Blooms & Barnacles

A character study of the infamous Mr. Deasy, the headmaster of Stephen's school in "Nestor," the second episode of Ulysses. We discuss how Mr. Deasy is a stereotypical Dubliner of his day, as well as his defining characteristics (including his impressive mustache!) Mr. Deasy has a lot to teach us, though he is an old wise man archetype with no wisdom. We talk lots of history and politics...

A lifelong lover of the works of Joyce, Steve Carey is an organizer of the Bloomsday celebration in Melbourne, Australia. He chats with Kelly about (briefly) meeting Richard Ellmann, the joys and travails of adapting Ulysses for the stage, a heroic battle over trousers in Tom Stoppard's Travesties, and how to get a period hearse for your Bloomsday procession. This episode is not to be missed! Swen...

Kelly and Dermot tackle the reference to Averroes and Maimonides in "Nestor." Not only does this episode cover these two philosophers and their connection to Aristotle, there's also plenty of discussion on Morris dance, Giordano Bruno and the thematic importance of goth kids.  Sweny's Patreon is half-way to its goal, but they can still use your help. Please subscribe ! On the blog: Decod...

A super-sized Blooms and Barnacles! Dick is a friend of Kelly's and Dermot's who is a lover of Ulysses and the music found throughout the novel. Dick talks about some of his favorite songs that play a role in Ulysses and the history behind them. We also chat about the use of music in "The Dead," the final story in The Dubliners . And because we've never  met a tangent we didn't like, we...

While begrudge as a verb exists throughout the English speaking world, begrudgery as a noun is peculiar to Ireland. Dermot and Kelly discuss what makes Irish begrudgery a unique phenomena, how it affected Dermot growing up in Ireland, and, of course, how begrudgery influenced James Joyce's life and writing. Further Reading: The Irish Times on begrudgery here and here . Sweny's  Patreon is almost t...

Dermot and Kelly take on a point of vexation and consternation for any Ulysses fan: what the actual heck does Stephen's riddle mean? What symbolism lies within? Does he just like torturing children? We  throw in some extra John Milton for good measure. Sweny's Patreon is half-way to its goal, but they can still use your help. Please subscribe ! On the blog: Stephen's Riddle Weep No More: Lycidas i...

Kelly and Dermot welcome Tom O'Leary back to the podcast to talk about the allure of nostalgia. Tom and Dermot talk about what it's actually like to be an Irish person who left their home country to seek their fortune abroad, nostalgia for their past, Americans' nostalgia for an Ireland that never was, and how Joyce's nostalgia for Ireland shaped his work. Sweny's Patreon is half-way to its goal,...

"One more victory like that and we're done for." Kelly and Dermot discuss the ancient Greek warrior king Pyrrhus and his relation to the excesses of the 20th century. In addition to ancient Greeks, Vico and figroll-munching children, the impact of the Easter Rising of 1916 and World War I on James Joyce and Ulysses are also discussed. Sweny's Patreon is half-way to its goal, but they can...

On a Very Special Episode of the Blooms & Barnacles podcast - it's Dermot's first time leading an episode. He chose to interview his co-host and founder of the podcast, Kelly. He talks to her about why she's the one to teach the world about Ulysses, her insane dream to stage "Circe," her globetrotting years and how she got invited to a party by the Lord Mayor of Dublin. A different v...

Welcome to Episode 10, our first episode covering episode two of Ulysses, "Nestor." Kelly and Dermot discuss the political philosophy of Giambattista Vico and his influence on James Joyce, Homeric parallels between King Nestor and Mr. Deasy, and Dermot's artistic inspiration for his cartoon version of Mr. Deasy. For more information on Vico's political philosophy, we recommend the Stanfo...

Kelly and Dermot discuss the recurring phrase "Agenbite of Inwit" and why Stephen repeats it over and over on June the sixteenth. Other topics included in the discussion are Buck Mulligan as nagging conscience, the gothic horror of growing up Irish, Catholic guilt and whether or not Stephen would have been better off praying at his mother's bedside. Read the Trieste notebook for free her...

Kelly and Dermot get deep talking about arch heresies, alchemy, Buck Mulligan's blasphemy, James Joyce's love of sacred music,  and what the Council of Trent had in common with the classic film Footloose . Listen to The Mass for Pope Marcellus. For more info on gnosticism, Dermot recommends The Gnostic Gospels by Elaine Pagels. On the Blog: Decoding Dedalus: Heresies in "Telemachus" Soci...

Kelly and Dermot discuss Stephen's tower-mate, the Englishman Haines. Haines was based on a real-life roommate of James Joyce's - Dermot Chenevix Trench. Did Joyce's personal dislike of Trench color his characterization in the novel? What's up with that black panther mentioned in 'Telemachus?' Why does Dermot (our host) have bad memories of learning Irish in school? These questions and more will b...

Kelly and Dermot talk about the allegory of the old milk woman who visits Stephen and the boys in the Martello Tower. Topics covered include Hiberno-English, the importance of tea in Irish culture and who the hell Mother Grogan was. On the Blog: The Women of Ulysses: Mother Grogan and the Milk Woman Social Media: Facebook | Twitter Subscribe to Blooms and Barnacles: iTunes | Google Play Music | St...

Kelly and Dermot sit down with P.J. Murphy and Jack Walsh, two volunteers who are keeping the legacy of Sweny's Pharmacy alive.  Sweny's, of course, is the location where Leopold Bloom bought his lemon soap. We talk the history of Sweny's, their Joyce connection and the challenges of preserving Joycean landmarks in 21st century Dublin. P.J. even shares a song at the end. Sweny's on the Internet: W...

Kelly and Dermot talk about page #1 of Ulysses, taking a deep dive into the symbolism of the Catholic Mass in the opening scene. There's lots of talk about blasphemy, transubstatiation, saints and why Kelly was a terrible altar server back in the day. We finish off with wild speculation about why kids don't learn Latin and Greek these days. On the Blog: Ulysses CCD - Mulligan Mocks Mass Social Med...

In this episode we tackle the falling out between James Joyce and Oliver St John Gogarty, the origins of the character Buck Mulligan, what really happened in the Martello tower, blasphemous poetry and how Joyce found his sense of humor. On the Blog: Say 'Hello' to Martello Towers Who was the Real Buck Mulligan? Poetry in Ulysses: The Ballad of Joking Jesus Social Media: Facebook | Twitter Further...

Dermot and Kelly discuss the connections between Ulysses and The Odyssey. We take on the Gilbert schema, how to market a book like Ulysses, what exactly happens in the opening chapters of The Odyssey, and how it corresponds to the "Telemachus" episode of Ulysses. On the Blog: Ulysses & The Odyssey: Telemachus Social Media: Facebook | Twitter Further Reading: Burgess, A. (1968). ReJoy...

Tom O'Leary is an Irish-born actor and pub owner living in Portland, OR. He and Blooms and Barnacles host Kelly started the Ulysses Support Group (aka Book Club) together in 2017, and it is still going strong today! Kelly and Tom talk about why they love Ulysses, how to start your own Ulysses book club, Ulysses reading guides and why Ulysses helps Tom "go home" every time he reads it. T....