic.

While the fictional June 16th, 1904, tells the story of the dysfunctional life of the character Leopold Bloom, a day in the life of James Joyce is quite pleasant. It was the first outing he went on with his muse and future wife, Nora Barnacle, with whom he shared a loving and passionate relationship throughout his life.

Renowned artist John Ryan and acclaimed novelist Brian O'Nolan celebrated the first official Bloomsday together in 1954. They celebrated the day in Dublin by making pilgrimages along the route mentioned in "Ulysses". They were accompanied by James Joyce's cousin, brother Tom Joyce and Patrick Kavanagh. A.J. Leventhal and Anthony Cronin also joined the journey as they were the drivers of the two carriages that the group was riding in.

Each member is assigned a character from the novel, and they all participate in a kind of role-playing. A.J. Levanthal portrays Leopold Bloom, Brian O'Nolan portrays Simon Dedalus, John Ryan portrays Martin Cunningham and Anthony Cronin portrays Stephen Dedalus.

Starting with the Martello Tower, their plan is to end up in the Night District like what was described in the novel. Sadly, they didn't complete the pilgrimage and cut it short in the middle as they were all too drunk to take another step forward.

Since that day, Bloomsday has been celebrated as one of the biggest festivals in Ireland and is also commemorated worldwide by Joyce enthusiasts.

Why did Joyce choose 1904?

We believe that it was the first time that Joyce went out with Nora Barnacle, his future wife. Joyce and Nora first met on Friday, June 10th, 1904 on Nassau Street, near the Finn's Hotel where Nora worked. They arranged to meet once more time on Tuesday, June 14th on Merrion Square, outside Sir William Wilde's house. Joyce attended the meeting but Nora did not. Joyce wrote to her at the hotel on June 15th asking if she would like to make another deal.

According to Joyce's biographer, they went for a walk together in Ringsend on June 16th, and Joyce later told Nora, "You made me a man." The summer of 1904 was very important to Joyce. Not only did he meet Nora, but he also started writing stories for Dubliners, and after six days living with Oliver Gogarty at Martello Tower in Sandycove in September, Joyce decided to leave Ireland. (Although Joyce had lived at the Tower in September 1904, he did not live there in June. His letter to Nora on June 15 was written from 60 Shelbourne Road, where he was renting a room as of June 15th at that moment.)

Several incidents in Joyce's life in the summer of 1904 became document for Ulysses. On June 20th, a drunken Joyce was thrown out of a National Theater Association rehearsal in a hall on Camden Street: at the end of episode 9 (of Ulysses), the incident is attributed to Stephen. On June 22nd, Joyce was involved in a drunken melee that left him with eye and other injuries. In Ulysses, Stephen engages in a similar melee with a British soldier at the end of episode 15.

Some facts about James Joyce

• Censorship

“Ulysses” was burned in the US in 1918, in Ireland in 1922, in Canada in 1922 and in the UK in 1923 – the book was officially banned in the UK in 1929, most likely because mass burning was not enough to contain the amount its readers.

• Joyce can sing

James Joyce is an outstanding tenor and has won a bronze medal in a competitive Irish classical music festival.

• Sexy letter

Joyce shared many sexually explicit letters with his wife that were later sold at auction for nearly half a million dollars, and they were quite intriguing.

• Burning passion

Joyce nearly burned the original manuscript for "Portrait of an Artist at a Young Age" after a heated argument with his wife, Nora, but luckily, Joyce's sister rescued it.

• Clear mind, blurred vision

James Joyce was almost blind for most of his life and underwent a series of eye surgeries to improve his vision.

How to celebrate Bloomsday

• Get your Joyce on

Choose one of James Joyce's novels, short stories or poems. As one of Ireland's most beloved writers, you have the right to introduce or re-introduce yourself to the works of James Joyce.

• Read “Ulysses”

Bloomsday is celebrated worldwide. Check to see if there are any local readers of “Ulysses” nearby, or see if you can start your own! Many readings also incorporate pub crawling, so win-win!

• Participate in pub crawls and street parties

Who doesn't love a good reason to wear a costume? True Joyce enthusiasts are known to go out on Bloomsday in full Edwardian attire as they retrace Bloom's route. If you're already in Dublin, Ireland, there are plenty of groups of people starting to take the iconic pilgrimage route and enjoying some pubs and parties along the way. Join in on these noisy funs.

Some reasons for Bloomsday being loved

• To pay tribute to James Joyce

If not having James Joyce, it is believed that modern literature would not be as good as today. We might not have writers such as Hunter S. Thompson, T.S. Eliot, or William Faulkner. As the result, we are grateful forever. Bloomsday is a tribute to genius James Joyce. By visiting Dublin, visiting pubs and bars, and by walking the iconic street, people pay homage to his talent.

• “Ulysses” is a masterpiece

"Ulysses" is one of the best-written novels of the last century. It has gained cult status over the years, and this day is a great excuse to read or re-read the novel and gains some (new) insight into it.

• Mix with Joyce enthusiasts

We got to socialize with so many like-minded Joyce enthusiasts on this day. It's a great way to discuss the various theories about "Ulysses" and enjoy playing some of its characters while rereading.