The 16 June is the date commemorated by Joyceans recalling the day when Leopold Bloom and Stephen Dedalus walked through the streets of Dublin in James Joyce's 'Ulysses'.
The Joyce Tower in Sandycove, setting for chapter one of Ulysses, set the scene for the beginning of the 1988 Bloomsday celebrations. Staff from Aer Lingus Arts Club travelled by bicycle to partake in the colourful shenanigans.
The Literati and devoted Joyceans engrossed themselves in readings from the world-renowned masterpiece.
At Bewleys Café on Grafton Street, staff dressed in character to celebrate Bloomsday. The 150-year-old café has traditionally been a favourite rendezvous point for writers. Surprisingly, James Joyce and his friends were greeted by two famous movie stars, Laurel and Hardy, who served tea.
One of the most spectacular events of the day was the reenactment of the funeral of Ulysses character Paddy Dignam, with a cortege travelling from Sandymount across the city to Glasnevin Cemetary, where many of the characters of Ulysses are buried. The cortege was a special tribute to the recent discovery of the unmarked grave of Matt Kane, who was Joyce's inspiration for the Paddy Dignam character.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 16 June 1988. The reporter is Teresa Mannion.
