Joyce’s Ulysses was published in full for the first time in 1922, but it had been introduced to the world four years earlier with the publication of the first episode, ‘Telemachus’, in the American journal The Little Review in March 1918. Ulysses continued to appear in The Little Review in serial form until December 1920, when the ‘Nausicaa’ episode aroused the attention of the censors and was subsequently banned for obscenity in the United States. This incident rocketed Joyce and his still incomplete work into the public eye and paved the way for its eventual world fame as it became the centre of debates over the distinction between obscenity and art.

This year, we’re celebrating the centenary of the serialisation of Ulysses by gathering some key figures from the contemporary Irish literary scene in Joyce’s alma mater, Belvedere College, to discuss the legacy and continuing importance of little magazines. The conversation will be led by Susan Tomaselli (gorse) and will feature contributors Declan Meade (The Stinging Fly), Tara McEvoy (The Tangerine) and Laura Cassidy (Banshee), who’ll be discussing everything from the fascinating history of serialisation and the literary periodical to the recent resurgence of the form in contemporary Ireland.

This event is supported by Dublin UNESCO City of Literature.

Tickets for this event are no longer available online, but tickets will be available on the door!

Food is everywhere in Joyce’s Ulysses, whether it’s Bloom’s pork kidney breakfast, his lunch of gorgonzola and Burgundy in Davy Byrne’s pub or the potato he carries in his pocket as a talisman of his Irish mother. Through its focus on the body and its natural processes, the novel constantly reminds us of the significance of food in our lives; at one point, Bloom even makes the lofty claim that "peace and war depend on some fellow’s digestion". Food has also become central to Bloomsday celebrations over the years, so we’re delighted to be collaborating with Irish Food Trail this year to bring you the Joyce of Food, a three-hour food and drink tour inspired by Joyce’s Ulysses.

You’ll be brought around to three traditional Irish eateries by a local professional guide, who’ll fill in the gaps between stops with a walking tour through the streets of the city providing history, fun facts and recommendations. Each restaurant will provide a different course inspired by Joyce’s work accompanied by a reading of the excerpt from Ulysses to which it relates. You’ll enjoy starters, mains and desserts all paired with a glass of Irish beer, cider, or wine - you won’t go home hungry.

Though Joyce lived most of his life outside of Ireland, Dublin would provide the backdrop for virtually all of his major work. On a stroll around the north inner city, our guide will explain the real-life inspiration behind some of Joyce's most celebrated writing and will show just how central the streetscape of the "Hibernian Metropolis" is to the author's life and art. The tour visits stops like Joyce's alma mater Belvedere College; Hardwicke Street, the setting for the short story 'The Boarding House'; the Gresham Hotel, the setting of the final and most memorable scene of the short story 'The Dead'; and the James Joyce statue on North Earl Street. The tour also includes a visit to the site of one of the most famous addresses in literature, No. 7 Eccles Street, and retraces the steps of Leopold Bloom's celebrated journey to buy a pork kidney in the fourth episode of Ulysses. This tour ends on O’Connell Street.

The 'Lestrygonians' episode of Ulysses sees Leopold Bloom make his way through the city centre on his way from Middle Abbey Street to the National Library. As he begins to feel the pangs of hunger, his thoughts become centred on the social, political, cultural and religious importance of food. These musings are mixed with a commentary on the architecture of the city, emphasising Dublin’s position as a colonial capital. Join our guide as we follow in Bloom’s footsteps and discuss these thoughts, focusing on Joyce’s own efforts to bring the unsavoury workings of the body into a work of art and use food as the basis of a political and social commentary. This tour ends on Kildare Street.