Bloomsday
Bloomsday celebrates Thursday, June 16, 1904
The day was immortalized in James Joyce's 1922 novel Ulysses.
Bloomsday is a yearly commemoration and celebration of the life of Irish writer James Joyce.
The day is named after Leopold Bloom, the central character in Joyce's novel Ulysses, and the novel's events are set on the same date in 1904.
Bloomsday is a tribute to Joyce's contribution to literature and a celebration of Irish culture and heritage.
Ulysses begins at 8 AM on June 16,1904 when we meet Stephen Dedalus at the Martello Tower in Sandycove, south of Dublin. A later episode introduces Leopold Bloom at breakfast at his home in Eccles Street, Dublin, also at 8 AM. The novel ends at 2 AM the following morning with the celebrated 24,000-word soliloquy of Molly Bloom, the wife of Leopold Bloom.
Between the opening and closing pages of the book, 18 episodes, loosely based on Homer’s Odyssey, record many details, some fictional, some based on historical and geographical facts, of life in Dublin on that day. In doing so, the book traces the activities, various conversations, and, through the use of the inner monologue, the thoughts of Bloom and Stephen throughout the day, up to and including their eventual meeting in the red-light district and subsequent late-night conversations in various other locations in the city.
Photograph, David Costa
Photograph, David Costa
Photograph, David Costa
Here Comes Everybody has been celebrating Bloomsday in the Boston area for many years, with performances, readings, and music, all derived from Joyce’s works.
Among the locations for our past Bloomsday performances are Boston College; Boston’s Back Bay; Central Square, Cambridge; and the Irish Cultural Centre, Canton MA.
During the 2020 – 2021 pandemic our Bloomsday performances were conducted on Zoom, enabling us to reach worldwide audiences.
Bloomsday Boston 2023 was a dramatic performance at the Boston Playwrights’ Theatre based on Ulysses, followed by a reception hosted by the Consulate General of Ireland, Boston.
In addition, members of HCE have traveled to Dublin on several occasions to perform in some of Dublin’s many Bloomsday events.