Locals ‘bring Ulysses to life’ in Bloomsday celebrations under shadow of Martello tower
Hundreds of James Joyce enthusiasts flock to Sandycove and surrounds for readings, song and more
David Marlborough and Lua Mcilraith outside Joyce Tower and Museum, Sandycove. Photograph: The Irish Times
Sarah Slater
Fri Jun 16 2023 - 20:51
Hundreds of James Joyce enthusiasts dressed in early 20th century clothes filled Glasthule main street in south Dublin and adjoining Sandycove on Friday on a pilgrimage to the Martello tower where the opening scenes of Ulysses take place.
The tower, overlooking the Irish Sea, provided the perfect backdrop for award-winning actor Bryan Murray, who stars in RTÉ's Fair City, to read from Joyce’s famed work.
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Blaise Reid, Paul Maher, Louis O’Byrne, Ian Blackmore, Peter Prior and Val O’Donnell, members of the JoyceStagers, perform The Funeral of Paddy Dignam from James Joyce’s Ulysses at Glasnevin Cemetery on Bloomsday 2023. Photograph: Alan Betson/The Irish Times
Paul Maher, Louis O’Byrne, Peter Prior, Ian Blackmore and Val O’Donnell of the JoyceStagers performing The Funeral of Paddy Dignam. Photograph: Alan Betson/The Irish Times
Claudia Schurian, Marion Marschalleck Patrick Doyle watching members of the JoyceStagers perform The Funeral of Paddy Dignam. Photograph: Alan Betson/The Irish Times
Kinga Jurkiewicz and Octavio Perez Sanchez enjoy Bloomsday in Sandycove. Photograph: Tom Honan
Catherine Tighe from Wexford, dressed as James Joyce, and Linda Mullen from Wexford dressed as Nora Barnacle in Sandycove. Photograph: Tom Honan
Bloomsday action from Davy Byrne’s pub on South Ann Street, Dublin. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw/The Irish Times
People take part in the Bloomsday festivities at Davy Byrne’s pub. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw/The Irish Times
Actors Les Doherty (centre) in the role of Leopold Bloom, Sean McDermott as Stephen Dedalus and Elaine Reddy as Molly Bloom ahead of their performance at the James Joyce Centre on North Great George's Street in Dublin during the annual Bloomsday Breakfast. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA Wire
Les Doherty as Leopold Bloom and Sean McDermott as Stephen Dedalus. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA Wire
Kitty O'Shea, from Oxford, reads Ulysses on her kindle ahead of the Joycestagers re-enactment from the Hades chapter of Ulysses at Glasnevin Cemetery. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA
Actor Les Doherty playing Leopold Bloom during a performance at the James Joyce Centre on North Great Georges Street during the annual Bloomsday Breakfast. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA Wire
John Dredge, Terence Killeen and Paul Tyrrell on Dublin’s South Ann Street on Bloomsday. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw/The Irish Times
Joycean action at Davy Byrne’s pub. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw/The Irish Times
James Joyce lookalike John Shevlin outside the James Joyce Centre on North Great Georges Street in Dublin. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA Wire
Great great grand niece of James Joyce Ruby Jasmin Neil (6) at the James Joyce Centre on North Great Georges Street in Dublin during the annual Bloomsday Breakfast. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA Wire
A man wearing a James Joyce tie outside the James Joyce Centre on North Great Georges Street. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA Wire
Descendants of James Joyce arrive at The James Joyce Centre for the traditional Bloomsday celebrations, greeted Senator David Norris. Photograph: Conor McCabe Photography
“It was a fantastic reading and a great day. So many people were there, I love it and I like being here. I’ve been coming here for years. He’s a bit of a genius, Mr Joyce,” said Murray afterwards.
Margaret Browne, who is one of the original organisers of the Bloomsday celebrations in the area which first began in the 1980s, explained the event is changing every year and has become “much bigger” since its inception.
Kinga Jurkiewicz and Octavio Perez Sanchez enjoying Bloomsday in Sandycove. Photograph: Tom Honan/The Irish Times
The Joyce celebrations run for five days this year — from last Wednesday to Sunday.
