Don’t you just love quirky holidays? Sure, Christmas, Easter and other big holidays are important, but there’s something about the quirky ones with elaborate stories behind them.
Did you know, for example, that today is Flip-Flop day? And who wouldn’t love Beer Appreciation or Onion Rings Day??
Bloomsday is one of these quirky holidays that you can’t help but love the concept of.
“Bloomsday is a celebration that takes place both in Dublin and around the world. It celebrates Thursday 16 June 1904, which is the day depicted in James Joyce’s novel Ulysses. The day is named after Leopold Bloom, the central character in Ulysses. The novel follows the life and thoughts of Leopold Bloom and a host of other characters – real and fictional – from 8am on 16 June 1904 through to the early hours of the following morning.
Celebrations often include dressing up like characters from the book and in clothes that would have been the style of the era. One of the hallmark fancy dress items of Bloomsday is the straw boater hat. Celebrations come in many different forms like readings, performances and visiting the places and establishments that are referenced in the book. The Bloomsday Breakfast is another common celebration, which involves eating the same breakfast as Leopold Bloom consumes on the morning of 16 June. This includes liver and kidneys alongside the typical ingredients of an Irish fried breakfast.”
(jamesjoyce.ie)
The official Bloomsday celebration takes place today, at the residence of the Irish Ambassador Olive Hempenstall, whom I’ve had the pleasure of meeting at Zagreb Pride.
Embassy of Ireland in Croatia, Twitter
A bigger two-day event, organised by Bloomsday Croatia, will take place in Pula, June 25-26.
Why Pula? James Joyce lived and taught English there in 1904! The building that once was a Berlitz school where he taught English now is reopened as a fully renovated Boutique Hostel Joyce.
Bloomsday Croatia #7 will put focus on the art of dance and movement, so you will be able to see Irish Maiden dance to traditional Irish tunes, but there will also be a hip-hop workshop if you’re in the mood for something more modern.
This year’s edition will also see a shift of focus to women in order to honour Joyce’s partner Nora Barnacle. Neo-soul musician Dorotea Zovko will dedicate her performance to Mrs. Joyce, followed by a Bloomsday cocktail-making workshop.
Ambassador Hempenstall will also join the event – she will be discussing Irish-Croatian relations, the current phenomenon of Croats emigrating to Ireland, and talking about the possibilities of studying and living in Ireland.
Joyce’s map of Pula contains 10 stops, as you can see below:
Visit Bloomsday Croatia to find out more.
