South Florida will “rejoyce” in the worldwide celebration of Bloomsday, honoring James Joyce’s famous 20th Century novel Ulysses on Thursday, June 16, 6 p.m. at the Coral Gables Museum.
Since 1904, Joyce fans have been celebrating the Irish author on June 16, the single day the novel takes place.
The free event includes live Irish music by Paddy Kelleghan, readings and commentary by University of Miami lecturer Barry Devine, PhD, and a parade led by a bagpiper and drummer to a fest at JohnMartin’s Restaurant in Coral Gables.
Fans have a chance to dress in 1900s costumes, reminiscent of the 1900 to 1920 era. Think Bowler hats, waistcoats, stiff collared shirts, and flapper dresses.
For millions of people, June 16 is an extraordinary day. On that day, 112 years ago in 1904, two fictional residents of Dublin, Ireland — Stephen Dedalus and Leopold Bloom — embarked on their epic converging journeys through the city. Their travels and adventures, both real and imagined, were memorialized in James Joyce’s masterpiece Ulysses, the world’s most highly acclaimed modern novel.
“Bloomsday,” named after Leopold Bloom, has become a tradition for Joyce enthusiasts all over the world and many international cities hold their own Bloomsday festivities. Miami-Dade County will join in observing the Bloomsday 112th Anniversary Celebration with a great event in Coral Gables on Thursday, June 16. The celebration will begin at 6 p.m. at The Coral Gables Museum, 285 Aragon Ave.
First there will be entertainment by the talented and popular singer, instrumentalist and songwriter Paddy Kelleghan who will tell stories of his native Dublin and sing favorite songs of his youth in Ireland.
Next, Barry Devine, PhD, lecturer of English at the University of Miami, will provide commentary on Ulysses and read some of his favorite passages from the novel. Dr. Devine earned his PhD at the UM and his master’s degree at James Joyce’s alma mater, University College Dublin. His research includes the work of James Joyce, W.B. Yeats and Sean O’Casey and his primary interest is in the manuscripts and revision documents Joyce used while writing Ulysses. He currently is writing a book exploring Joyce’s late-stage revisions made during the months before the novel was published in 1922. For two years, Dr. Devine was editor of The James Joyce Literary Supplement and he has organized and led the Miami Finnegans Wake Reading Group since 2010.
The audience is encouraged to come in costume, reminiscent of the 1900 to 1920 era. Bowler hats, waistcoats, stiff collared shirts, dressy hats, flapper dresses and frocks are all welcome. Those who do not wish to dress up can come as they are.
After the reading, there will be a short odyssey, led by a bagpiper and drummer around the block to JohnMartin’s Restaurant & Irish Pub for the Bloomsday Feast with a special menu and low prices.
Admission to the Bloomsday Celebration is free and open to all. The South Florida Emerald Society Inc. and the St. Patrick’s Day Committee, Inc. sponsor Bloomsday for your enjoyment.
For more information, call 305-271-2696.
Caption for Photograph: Barry Devine, Ph.D., UM and Paddy Kelleghan, Irish musician extraordinaire
Best,
Nicole Aguiar
Account Coordinator
The Conroy Martinez Group
300 Sevilla Avenue, Suite 311
Coral Gables, FL 33134
Ph: (305) 445-7550
Fx: (305) 445-7551
