Bloomsday in Bondi

What is it? Every year on 16 June (or dates around that time period) the renowned Irish writer, James Joyce is celebrated around the world. This is the date on which the events in his seminal novel, ‘Ulysses’ take place. The original Bloomsday – June 16, 1904 – was chosen by Joyce as it was when he and Nora Barnacle who would eventually become his wife had their first romantic date. It was named Bloomsday as a way of referring to the novel’s main protagonist Leopold Bloom.

Over the weekend of 13 – 15 June the Prankqueans look forward to transporting audiences to turn of the century Dublin via participatory readings and events celebrating this iconic work of literary fiction. Those attending the events will be offered an opportunity to meet/present the larger-than-life characters in novel. We will also feature musical tributes to Dublin during that era as well as to themes explored in Ulysses.

Festival Launch: We will launch our Festival on the evening of Friday 30 May in an event space at Waverley Library at 6.00pm. During the Festival launch we will introduce attendees to our sponsors: The Irish Consulate, Sydney and the Small Grants Team, Waverley Council who will say a few words. We will then outline the many events planned for the duration of the festival and explain to attendees how they can go about attending as audience or participants. We will give those attending a taste of what to expect at our events in terms of music, drama and participatory readings. At the conclusion of the launch we will offer light refreshments.

Joycean Soiree, Joyce’s Feisty Females Friday 13 June 2025, Gertrude and Alice Bookshop, Hall Street, Bondi (7 – 9pm, program: 7.15 – 8.15pm)

With Bloomsday (the annual celebration of James Joyce’s iconic novel ‘Ulysses’) just around the corner we will take a journey through the women in Joyce’s life and writing. This book was banned twice in Australia (1929, 1941) due to its sexual themes and its treatment of explicitly female sexual desire. It features many feisty females as will be shown in extracts from ‘Ulyssses’ that will be included in the program which will also look at Joyce’s influence on female writers. The acclaimed Irish novelist Mary Morrissey will read from her award-winning book ‘Penelope Unbound’ about how she drew inspiration for this novel directly from Joyce’s ‘Ulysses’. ‘A Girl is a Half-formed thing’ by Eimear McBride and Gabrielle Carey’s book ‘James Joyce, a Life’ will also be briefly discussed in this regard. The evening will feature music inspired by Joyce’s feisty women and attendees can expect to enjoy light refreshments.

You can book your tickets here

Reenactment of Paddy Dignam’s Funeral & Wake, Saturday 14 June, (Irish Memorial, Waverley Cemetery and wake to take place at the Charring Cross Hotel, Waverley 4 – 5pm (memorial reading), 6pm onwards Gaelic Club (Wake)

We will re-enact the Haedes chapter from Ulysses at the Irish Memorial, Waverley Cemetery with a rehearsed dramatised reading on the afternoon of Saturday 14 June. This will be followed by a Wake for Paddy at Sydney’s Gaelic Club in Surry Hills involving traditional Irish wake customs including music, oration and lots of ‘craic’ (fun).

You can book your tickets here.

Closing Concert, High Tide Room, Bondi Pavillion, Sunday 15 June (5.30 – 7pm)

Our final festival event will be an evening concert involving musical and spoken word items paying tribute to ‘Ulysses’, James Joyce, his world and its connections to Waverley and Australia.

You can book your tickets here