TR: Solo in DUBLIN for BLOOMSDAY, an Irish literary odyssey
Jun 28th, 2015, 09:32 AM
#42
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Hi FRA,
Glad you enjoyed it. Here is another short one. I ran into the tall gentleman who channels James Joyce (dark suit, glasses)at the beginning and end of this clip several times around the Joyce Center.
I assumed that he was an actor, but he said he was just a Joyce lover who lives on North Great George Street where the Joyce Center is located. Very charming and agreeable guy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrWfLO9kJx0
Glad you enjoyed it. Here is another short one. I ran into the tall gentleman who channels James Joyce (dark suit, glasses)at the beginning and end of this clip several times around the Joyce Center.
I assumed that he was an actor, but he said he was just a Joyce lover who lives on North Great George Street where the Joyce Center is located. Very charming and agreeable guy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrWfLO9kJx0
Jun 29th, 2015, 06:51 PM
#43
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SUNDAY, JUNE 14 - a half day trip to MALAHIDE CASTLE and the HOWTH PENNINSULA, a bit of shopping, later a four hour pub crawl with Bloomsday folks from the JAMES JOYCE CENTER
Another beautiful, breezy morning on Sunday, as I made my way yet again over the Liffey to office of the Red HOHO bus on O'Connell Street for a jaunt north. I chose this half day trip to explore a bit of the coastline.
http://www.viator.com/tours/Dublin/D...r/d503-3703DUB
MALAHIDE CASTLE, with its lovely 260 acre estate, dates from the 12th century when the knight Sir Richard Talbot was granted the domain which remained in the family until 1976. At that time the last remaining heir, childless Rose Talbot, sold the property to the Irish State and removed to Tasmania where she died years later.
http://www.malahidecastleandgardens.ie/
Upon arrival, we took an guided tour of the castle, starting with the stunning 16th century dark Oak Room with leaded glass windows which overlooked an extensive park where families were strolling and children were playing in the sunshine. Then on to the impressive dining room with historic significance because in 1690 "fourteen members of the Talbot family, who had breakfasted together on the morning of the battle in the Great Hall of Malahide Castle, died at the Boyne."
According to our guide, the Talbots at that time were Catholics, but were able to retain their Malahide domain after the decisive Battle of the Boyne which established the Protestant Ascendancy in Ireland. She also pointed out many portraits on the walls, not connected to the Talbot family, that had been lent by the National Gallery during their recent renovations which I mentioned above.
For many decades the property was managed by the local council, but in recent years it has been operated by Shannon Development which is associated with Avoca Handweavers. After a 2011 renovation, a new visitors center, cafe, and shops were added along with the refurbishment of the TALBOT BOTANICAL GARDEN with plantings from around the world. I must say that the offerings in the cafe looked delectable - too bad I had had that Irish breakfast!
Back on the big bus, we were headed for HOWTH (rimes with "both"), a combination of fishing village, yachting port, and lovely northern suburb of Dublin. We drove through neighborhoods of very expensive homes with meticulously landscaped gardens. What a beautiful place!
We stopped by the pier which is surrounded by open fish restaurants serving the freshest catch. I chose Beshoff's Market (I later noticed that this firm had a outlet at Dublin Airport) where I had "the catch of the day" - lovely grilled cod on a bed of Italian tomato salad, a "small plate," just enough.
The more hardy in the group ventured to the extended piers and cliff paths. From Howth Head they could get a fine view of Dublin Bay and the Wicklow Mountains beyond. I wandered around to different fish outlets, amazed at the variety of the fresh catch.
Suggestion for anyone staying in Dublin and wanting a change of scenery - I would strongly recommend an excursion to HOWTH which is easily accessible by the DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit). Great food, great views of Dublin Bay.
Returning to Dublin, I started chatting with Judy and Jay, a retired couple from Seattle who had traveled extensively in Europe. They were joining a Rick Steeves tour the next day and were staying at Buswells Hotel as I was. Small world and all that. Although I have never done one, I was curious about the RS offerings.
Judy was kidding her husband because he was so obsessed with his photography. He did take great pics as I saw when I ran into them later in the lobby of the hotel. Returning to the Red Bus office on O'Connell Street, our driver put us on one of their other buses to return back across the river.
I pointed Judy and Jay back to Buswells while I returned to the KILKENNY SHOP on Nassau Street near Trinity to buy a few things for my daughters - again, I am not a shopper, but better to get it over with -right? Then I returned to the HODGES FIGGIS BOOKSTORE around the corner on Dawson Street. I had seen a new bio of Irish golfing champion Rory McIIroy that I bought for my cousin MJ and her husband who are following his career closely.
Then back to Buswells to rest up for my FOUR hour pub crawl with other Joyce fanatics that evening. Could I make it???
