In the footsteps of the first Bloomsday: four writers retrace the infamous drunken literary pilgrimage of 70 years ago

Paul Howard, Christine Dwyer Hickey, Dermot Bolger and Eithne Shortall don their straw boaters and recreate the ‘jaunt’ enjoyed by Patrick Kavanagh, Brian O’Nolan, Anthony Cronin and company in 1954 — a pilgrimage that spawned a worldwide annual celebration of Joyce and Ulysses

In the footsteps of the first Bloomsday

Paul, Christine, Dermot and Eithne give their accounts of recreating that first Bloomsday, reminisce about previous ‘wild’ June 16 celebrations and say what Ulysses means to them.

Paul Howard