Munich Bloomsday

Welcome to the website of the Inaugural Munich Bloomsday celebration!

16th June 1904 is the day on which Leopold Bloom, the hero of James Joyce's novel Ulysses, undertakes his journey across Dublin - and significantly the day Joyce first started doing a line with Nora Barnacle, whom he later married. Even before Joyce's death, the title Bloomsday was being associated with the day.

The first official Bloomsday celebration took place in Dublin 1954 when Paddy Kavanagh and Flann O Brien, among others met at the Martello Tower to re-enact the adventures of the book. After a liquid breakfast, they headed in towards Dublin taking in lots of pubs on the way; the odyssey finally floundered in the Old Bailey pub in Dublin.

Celebrations in Dublin usually consist of dressing in Edwardian costume, going for a swim in the "40 foot", eating a breakfast of offal scenting of urine, and carrying out some peculiar activities on Sandymount Beach. At our celebration here in Munich, no one will be turfed out for turning up in period costume.

As Ulysses has often been referred to as the Nation Epic, we won't limit to Joyce only. Although we are thrilled to host a guest of the calibre of Senator David Norris, and find it absolutely fitting to kick off Munich's inaugural Bloomsday festival with Ulysses, it's the entirety of the Irish Literary genius, from Oscar Wilde to Father Ted, from Seamus Heaney to Peg Sayers that we wish to enjoy over the next few seasons.

Apologies to purists for not celebrating on the 16th of June, but our neighbours (the Swiss and Austrians) forced our hand with the European Championships.



bloomsday in dublin