Another beautiful, breezy morning on Sunday, as I made my way yet again over the Liffey to office of the Red HOHO bus on O'Connell Street for a jaunt north. I chose this half day trip to explore a bit of the coastline.
http://www.viator.com/tours/Dublin/D...r/d503-3703DUB
MALAHIDE CASTLE, with its lovely 260 acre estate, dates from the 12th century when the knight Sir Richard Talbot was granted the domain which remained in the family until 1976. At that time the last remaining heir, childless Rose Talbot, sold the property to the Irish State and removed to Tasmania where she died years later.
http://www.malahidecastleandgardens.ie/
Upon arrival, we took an guided tour of the castle, starting with the stunning 16th century dark Oak Room with leaded glass windows which overlooked an extensive park where families were strolling and children were playing in the sunshine. Then on to the impressive dining room with historic significance because in 1690 "fourteen members of the Talbot family, who had breakfasted together on the morning of the battle in the Great Hall of Malahide Castle, died at the Boyne."
According to our guide, the Talbots at that time were Catholics, but were able to retain their Malahide domain after the decisive Battle of the Boyne which established the Protestant Ascendancy in Ireland. She also pointed out many portraits on the walls, not connected to the Talbot family, that had been lent by the National Gallery during their recent renovations which I mentioned above.
For many decades the property was managed by the local council, but in recent years it has been operated by Shannon Development which is associated with Avoca Handweavers. After a 2011 renovation, a new visitors center, cafe, and shops were added along with the refurbishment of the TALBOT BOTANICAL GARDEN with plantings from around the world. I must say that the offerings in the cafe looked delectable - too bad I had had that Irish breakfast!
Back on the big bus, we were headed for HOWTH (rimes with "both"), a combination of fishing village, yachting port, and lovely northern suburb of Dublin. We drove through neighborhoods of very expensive homes with meticulously landscaped gardens. What a beautiful place!
We stopped by the pier which is surrounded by open fish restaurants serving the freshest catch. I chose Beshoff's Market (I later noticed that this firm had a outlet at Dublin Airport) where I had "the catch of the day" - lovely grilled cod on a bed of Italian tomato salad, a "small plate," just enough.
The more hardy in the group ventured to the extended piers and cliff paths. From Howth Head they could get a fine view of Dublin Bay and the Wicklow Mountains beyond. I wandered around to different fish outlets, amazed at the variety of the fresh catch.
Suggestion for anyone staying in Dublin and wanting a change of scenery - I would strongly recommend an excursion to HOWTH which is easily accessible by the DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit). Great food, great views of Dublin Bay.
Returning to Dublin, I started chatting with Judy and Jay, a retired couple from Seattle who had traveled extensively in Europe. They were joining a Rick Steeves tour the next day and were staying at Buswells Hotel as I was. Small world and all that. Although I have never done one, I was curious about the RS offerings.
Judy was kidding her husband because he was so obsessed with his photography. He did take great pics as I saw when I ran into them later in the lobby of the hotel. Returning to the Red Bus office on O'Connell Street, our driver put us on one of their other buses to return back across the river.
I pointed Judy and Jay back to Buswells while I returned to the KILKENNY SHOP on Nassau Street near Trinity to buy a few things for my daughters - again, I am not a shopper, but better to get it over with -right? Then I returned to the HODGES FIGGIS BOOKSTORE around the corner on Dawson Street. I had seen a new bio of Irish golfing champion Rory McIIroy that I bought for my cousin MJ and her husband who are following his career closely.
Then back to Buswells to rest up for my FOUR hour pub crawl with other Joyce fanatics that evening. Could I make it???
Jun 30th, 2015, 04:31 PM
#44
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******************************************
[later on SUNDAY, JUNE 14 - the four hour Joycean pub crawl]
A balmy evening -around 5 o'clock I took a cab to the JAMES JOYCE CENTER on 35 NORTH GREAT GEORGE'S STREET, one of many Georgian townhouses built on the area in the late 1780s. Most have been tastefully reclaimed in recent years, now a most desirable address. The raucous free-to-all BLOOMSDAY STREET PARTY was just breaking up as I arrived. I waited on the steps of the Center with other participants until we were rounded up by David, our guide for the evening - a wiry, energetic young Irishman with a tremendous love for Joyce and deep familiarity with his works.
Our first pub was a short trek to the elegant GRESHAM HOTEL on O'Connell Street - not your usual stop on a pub tour. Folks got their drinks, then retired to a sizable alcove off the bar where David held court. Holding his dog eared copy of THE DUBLINERS in hand, he dove into the book' s last story THE DEAD.
As mentioned before, most Joyceans (myself included) are passionate about this tale, set on the feast of Epiphany when the central character Gabriel Conway realizes how shallow his life has become. Leaving festivities at 15 Usher Island on the south side of the Liffey, Gabriel and his wife Greta return to the Gresham where his wife tells him of her lost love. Oh, this is too simplistic but David, rising to the occasion, really did the reading and discussion justice.
