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Celebrate Bloomsday (after work)

June 16, 2005

This great day of the year has finally come.�

Today is Bloomsday, the annual celebration among James Joyce enthusiasts across the world. For those who have not read Joyce’s "Irish Bible" Ulysses — from front to back�or, possibly, back to front�-- it holds only a minor shame because of both its stream of consciousness style and its size.�

Today we commemorate the events in Joyce’s novel — primarily the wandering trek made by central character Leopold Bloom, the day’s namesake — all of which took place on a single day in Dublin: June 16, 1904.�

Geographically dependant upon where you’re celebrating, the day offers academic, literary lectures on Joyce and his works, life and women; Joyce look-a-like contests; Ulysses readings; re-enactments; and, of course, merry consumption of pork kidneys, sausages, black & white puddings and, of course, the scrumptious Irish stout.

The one common denominator: whether you’re celebrating in Dublin or Cork, Boston or New York, anywhere there are Joyce followers — by Daedalus, there will be Guinness!�

Last year’s celebration in Dublin went on for five months — how so many Dubliners were still standing is a trick we Irish will never tell.�

Having read all of Joyce’s other works (including Finnegan’s Wake — a fact those of us who share wear like a badge of honor), should I finally, after so many years of on-and-off attempts, finish Ulysses?

Soon, I feel.

Will I be celebrating today?�

“yes I said yes I will Yes.”

---

DRB



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