16/06/2026
Today, 16 June is celebrated worldwide as Bloomsday, named after Leopold Bloom, the novel’s central character. Readers and fans retrace his journey, celebrating Joyce’s legacy and his deep connection to the city.
If you’d like to explore Joyce’s life and work further, we’ve released a special two-part series on the Senior Times Podcast platform, where Gary Cooke and Prof Derek Hand bring Joyce’s story vividly to life.
It’s a fascinating and accessible way to engage with one of Ireland’s literary giants—perfect listening for Bloomsday or anytime you want to deepen your appreciation of Ulysses.
Listen back now on the Senior Times Podcast platform.
Stream James Joyce Part One by Senior Times Podcast Platform | Listen online for free on SoundCloud
Stream James Joyce: Part Two by Senior Times Podcast Platform | Listen online for free on SoundCloud
James Joyce (1882–1941) was one of Ireland’s greatest writers and a towering figure in modern literature. Born in Dublin, he is best known for his ground breaking novel Ulysses (often misspelled “Ulussis”), which captures a single day in the life of the city.
Joyce pioneered the “stream of consciousness” technique, allowing readers to experience the inner thoughts of his characters in a deeply realistic way. His major works include Dubliners, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, Ulysses, and Finnegans Wake. Although he spent much of his life abroad, Dublin remained at the heart of his writing.
Ulysses is set on 16 June 1904, a date that holds special significance. It marks Joyce’s first romantic outing with Nora Barnacle, the woman who became his lifelong partner. That day symbolised the beginning of their relationship, and Joyce immortalised it in literature by setting his novel over the course of those 24 hours. What makes this remarkable is that he transforms ordinary daily life—walking, eating, conversations—into something epic, mirroring Homer’s Odyssey but rooted entirely in Dublin streets.
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