Then we were on our way down O'Connell Street to the Victorian style OVAL BAR, established in 1820, which stood witness to all the Irish rebellions through the 19th and 20th century.
http://theovalbar.com/
The Oval was quite crowded so David prepped us on the sidewalk outside. Not sure if the bar is mentioned in ULYSSES, but the newspaper office above it is referenced. STEPHEN DEDALUS, Joyce's alter ego in PORTRAIT OF AN ARTIST AS A YOUNG MAN, is a secondary character in ULYSSES. Stephen is a reluctant instructor in a boys' school whose Protestant headmaster GARRETT DEASY asks Stephen to have a letter published in a newspaper where the latter also writes editorials. Unenthusiastically, Stephen complies.
At the Oval, I passed on wine and enjoyed a creamed chicken soup (aren't all soups "creamed" in Ireland?) and Irish brown bread. Meanwhile, I had been walking along with a 30ish young man who was alone in Dublin on business. I had also met a pleasant young lady, a PhD grad student in English from Fordham. Since they were really the only "young uns" in the group, I introduced them to each other which they both seemed to appreciate.
http://www.mulligans.ie/
On to MULLIGAN'S BAR, off O'Connell Street, not far from the theaters. Joyce was known to frequent this pub as a young man. Tradition has it that he wrote while straddling his favorite stool at the oak bar. If you click on the above link, you can see how burnished and traditional this bar is - the real thing.
According to one account, "John F. Kennedy when he was a journalist with the Hearst Newspapers, shortly before he became junior senator for Massachusetts, visited in the mid 1950s to be shown Joyce’s favourite perch at the bar." OMG, the Irish still love the Kennedys.
David arranged for the group to squeeze into a large "snug" in the rear of the bar. Having had a few pints, he was really ready to delve into ULYSSES. This masterpiece had been the subject of censure because of obscenity issues for years in the 20s and 30s, a circumstance well documented by a young Harvard academic Kevin Birmingham who wrote THE MOST DANGEROUS BOOK, A Battle for James Joyce's ULYSSES last year.
Again, many in the group knew the book well, being able to cite chapter and verse of its eighteen episodes. Basically, "Ulysses' stream-of-consciousness technique, careful structuring, and experimental prose—full of puns, parodies, and allusions, as well as its rich characterisations and broad humour" make it challenging to read. So many who try to scour the book looking for titillating passages are soon dissuaded by the density of the text. At this point, much of the discussion was over my head, but I did enjoy the old fashioned ambiance of Mulligans.
Last stop - DAVY BYRNES PUB, of course. By then a few had fallen by the wayside. David led us to the rear of the bar. Being Sunday night, it was not that busy. He wrapped up the tour quickly and most tipped him generously for a great performance. I noticed that the young couple whom I had introduced at the Oval Bar were sitting apart in intimate conversation. Who knows?
Luckily, I was pretty near my hotel. But it seemed strange walking down Molesworth Street in the dark. I then realized that it was the latest I had been out during the week. The next day I would be taking a six hour bus tour to more Joyce sites - couldn't wait....
[later on SUNDAY, JUNE 14 - the four hour Joycean pub crawl]
A balmy evening -around 5 o'clock I took a cab to the JAMES JOYCE CENTER on 35 NORTH GREAT GEORGE'S STREET, one of many Georgian townhouses built on the area in the late 1780s. Most have been tastefully reclaimed in recent years, now a most desirable address. The raucous free-to-all BLOOMSDAY STREET PARTY was just breaking up as I arrived. I waited on the steps of the Center with other participants until we were rounded up by David, our guide for the evening - a wiry, energetic young Irishman with a tremendous love for Joyce and deep familiarity with his works.
Our first pub was a short trek to the elegant GRESHAM HOTEL on O'Connell Street - not your usual stop on a pub tour. Folks got their drinks, then retired to a sizable alcove off the bar where David held court. Holding his dog eared copy of THE DUBLINERS in hand, he dove into the book' s last story THE DEAD.
As mentioned before, most Joyceans (myself included) are passionate about this tale, set on the feast of Epiphany when the central character Gabriel Conway realizes how shallow his life has become. Leaving festivities at 15 Usher Island on the south side of the Liffey, Gabriel and his wife Greta return to the Gresham where his wife tells him of her lost love. Oh, this is too simplistic but David, rising to the occasion, really did the reading and discussion justice.
Then we were on our way down O'Connell Street to the Victorian style OVAL BAR, established in 1820, which stood witness to all the Irish rebellions through the 19th and 20th century.
http://theovalbar.com/
The Oval was quite crowded so David prepped us on the sidewalk outside. Not sure if the bar is mentioned in ULYSSES, but the newspaper office above it is referenced. STEPHEN DEDALUS, Joyce's alter ego in PORTRAIT OF AN ARTIST AS A YOUNG MAN, is a secondary character in ULYSSES. Stephen is a reluctant instructor in a boys' school whose Protestant headmaster GARRETT DEASY asks Stephen to have a letter published in a newspaper where the latter also writes editorials. Unenthusiastically, Stephen complies.
