http://www.limerickwriterscentre.com/about-us.html

Lucia, troubled..... misunderstood?

A link below to an excellent series of articles on Joyce's troubled daughter Lucia


https://twitter.com/keithfrankish/status/384410318975541248

Joyce and The Importance of being Earnest!

https://twitter.com/dftwaterfall/status/384433280168509440

Joyce and "The Importance of Being Earnest"!  Follow link above

The Poem "James Joyce's Death-mask" by Brendan Kennelly

James Joyce's Death-mask by Brendan Kennelly

He, in this death-mask, warms the vision like a joy,
For whom the cold of exile was the only place
Where home was art's acropolis; now, passions stem
From fretted skin, the hollow landscape of his face.

Eyeing this mask, I see him bending to life's work,
Some prodigal son who scorned, from love, to claim
A fatted calf, but irrevocably estranged,
Strode lonely down the bright meridians of fame.

Inert, the poem-troubled skin squats round the eyes,
Limp hair, white spike of light that strikes the fervent lips
Which opened once to utter sung whisperings; now,
Harsh yearnings hurt wilfully and cold wind rips.

Away, outside, he sees from his total prison,
The bone-bright life of things that grows remote and dim,
A ring of Being, glinting like sunlit water,
Spurting through stoney clouds, outside, away from him.

And yet those eyes knew life's repeated thunder once.
Tumult of images, city roaring and blind.
Leaped wild through his head with a hard, choking wonder.
Stumbling to expression in dark streets of his mind.

His life-work finished and Ireland still blown by the
Wet winds of fear, his death-face has its own life yet;
Some simple no music, birdsong, nor branches
Breaking with full flowers can equal, or we forget.

Death Mask of James Joyce is in Hunt Museum

Michael J. Noonan R.I.P

The Sean Wall Committee are sad to record the death of our friend and colleague Mr. Michael J. Noonan. Those of us privileged to work with Michael over the years saw at first hand his outstanding commitment to the service of his community.  Michael was Secretary of the main Sean Wall Committee, The Sean Wall Memorial Committee,  Sean Wall Restoration Co. Ltd and Bruff Housing Co. Ltd.  Michael was also a most enthusiastic member of the Bloomsday in Bruff Committee.

The saving and restoration of the Old RIC Barracks and the beautiful restoration of The Church of Ireland  are two fine examples of his legacy to the community in Bruff. The construction of five housing units at the rear of the barracks are also a result of his energy and commitment. His work with the Sean Wall Memorial Committee ensured that due respect was accorded  in our community, every Easter, to those who fought and died in our fight for freedom; likewise an annual ceremony at the republican plot in Grange.

Michael was one of the original committees members that established what is now the fine GAA Sports Ground in Bruff. He worked tirelessly to support  the work of Margaret Shaughnessy at Foynes Flying Boat Museum. He was a director of Ballyhoura Community Development Co. Ltd and a Director of Carebright Company, working for care in the community.

 Michael had a longstanding working relationship with his great friend of many years Mr. Dennis Barrett, Chairman of The Sean Wall Committee.   Dennis said  “ Michael was great man, with a commitment to his community that was unparalled. I have been privileged to be his friend for many years, to see at close hand his work. I shall miss his company and friendship with a great sadness”           

We who worked closely with him, were very aware of the many kind and compassionate deeds, performed quietly and privately for those who sought his help. Until relatively recently we were also in awe of his energy and determination, to see a project through, to attend all meetings of the various committees.

Donal Thurlow PRO for the Sean Wall Committee said “Michael adopted the technology of the mobile phone with enthusiasm, and was an avid texter! He would ask you to see to a certain task. He would phone the next day.....to see how you were...   and   to check that you had completed the task. If you had not he would follow up your progress with a relentess energy; you soon learnt that it was easier to see to Michael’s tasks promptly! It has been a daunting task to cover for Michael in recent months as Acting Secretary. I have become more aware than ever of the amount of work he got through. Michael was a compassionate man of great integrity; we were privileged to have him as a colleague and as a friend.

Donal Thurlow

PRO Sean Wall Committee

Follow Joycean on Twitter!

Follow @dftwaterfall

Two Gallants film!

Behind the scenes at filming of Dubliners short story "Two Gallants"

Centenary of publication of Dubliners next year !

Dubliners is a collection of 15 short stories by James Joyce, first published in 1914. They form a naturalistic depiction of Irish middle class life in and around Dublin in the early years of the 20th century.

The stories were written when Irish nationalism was at its peak, and a search for a national identity and purpose was raging; at a crossroads of history and culture, Ireland was jolted by various converging ideas and influences. They centre on Joyce's idea of an epiphany: a moment where a character experiences self-understanding or illumination. Many of the characters in Dubliners later appear in minor roles in Joyce's novel Ulysses.^[1] The initial stories in the collection are narrated by child protagonists, and as the stories continue, they deal with the lives and concerns of progressively older people. This is in line with Joyce's tripartite division of the collection into childhood, adolescence and maturity.

January 2014!

Exciting and innovative Joycean event in Limerick City and Bruff, Co. Limerick in first week in January 2014. Watch this space for further news.....      there will be a very restricted number of tickets (due to nature of event )