James Joyce fans celebrate Bloomsday around the world

Actors, writers and fans of James Joyce are coming together across the world to mark Bloomsday today. The annual event honours the date in 1904 depicted in his novel Ulysses. Actors, writers and fans of James Joyce are coming together across the world this year to mark Bloomsday. The day honours the date that his novel Ulysses takes place in 1904. It is being celebrated very differently this year due to Covid-19 restrictions. Every year people celebrate the work of James Joyce on 16 June. But many traditional events have been cancelled, or have moved online this year, because of restrictions to curb the pandemic. President Michael D Higgins is hosting a virtual event at Áras an Uachtaráin to mark the day. In what has been a difficult few months for those working in the arts, President Higgins has said it is a time that urges people to reflect on the need to support artists. Despite the restrictions, the Bloomsday Festival has a full line-up, including a digital trail of Joyce’s Dublin and online readings and children’s activities. An almost 30-hour production of Ulysses is being broadcast on RTÉ Radio 1 Extra from 8am to celebrate the day.