At the Oval, I passed on wine and enjoyed a creamed chicken soup (aren't all soups "creamed" in Ireland?) and Irish brown bread. Meanwhile, I had been walking along with a 30ish young man who was alone in Dublin on business. I had also met a pleasant young lady, a PhD grad student in English from Fordham. Since they were really the only "young uns" in the group, I introduced them to each other which they both seemed to appreciate.
http://www.mulligans.ie/
On to MULLIGAN'S BAR, off O'Connell Street, not far from the theaters. Joyce was known to frequent this pub as a young man. Tradition has it that he wrote while straddling his favorite stool at the oak bar. If you click on the above link, you can see how burnished and traditional this bar is - the real thing.
According to one account, "John F. Kennedy when he was a journalist with the Hearst Newspapers, shortly before he became junior senator for Massachusetts, visited in the mid 1950s to be shown Joyce’s favourite perch at the bar." OMG, the Irish still love the Kennedys.
David arranged for the group to squeeze into a large "snug" in the rear of the bar. Having had a few pints, he was really ready to delve into ULYSSES. This masterpiece had been the subject of censure because of obscenity issues for years in the 20s and 30s, a circumstance well documented by a young Harvard academic Kevin Birmingham who wrote THE MOST DANGEROUS BOOK, A Battle for James Joyce's ULYSSES last year.
Again, many in the group knew the book well, being able to cite chapter and verse of its eighteen episodes. Basically, "Ulysses' stream-of-consciousness technique, careful structuring, and experimental prose—full of puns, parodies, and allusions, as well as its rich characterisations and broad humour" make it challenging to read. So many who try to scour the book looking for titillating passages are soon dissuaded by the density of the text. At this point, much of the discussion was over my head, but I did enjoy the old fashioned ambiance of Mulligans.
Last stop - DAVY BYRNES PUB, of course. By then a few had fallen by the wayside. David led us to the rear of the bar. Being Sunday night, it was not that busy. He wrapped up the tour quickly and most tipped him generously for a great performance. I noticed that the young couple whom I had introduced at the Oval Bar were sitting apart in intimate conversation. Who knows?
Luckily, I was pretty near my hotel. But it seemed strange walking down Molesworth Street in the dark. I then realized that it was the latest I had been out during the week. The next day I would be taking a six hour bus tour to more Joyce sites - couldn't wait....
Jul 1st, 2015, 05:52 AM
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I meant to include this link to the elegant GRESHAM HOTEL on O'Connell Street which was our first stop on the James Joyce Pub Tour. Setting for the last part of his short story "The Dead."
http://www.gresham-hotels-dublin.com/index.html
http://www.gresham-hotels-dublin.com/index.html
Jul 1st, 2015, 05:57 PM
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Hi again FRA,
I appreciate your interest. As I may have said above, I only had a week so I decided to spend it in Dublin in the days leading up to Bloomsday. It really turned out much better than I could have imagined.
I kept checking the JAMES JOYCE CENTER site -
http://jamesjoyce.ie/
Then I chose the activities that I wanted to attend - there were many others. If you go to the site, their Bloomsday schedule is still available - just click on "Bloomsday" (written in script) at the top of the page. I presume that their offerings are quite similar every year.
What with attending these events and checking out other historical/artistic venues, it made for a full week. From Dublin you could easily take many day trips to other parts of the country if time permitted.
One thing I missed - STEPHEN FRYE gave a talk on June 16 at the O'Reilly Theater which holds about 500, but I was too late to get a ticket. Truth be told, his name did not ring a bell with me at first.
Working on Monday, when I took a six hour bus tour to numerous Joyce sites...
I appreciate your interest. As I may have said above, I only had a week so I decided to spend it in Dublin in the days leading up to Bloomsday. It really turned out much better than I could have imagined.
I kept checking the JAMES JOYCE CENTER site -
http://jamesjoyce.ie/
Then I chose the activities that I wanted to attend - there were many others. If you go to the site, their Bloomsday schedule is still available - just click on "Bloomsday" (written in script) at the top of the page. I presume that their offerings are quite similar every year.
What with attending these events and checking out other historical/artistic venues, it made for a full week. From Dublin you could easily take many day trips to other parts of the country if time permitted.
One thing I missed - STEPHEN FRYE gave a talk on June 16 at the O'Reilly Theater which holds about 500, but I was too late to get a ticket. Truth be told, his name did not ring a bell with me at first.
Working on Monday, when I took a six hour bus tour to numerous Joyce sites...