“It’s great to see so many people turn up for the events which last all weekend but in particular Bloomsday itself,” she said. “They really make an effort to attend and to dress up which to me shows how appreciative they are for all the work that goes into making this celebration such a success.”
Also there to enjoy June 16th in great colour and style despite the intermittent showers of rain were David Marlborough and Lua Mcilraith, who explained why the day means so much to them.
Actor Bryan Murray read excerpts from Ulysses at Joyce Tower and Museum in Sandycove for Bloomsday.
Ms Mcilraith said she sings at the event every year. “I’ve been singing at the event for around 10 years since the volunteers got involved. James Joyce is so well known worldwide and he is one of our best writers even though he wrote so little compared to others. But there is this huge interest in Joyce. There have been people from other countries such as Turkey and Korea reading Ulysses in their own language to passersby,” she said.
Mr Marlborough added that the day was “so much fun” and that the atmosphere “would put anyone in good form”.
Don Ryan in character for Bloomsday. Photograph: Tom Honan/The Irish Times
Also there to celebrate was outgoing cathaoirleach of Dún Laoghaire/Rathdown County Council and former Fianna Fáil minister Mary Hanafin.
Locals and visitors to the area “bring Ulysses to life here”, said Cllr Hanafin.
“We start at Sandycove Tower, move on to Cavistons [restaurant-shop] for breakfast, up to Fitzgerald’s pub for readings and songs where we all get to do our party piece and then on to Blackrock for a live performance of Ulysses in the evening.”
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Blaise Reid, Paul Maher, Louis O’Byrne, Ian Blackmore, Peter Prior and Val O’Donnell, members of the JoyceStagers, perform The Funeral of Paddy Dignam from James Joyce’s Ulysses at Glasnevin Cemetery on Bloomsday 2023. Photograph: Alan Betson/The Irish Times
Paul Maher, Louis O’Byrne, Peter Prior, Ian Blackmore and Val O’Donnell of the JoyceStagers performing The Funeral of Paddy Dignam. Photograph: Alan Betson/The Irish Times
Claudia Schurian, Marion Marschalleck Patrick Doyle watching members of the JoyceStagers perform The Funeral of Paddy Dignam. Photograph: Alan Betson/The Irish Times
Kinga Jurkiewicz and Octavio Perez Sanchez enjoy Bloomsday in Sandycove. Photograph: Tom Honan
Catherine Tighe from Wexford, dressed as James Joyce, and Linda Mullen from Wexford dressed as Nora Barnacle in Sandycove. Photograph: Tom Honan
Bloomsday action from Davy Byrne’s pub on South Ann Street, Dublin. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw/The Irish Times
People take part in the Bloomsday festivities at Davy Byrne’s pub. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw/The Irish Times
Actors Les Doherty (centre) in the role of Leopold Bloom, Sean McDermott as Stephen Dedalus and Elaine Reddy as Molly Bloom ahead of their performance at the James Joyce Centre on North Great George's Street in Dublin during the annual Bloomsday Breakfast. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA Wire
Les Doherty as Leopold Bloom and Sean McDermott as Stephen Dedalus. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA Wire
Kitty O'Shea, from Oxford, reads Ulysses on her kindle ahead of the Joycestagers re-enactment from the Hades chapter of Ulysses at Glasnevin Cemetery. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA
Actor Les Doherty playing Leopold Bloom during a performance at the James Joyce Centre on North Great Georges Street during the annual Bloomsday Breakfast. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA Wire
John Dredge, Terence Killeen and Paul Tyrrell on Dublin’s South Ann Street on Bloomsday. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw/The Irish Times
Joycean action at Davy Byrne’s pub. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw/The Irish Times
James Joyce lookalike John Shevlin outside the James Joyce Centre on North Great Georges Street in Dublin. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA Wire
Great great grand niece of James Joyce Ruby Jasmin Neil (6) at the James Joyce Centre on North Great Georges Street in Dublin during the annual Bloomsday Breakfast. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA Wire
A man wearing a James Joyce tie outside the James Joyce Centre on North Great Georges Street. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA Wire
Descendants of James Joyce arrive at The James Joyce Centre for the traditional Bloomsday celebrations, greeted Senator David Norris. Photograph: Conor McCabe Photography
