A literary celebration

A day of readings and re-enactments will bring to life the world and work of James Joyce in the city of his birth this June, as lovers of literature head to Dublin for the annual celebration of the author's life.

The day of celebration, June 16th, otherwise known as Bloomsday, marks the anniversary of Joyce's first date with his future wife, Nora Barnacle in 1904 and is also the day on which his epic, Dublin-bound novel Ulysses is set.

The day itself, which is named in honour of Ulysses protagonist, Leopold Bloom, was first celebrated in 1954 when a band of Dublin writers attempted to visit all of the locations named in Joyce's 1922 masterpiece in a single day.

Today the Joycean celebrations go on for a week, but Bloomsday is still the focus of the activity with people from across the globe gathering together around Dublin to reconstruct the events of Joyce's famous novel with guided walks, readings and visits to famous locations.

Enthusiasts even indulge in reconstructing the meals and drinks mentioned in the classic text, with breakfasts and pub lunches at various official and unofficial events throughout the day.

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