Jul 1st, 2015, 09:20 PM
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When we visited Dublin in 2012, I brought with me, my dogeared copy of the Dubliners. Ironically, it was the One City, One Book selection that year and every bookstore had a table with mounds of copies that greeted you at the door.
Jul 2nd, 2015, 03:56 AM
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Hi IMDONEHERE,
Thanks for following along. At what time of year did you go to Dublin?
You said regarding your copy of THE DUBLINERS "... that year and every bookstore had a table with mounds of copies that greeted you at the door."
True, ironically, Joyce who abandoned Dublin has become a cottage industry there. It was fun to observe how the ordinary Dubliners love Joyce, quote him, and follow in his footsteps around the city in the fiction he created.
I read once that Joyce, while living in Trieste or Paris, used maps, street directories of Dublin, and the like to maintain accuracy about the city locales. These places are well documented.
Thanks for following along. At what time of year did you go to Dublin?
You said regarding your copy of THE DUBLINERS "... that year and every bookstore had a table with mounds of copies that greeted you at the door."
True, ironically, Joyce who abandoned Dublin has become a cottage industry there. It was fun to observe how the ordinary Dubliners love Joyce, quote him, and follow in his footsteps around the city in the fiction he created.
I read once that Joyce, while living in Trieste or Paris, used maps, street directories of Dublin, and the like to maintain accuracy about the city locales. These places are well documented.
Jul 2nd, 2015, 12:26 PM
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LDT--Most excellently done! You have conveyed much of the atmosphere as well as your specific travel details in a clear and engaging way. And I'm not even a Joyce fan at all! But Ireland is still on my "want to go" list; I have some ancestral background, too. Seems a great+ grandfather was Richard Edgeworth for whom Edgeworthtown is named (one of those Scotch-Irish guys who got land in the 18th C--but he was NOT an absentee landlord); his never-married daughter was Maria Edgeworth, the novelist and writer. My ancestor seems to have been the oldest wastrel son who had to immigrate to the Colonies! Anyway, thanks for sharing so well--and adding another layer to my desire to see Ireland. (Maybe I will try <i>Ulysses</i> again--but as audio book! And I too highly recommend <i>Dead Wake</i> by Larson.)
Jul 2nd, 2015, 12:37 PM
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We were in Dublin in either April or May.
Few writers have had an impact on literature as did Joyce. Joyce did have a complicated relationship with Dublin and Ireland, but who can begrudge the present day Irish for claiming his genius as theirs.
Few writers have had an impact on literature as did Joyce. Joyce did have a complicated relationship with Dublin and Ireland, but who can begrudge the present day Irish for claiming his genius as theirs.
Jul 2nd, 2015, 04:37 PM
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Hi TEXASBOORKWORM,
Thanks for following. I really enjoyed your recent TR with your daughter from London.
Interesting story about your Scotch- Irish forebears - "but he was NOT an absentee landlord." I am sure he was a hard working farmer. Have you learned much about Maria Edgeworth, novelist and writer? You must has some of her genes.
I "read" ULYSSES by listening this spring to the 22 disc cd - very well acted. I would also recommend the 1967 movie of ULYSSES which gives an excellent flavor of the story.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8-e-_BhVtc
Another vote for DEAD WAKE - really gives a heroic view of the Irish in Kinsale who helped rescue the survivors of the LUSITANIA in 1915.
Thanks for following. I really enjoyed your recent TR with your daughter from London.
Interesting story about your Scotch- Irish forebears - "but he was NOT an absentee landlord." I am sure he was a hard working farmer. Have you learned much about Maria Edgeworth, novelist and writer? You must has some of her genes.
I "read" ULYSSES by listening this spring to the 22 disc cd - very well acted. I would also recommend the 1967 movie of ULYSSES which gives an excellent flavor of the story.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8-e-_BhVtc
Another vote for DEAD WAKE - really gives a heroic view of the Irish in Kinsale who helped rescue the survivors of the LUSITANIA in 1915.
Jul 2nd, 2015, 06:09 PM
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Hi again IMDONEHERE,
"Few writers have had an impact on literature as did Joyce. Joyce did have a complicated relationship with Dublin and Ireland, but who can begrudge the present day Irish for claiming his genius as theirs."
Indeed, true. And the Irish do claim him. He was a genius, but with so many vulnerabilities - his health and terrible eye problems for starters. He endured torturous eye operations during his lifetime. Recent scholarship suggests that his condition might have been caused by syphilis, a disease he often make reference to. Who knows?
During his lifetime, there were many like Sylvia Beach and others who helped support Joyce and his family because they recognized his talents...
FLPAB,
"My niece would do this with me." Sounds good. As I mentioned above, I had no idea how huge BLOOMSDAY is before this trip.
