Summer festival set to Bloom in County Limerick town

PREPARATIONS are well underway for this year’s summer festival in Bruff which has the Bloomsday celebrations as its centrepiece.

Taking place from Friday, June 15 until Sunday, June 17, the event kicks off with a tea dance from 7pm to 10pm at the former Church of Ireland. There will also be soccer tournaments taking place and music in the pubs.

The celebrations for Bloomsday itself, Saturday June 16 begin with a Bloomsday Breakfast from 11am to 1pm in the Church of Ireland with music and readings.

At lunchtime, there will be a Joycean promenade in costume through the town stopping at Ulysses landmarks for brief readings/re-enactments.

At 4pm Café Culture will take place at  Kirby O’Sullivan Business Park with a lecture on Joyce by Donal Thurlow.

“Bloomsday is celebrated all over the world, and in many cities and towns without a connection to James Joyce. This is why we choose Bruff to celebrate Bloomsday. This is the tenth celebration,” explained Donal Thurlow, director of Bloomsday in Bruff. 

“George Clancy was born in this parish and attended school here in Bruff. There is a plaque in  Main Street, outside Clancy's Pub commemorating his friend ship with James Joyce.

“George Clancy (1881-1921) had only recently been elected Sinn Féin Mayor of Limerick when he was murdered by Black and Tans. Clancy studied at University College Dublin and was a friend of Joyce’s. He was the only one of Joyce’s circle who called Joyce by his first name,” Mr Thurlow continued.

Also on Saturday there will be vintage children’s games at 3pm at Riverview, Bruff and a soccer tournament and music in pubs.

On Sunday at 12 noon a wellness expo takes place at the  Church of Ireland.

This will feature practitioners and brands in fitness, mental health and healthy foods from the community and surrounding areas. This will be followed by a Suffragettes/Women through the Ages event and vintage car parade at 2pm in the park and main street.

Sunday sees the final of the soccer tournament and again music in pubs. For more information, see Facebook Page: Bruff Community Page.