Bloomsday Bloomsday Bloomsday is a commemoration and celebration of the life of Irish writer James Joyce, observed annually in Dublin and elsewhere on 16 June, the day his novel "Ulysses" takes place in 1904, the date of his first outing with his wife-to-be, Nora Barnacle, and named after its protagonist Leopold Bloom. The English compound word "Bloomsday" is usually used in Irish as well, though some publications call it . The first mention of such a celebration is to be found in a letter by Joyce to Miss Weaver of 27 June 1924, which refers to "a group of people who
Rocky Road to Dublin Rocky Road to Dublin "Rocky Road to Dublin" is a 19th-century Irish song about a man's experiences as he travels to Liverpool in England from his home in Tuam in Ireland. It is often performed instrumentally. The words were written by D.K. Gavan, "The Galway Poet", for the English music hall performer Harry Clifton (1824–1872), who popularised the song. The song describes the adventures, troubles and travails that the protagonist encounters on his travels. At the beginning of the songs, the protagonist of the story states that he is "off to reap the corn" meaning he is off to seek