Bloom's Day

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Where is Bloom’s Day celebrated?

Bloom's Day is a celebration that occurs in Ireland and across the globe.

Who is Bloom’s Day celebrated by?

Bloom's Day celebrates the legend and life of Irish writer James Joyce as an ode to Ulysses, one of the 20th century’s best novels.

When did Bloom’s Day first start?

The first Bloom’s Day is believed to have started on June 16, 1929. It is believed that the fans of the author started the celebration of Bloom's Day in honor of the great works from the noted author.

Who started Bloom’s Day?

The friends of James Joyce first started Bloom’s Day. The celebrations for this day are now observed across Ireland and several other countries as well with great enthusiasm.

History And Timeline

After the publication of James Joyce's novel Ulysses in 1922, the friends of Joyce started to observe June 16 as Bloom's Day. The day celebrates June 16, 1904, a day portrayed in the novel of James Joyce, 'Ulysses'. The day got its name from Leopold Bloom, Ulysses’ central character. The novel is about Leopold Bloom's life and several other characters, both fictional and real, from 8 A.M on June 16, 1904, to the early morning of the next day. The day was first celebrated in 1954 in Ireland.

Traditions And Customs

The tradition and customs followed during this day is that the fans of James Joyce, popularly called Joyceans, celebrate Bloom's Day worldwide with readings, re-enactments, performances, and lots of other Bloom's Day events. The annual celebration of Bloom's Day often includes visiting the places and institutions mentioned in Ulysses and dressing up like the characters from the novel. In addition to these, from ‘Molly and Poldy’ cocktails in Croatia to offal breakfasts in Dublin, the fans of Ulysses make this day memorable in every way. One can use #BloomsDayFest or #BloomsDay to follow and share on social media.

Ways To Observe Or Celebrate Bloom’s Day

According to the James Joyce Centre in Dublin, almost 40 events are planned for Bloom's Day, ranging from public readings to walking tours. The celebrations consist of dressing up like Ulysses’ characters and attires to that era's style. The straw boater hat is one of the trademark fancy clothing of the day. One more common celebration on this day is the Bloom's Day Breakfast which includes eating the same breakfast as Leopold Bloom ate on June 16 morning. It comprises kidneys and liver as well as the typical Irish breakfast. Besides these, fans often dress up in Edwardian attires on Bloom's Day and walk over the path throughout Dublin through different landmarks of which Leopold Bloom of Ulysses has passed by. Hard-core supporters hold marathon readings of Ulysses, sometimes up to 36 hours.

Facts And Stats

• June 16, the Bloom's Day date is a significant day in James Joyce's life because it was the first time he went out with Nora Barnacle, his future wife.
• Bloom's Day is named after Leopold Bloom, the central character of Ulysses.
• Bloom's Day was first found in a letter to Miss Weaver by Joyce on June 27 in 1924 that mentioned a group of individuals who celebrated Bloom's Day on June 16.
• The first major Bloom's Day was celebrated in 1929.
• The first Bloom's Day was observed in Ireland in 1954. That marked the 50th anniversary of the day.
• The first grand Bloom's Day celebration occurred in 1977 when more than 1,000 runners took part in the first Bloom's Day run printed in posters publicizing the event.

FAQs About Bloom's Day

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