Bloomsday: Malaga celebrates Irish novelist

Around eighty people attended a Bloomsday event at Malaga’s Baños del Carmen last Friday, 16 June. They joined other fans around the world of the epic novel Ulysses, by James Joyce, to mark the day in 1904 when the action of the novel takes place in Dublin.

This was the fourth time that Bloomsday has taken place in Malaga. The event is the brainchild of Malaga resident Ray Smyth, who is originally from Ireland, and author Carlos Pérez Torres, who introduced and co-hosted the evening of readings, dramatisations and music.

Dr Rosario Arias of the University of Malaga spoke of the impact of Ulysses on 20th-century literature and the literary links between Spain and Ireland. She was accompanied by English Literature PhD students from the university, three of whom read from the book in both English and Spanish and other extracts were read in Russian, Arabic, German and Italian.

Molly Bloom, wife of the main character Leopold Bloom, made an ‘appearance’ and reminisced about her childhood in Andalucía; she was born in Gibraltar to a Spanish mother.

There was even the chance to try the kidney breakfast and gorgonzola sandwiches, both of which are consumed “with relish” by Bloom in the novel. At the end of the event, Ray Smyth outlined his plans to extend the celebration for next year.