James Joyce’s novel Ulysses is celebrated by Professor Bilton as Leopold Bloom, Paul Dorman and Finola Geraghty as Molly Bloom

LOVERS of literature have celebrated “Bloomsday” – a day when Irish writer James Joyce’s works are played out in both Dublin and London.

Special readings and performances of scenes from Ulysses, his landmark novel, could be seen in the back streets of Dartmouth Park.

The novel plays out on June 16 – hence the chosen date for the event.

Organised by Professor Chris Bilton, he and his fellow Joyce enthusiasts have led a Bloomsday celebration for six years – and have also taken their street theatre to Dublin.

He said: “We do it for fun – we don’t get paid but we do appreciate it when our audience buys us a drink.”

Ulysses has developed a notorious reputation for being a tricky read and Prof Bilton said: “If you haven’t read the book, the best way to experience it is to hear it – that way you get the humour, the chat and the characters.

Author James Joyce

“By taking it out onto the street, we try to connect Joyce’s words with the people and places which give the book its energy and its life.”

And he said one trick was to simply skip a slab of opening chapters.

He added: “Start with chapter four – and don’t worry if you can’t understand everything, there’s always another story around the next corner.

“Or listen to an audiobook – there’s a great version from RTE available online.

“Most readers get put off by the [character of the] artist Stephen Dedalus, philosophising on the beach at the beginning of the book – but the real hero is Leopold Bloom, a Jewish-Irish everyman who appears in chapter four.

“The rest of the book follows him around Dublin for a single day, June 16 1904. Ulysses is a very sensual book, full of appetites and desires.

“It’s also very funny, with a crew of chancers and charlatans bumping into each other throughout the day – and they all like to talk.

“There’s sex, politics and a lot of bodily functions and it’s a book about urban life, about wandering through the city, losing your way, dodging trouble and finding your way home.
“If you haven’t read it yet, give it a try.”