Bloomsday and Beyond

The Bloomsday Celebration on Saturday, June 16th, was lots of fun.    We felt quite continental as we knew we were joining Joyce and Ulysses fans all over the globe in our endeavor.  CWI members started arriving shortly after 6PM.   We had dinner reservations for 6:30PM.

It turned out that eleven of us including three spouses were there.    It seemed to be a rather quiet night at  52 Stafford which gave me a better chance of being heard.   We had it planned that every half hour from 7 to 9PM we would read a bit from Ulysses and/or give information about Joyce and his novel and his poetry. I was amazed to realize that as I read it out loud, it made much more sense than when I read it out of the book in my head.

Anyway, Joan Kramer with her husband Richard,   Peg Payne,  Nancy Roehre, Nancy Coenen, Pat Becher, Felicia Reindl with her husband Joseph, Peggy Feider with her husband Bob and two friends, the Twohigs, and ME were there.

We tried to be as close to the Bloomsday in Dublin as possible.   As we can't tour Dublin, we chose 52 Stafford to be our Dublin.    At 7PM and every half hour until 9PM, I told our audience about James Joyce and his novel Ulysses which instigated this event or read excerpts from the novel.   I introduced the protagonists and I found out that reading it out loud is a much better way to  read it. Much like poetry.

So we had a great time and will do it again next year.

The rest of the year's schedule is as follows:   (Some actual dates are still to be established.)

July 18 -We can all meet at 52 Stafford for the weekly Craic session that occurs there.  Let me know what you prefer.   Will we go for supper, or just for the music?

August 18 -Milwaukee Irishfest.  I am planning on going on Sunday and would like to carpool with someone.  We DID do a bus one year but the bus has to come home long before we want to.    CWI also has a place in the parade on Sunday.

September 1-3 - Labor Day weekend.  The Wisconsin Highland Games. I will ask for a table again for Saturday.    I plan on going for the whole day.   If there is enough interest, we probably could get a table for all there days.   Anyone who wants to join me on Saturday let me know.  Again.  I am hoping for a carpool

October 12-14  IBAM in Chicago.   We will be joining the Chicago branch in  working the Literary Corner.    A chance to meet authors that take your  breath away.

October 28 Our annual Samhain Potluck.  This will be our 4th.   Hope you can join us and our ancestors for this great celebration.  Bring significant others and/ or friends.   (We hope your significant other is your BEST friend.)

November - The Literary Exchange - our book discussion group.   We are reading Legend of the Celtic Stone by Michael Phillips.

December - the annual Irish Christmas Tea  co-hosted by the Sheboygan County Historical Research Center and the Plymouth History Museum.  Date to be announced.    This is always my first Christmas event.



FYI

Thiess and OConnor will be performing at the Random Lake Library from on June 24th for anyone who is interested.

Dia Dhuit

Mary