I committed to four events at the JAMES JOYCE CENTER - a dinner, a pub crawl, a bus tour, and a breakfast on June 16 itself. Many other options were available in the city by walking tour companies and the National Library of Ireland, for example. You and your niece would find plenty to do.
You are right about HOWTH, and I would also add DunLoaghaire on the south coast - lovely town with great restaurants and gorgeous views of Dublin Bay- accessible by public transportation too.
Thanks for your input...
"Few writers have had an impact on literature as did Joyce. Joyce did have a complicated relationship with Dublin and Ireland, but who can begrudge the present day Irish for claiming his genius as theirs."
Indeed, true. And the Irish do claim him. He was a genius, but with so many vulnerabilities - his health and terrible eye problems for starters. He endured torturous eye operations during his lifetime. Recent scholarship suggests that his condition might have been caused by syphilis, a disease he often make reference to. Who knows?
During his lifetime, there were many like Sylvia Beach and others who helped support Joyce and his family because they recognized his talents...
FLPAB,
"My niece would do this with me." Sounds good. As I mentioned above, I had no idea how huge BLOOMSDAY is before this trip.
I committed to four events at the JAMES JOYCE CENTER - a dinner, a pub crawl, a bus tour, and a breakfast on June 16 itself. Many other options were available in the city by walking tour companies and the National Library of Ireland, for example. You and your niece would find plenty to do.
You are right about HOWTH, and I would also add DunLoaghaire on the south coast - lovely town with great restaurants and gorgeous views of Dublin Bay- accessible by public transportation too.
Thanks for your input...
Jul 2nd, 2015, 07:17 PM
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************************************************** **********
MONDAY, JUNE 15 - all day bus tour to JAMES JOYCE SITES including the MARTELLO TOWER, revisiting Duke Street amidst BLOOMSDAY celebrants
What another beautiful morning! I ventured back again to the JAMES JOYCE CENTER to join some twenty others on a tour of sites mentioned in ULYSSES and other places related to Joyce's life. Our host was James, a knowledgeable academic associated with the Center. As we boarded the comfortable mini bus for the excursion, he gave us our itinerary for this six hour jaunt with about fifteen sites in all, some of which we would stop at, and several that were just drive-bys. Let me say up front that I was really looking forward to this particular event, and it did not disappoint.
Our first stop was at the top of the street - BELVEDERE COLLEGE, an exclusive Jesuit prep school that is still in operation today. Joyce absorbed much of his critical thinking/linguistic abilities from the Jesuits at Belvedere and became active in the Sodality and other religious devotions there. According to our guide, this piety did not prevent the young Joyce from indulging in the seedier pleasure of Dublin at the same time.
http://www.belvederecollege.ie/
We then proceeded to nearby MOUNTJOY SQUARE, a Georgian enclave that had fallen into decay during Joyce's day - then considered the "worst slum in Dublin." As mentioned above, many of these older Georgian properties had been abandoned when successful Dubliners chose to remove to the south side of town, nearer to Leinster House and Merrion Square in the 19th century.
We also drove by 13 NORTH RICHMOND STREET where the family lived from 1895-1898. Our guide James said that the Joyce family, with ten children, had numerous addresses in Dublin as they descended from gentility into near poverty because of the father's drinking and poor money management. Note: these properties have been gentrified in recent years, now commanding hefty prices.
Next stop - IRISH JEWISH MUSEUM
http://jewishmuseum.ie/about-us/
The Museum on Walworth Road is the site of a former synagogue in a neighborhood known as "Little Jerusalem" in the early 1900s when ULYSSES is set. A charming docent welcomed us and showed us their many exhibits. In the novel Leopold Bloom's father is a Hungarian Jew who had lived in this neighborhood . (Bloom's mother was Catholic, complicating the story, but let that go.) The docent said that some 5,000 to 6,000 Jews had lived in Dublin at the turn of the 20th century. Although the number had dwindled greatly through the years, the Museum hopes to expand and continue its mission.
Before heading south of Dublin along the coast, we drove by several other houses/churches/pubs associated with the Joyce family. Meanwhile, my seat mate was Chris, an interesting American woman now living and working in Bucharest. She proved to be a delightful companion for the day.
Chris, a labor lawyer from Minnesota, had a "mid life crisis" which led her to join the US Foreign Service. I was interested in hearing about how this process works. Bottom line - she had been stationed in Beijing for two years and was now serving in Romania. Since Bucharest is considered a "hardship" post, she had generous leave to travel about on extended weekends. This was her first trip to Ireland.
http://jamesjoycetower.com/history/
Soon we were approaching the highpoint of the tour - the MARTELLO TOWER at SANDYCOVE on beautiful Dublin Bay which is the setting for the first chapter of ULYSSES. This tower was one of many built along the Irish coast during the Napoleonic Wars of the early 1800s. In 1904 Joyce lived briefly at the tower which was then being leased by his "friend" Oliver St. John Gogarty.
