'Only the Limerick hurlers could interfere with Bloomsday': Joyce put on sideline for match

HE MAY have penned the famous novel Ulysses but James Joyce was relegated to the sidelines on Sunday by the Limerick hurlers.

Bloomsday, June 16, is an annual celebration of James Joyce’s modernist epic Ulysses, the events of which took place in Dublin on June 16, 1904.

On the same date each year, the town of Bruff celebrates the anniversary and its own unique connection to Joyce.

“Only the Limerick hurlers could interfere with Bloomsday celebrations in Bruff,” smiled one local.  “We had the celebrations on Saturday because of the match on Sunday.”

Ulysses follows the life and thoughts of Leopold Bloom and a host of other characters, real and fictional, from 8am on June 16 1904, through to the early hours of the following morning.

Celebrations in Bruff include dressing up like characters from the book and in clothes that would have been the style of the era, and events held to mark the day included readings, performances and visiting places and establishments with any association to Joyce and the book.

The Joycean breakfast was held at Clancy’s Bar in Bruff on Saturday morning followed by the laying of a wreath by Seoirse Clancy at the plaque outside of Clancy’s Bar commemorating the murdered mayor George Clancy. George, who was Mayor of Limerick, was born and educated in Bruff. He studied at University College Dublin and he was a friend of Joyce. He even persuaded Joyce and others to take Irish language lessons with Padraic Pearse

Clancy and Joyce's friendship is commemorated by the plaque at Clancy’s Bar. After the laying of the wreath the group then made their way to the recently unveiled John Fitzgerald Kennedy statue before making their way to the outside of O’Connor’s Pharmacy in Bruff where a reenactment of the  lemon-scented soap scene in Ulysses took place.

The final destination was The Kennedy Rooms where some wine and Gorgonzola was enjoyed before a spot of dancing in the old chapel. Tommy Meaney and Eleanor Bennett co-ordinated the celebrations along with members of the Sean Wall Memorial Committee.