What happens at Bloomsday in Dublin, and do I need to have read Ulysses?
You do not need to have read Ulysses. Bloomsday falls on 16 June every year, the single day on which Joyce set the novel in 1904, and Dublin marks it with readings, songs, guided walks, breakfasts and street performance. The James Joyce Centre on North Great George's Street organises the festival programme, many people dress in Edwardian clothes and boaters, and places from the book, such as Davy Byrne's pub and Sandycove, hold their own events. Plenty in the crowd know only the outline of Leopold Bloom's day. Start with a walk or a public reading, and book ticketed breakfasts and tours ahead, as they sell first.
Useful pages: Events in Ireland · Festivals and events guide · Irish sport · Irish festivals to experience
Sources
- Bloomsday Festival and the James Joyce Centre: Bloomsday programme and visitor information, bloomsdayfestival.ie and jamesjoycecentre.ie
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