Before climbing the circuitous stone stairs inside the structure, we visited the adjacent museum which featured all sorts of Joyce memorabilia. The facility is totally run by volunteers who are very friendly and welcoming.
Other groups were also milling about, but finally we all made it to the top of the stone tower where our guide James read from the opening lines of ULYSSES...
" STATELY, PLUMP BUCK MULLIGAN CAME FROM THE STAIRHEAD, bearing a bowl of lather on which a mirror and a razor lay crossed. A yellow dressing gown, ungirdled, was sustained gently-behind him by the mild morning air. He held the bowl aloft and intoned:
-- Introibo ad altare Dei."
I must say that to hear those words being so well read in that very setting, with the view of the bay below, the blue sky above, and the Wicklow Mountains in the distance - well, for Joyce lovers, it just couldn't get any better.
Back to reality - we stopped at the charming town of Dun Loaghaire (pronounced "Dunleary") for lunch. Chris and I meandered into a nearby pub where we enjoyed a "carvery" lunch. Only so-so, but I am not that fussy. We should have gone down to the waterfront which probably had more restaurants featuring fresh fish, like its counterpart HOWTH across the bay.
After regrouping, we passed by the CLIFTON SCHOOL in nearby Dalkey where Joyce taught in 1904 and along SANDYMOUNT STRAND (beach) where the hero Stephen Dedalus takes a philosophical walk.
Around 4 o'clock we returned to the JOYCE CENTER and bid farewell to our guide James. It had been a great outing. Chris and I proceeded down O'Connell Street for a bit before she wandered off to do some shopping.
Arriving back at my hotel, it was time to stretch out and read the IRISH TIMES for a while. Later I drifted back to Davy Byrnes Pub and ordered a gorgonzola sandwich and burgundy, just as Bloom had done in the novel. Sitting beside me at the bar was a 30 something couple from Philadelphia - Amber and Hugh - I had to remark, "Gee, your names really go together." They chuckled, then they told me that they had just "done" Paris and London and were now finishing their trip in Dublin for BLOOMSDAY. Of course, I was most interested in their adventures in two of my favorite cities.
Saying good night, I returned to Buswells - the next day would be BLOOMSDAY and I was attending a breakfast which featured "pork kidneys" just as Bloom had enjoyed on June 16, 1904...
MONDAY, JUNE 15 - all day bus tour to JAMES JOYCE SITES including the MARTELLO TOWER, revisiting Duke Street amidst BLOOMSDAY celebrants
What another beautiful morning! I ventured back again to the JAMES JOYCE CENTER to join some twenty others on a tour of sites mentioned in ULYSSES and other places related to Joyce's life. Our host was James, a knowledgeable academic associated with the Center. As we boarded the comfortable mini bus for the excursion, he gave us our itinerary for this six hour jaunt with about fifteen sites in all, some of which we would stop at, and several that were just drive-bys. Let me say up front that I was really looking forward to this particular event, and it did not disappoint.
Our first stop was at the top of the street - BELVEDERE COLLEGE, an exclusive Jesuit prep school that is still in operation today. Joyce absorbed much of his critical thinking/linguistic abilities from the Jesuits at Belvedere and became active in the Sodality and other religious devotions there. According to our guide, this piety did not prevent the young Joyce from indulging in the seedier pleasure of Dublin at the same time.
http://www.belvederecollege.ie/
We then proceeded to nearby MOUNTJOY SQUARE, a Georgian enclave that had fallen into decay during Joyce's day - then considered the "worst slum in Dublin." As mentioned above, many of these older Georgian properties had been abandoned when successful Dubliners chose to remove to the south side of town, nearer to Leinster House and Merrion Square in the 19th century.
We also drove by 13 NORTH RICHMOND STREET where the family lived from 1895-1898. Our guide James said that the Joyce family, with ten children, had numerous addresses in Dublin as they descended from gentility into near poverty because of the father's drinking and poor money management. Note: these properties have been gentrified in recent years, now commanding hefty prices.
Next stop - IRISH JEWISH MUSEUM
http://jewishmuseum.ie/about-us/
The Museum on Walworth Road is the site of a former synagogue in a neighborhood known as "Little Jerusalem" in the early 1900s when ULYSSES is set. A charming docent welcomed us and showed us their many exhibits. In the novel Leopold Bloom's father is a Hungarian Jew who had lived in this neighborhood . (Bloom's mother was Catholic, complicating the story, but let that go.) The docent said that some 5,000 to 6,000 Jews had lived in Dublin at the turn of the 20th century. Although the number had dwindled greatly through the years, the Museum hopes to expand and continue its mission.
Before heading south of Dublin along the coast, we drove by several other houses/churches/pubs associated with the Joyce family. Meanwhile, my seat mate was Chris, an interesting American woman now living and working in Bucharest. She proved to be a delightful companion for the day.
Chris, a labor lawyer from Minnesota, had a "mid life crisis" which led her to join the US Foreign Service. I was interested in hearing about how this process works. Bottom line - she had been stationed in Beijing for two years and was now serving in Romania. Since Bucharest is considered a "hardship" post, she had generous leave to travel about on extended weekends. This was her first trip to Ireland.
http://jamesjoycetower.com/history/
Soon we were approaching the highpoint of the tour - the MARTELLO TOWER at SANDYCOVE on beautiful Dublin Bay which is the setting for the first chapter of ULYSSES. This tower was one of many built along the Irish coast during the Napoleonic Wars of the early 1800s. In 1904 Joyce lived briefly at the tower which was then being leased by his "friend" Oliver St. John Gogarty.
Before climbing the circuitous stone stairs inside the structure, we visited the adjacent museum which featured all sorts of Joyce memorabilia. The facility is totally run by volunteers who are very friendly and welcoming.
Other groups were also milling about, but finally we all made it to the top of the stone tower where our guide James read from the opening lines of ULYSSES...
" STATELY, PLUMP BUCK MULLIGAN CAME FROM THE STAIRHEAD, bearing a bowl of lather on which a mirror and a razor lay crossed. A yellow dressing gown, ungirdled, was sustained gently-behind him by the mild morning air. He held the bowl aloft and intoned:
-- Introibo ad altare Dei."
I must say that to hear those words being so well read in that very setting, with the view of the bay below, the blue sky above, and the Wicklow Mountains in the distance - well, for Joyce lovers, it just couldn't get any better.
Back to reality - we stopped at the charming town of Dun Loaghaire (pronounced "Dunleary") for lunch. Chris and I meandered into a nearby pub where we enjoyed a "carvery" lunch. Only so-so, but I am not that fussy. We should have gone down to the waterfront which probably had more restaurants featuring fresh fish, like its counterpart HOWTH across the bay.
After regrouping, we passed by the CLIFTON SCHOOL in nearby Dalkey where Joyce taught in 1904 and along SANDYMOUNT STRAND (beach) where the hero Stephen Dedalus takes a philosophical walk.
Around 4 o'clock we returned to the JOYCE CENTER and bid farewell to our guide James. It had been a great outing. Chris and I proceeded down O'Connell Street for a bit before she wandered off to do some shopping.
Arriving back at my hotel, it was time to stretch out and read the IRISH TIMES for a while. Later I drifted back to Davy Byrnes Pub and ordered a gorgonzola sandwich and burgundy, just as Bloom had done in the novel. Sitting beside me at the bar was a 30 something couple from Philadelphia - Amber and Hugh - I had to remark, "Gee, your names really go together." They chuckled, then they told me that they had just "done" Paris and London and were now finishing their trip in Dublin for BLOOMSDAY. Of course, I was most interested in their adventures in two of my favorite cities.
Saying good night, I returned to Buswells - the next day would be BLOOMSDAY and I was attending a breakfast which featured "pork kidneys" just as Bloom had enjoyed on June 16, 1904...
Jul 2nd, 2015, 07:26 PM
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LDT
I am not a Joycean, per se, but I have read a lot of his works, and appreciate his contribution to literature. I have, on the other hand, seen just about every Beckett play, and read almost everything of Oscar and Swift.
Did I miss it or did you go to the Writers' Museum in Dublin?
I would only recommend it to bibliophiles, however. There some artifacts of Joyce, Swift, Beckett, and Yeats, among others and which can bring a quiet smile of recognition.
I am not a Joycean, per se, but I have read a lot of his works, and appreciate his contribution to literature. I have, on the other hand, seen just about every Beckett play, and read almost everything of Oscar and Swift.
Did I miss it or did you go to the Writers' Museum in Dublin?
I would only recommend it to bibliophiles, however. There some artifacts of Joyce, Swift, Beckett, and Yeats, among others and which can bring a quiet smile of recognition.
Jul 3rd, 2015, 03:59 AM
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Hi again IMDH,
"Did I miss it or did you go to the Writers' Museum in Dublin?" No, but I did go there on my first trip to Ireland years ago.
It is located beside the HUGH LANE GALLERY - sorry I missed it this time - so many places to see.
I only know Beckett's play WAITING FOR GODOT. He knew Joyce well in Paris and suffered by being compared to him I guess. Then Beckett went his own way and won the Noble Prize. I must re-read him.
"Did I miss it or did you go to the Writers' Museum in Dublin?" No, but I did go there on my first trip to Ireland years ago.
It is located beside the HUGH LANE GALLERY - sorry I missed it this time - so many places to see.
I only know Beckett's play WAITING FOR GODOT. He knew Joyce well in Paris and suffered by being compared to him I guess. Then Beckett went his own way and won the Noble Prize. I must re-read him.
