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CHAMPAIGN CELEBRATES THE BLOOMSDAY CENTENNIAL: JUNE 19, 2004

CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS -- Bloomsday -- a celebration of Irish culture in general, and James Joyce's novel "Ulysses" in particular -- will be performed in word, dance, and song on June 19, 2004 in downtown Champaign. But this time we've pulled out all the stops, because 2004 marks the hundredth anniversary of Bloomsday, that ordinary day in Dublin on which "Ulysses" takes place: June 16, 1904.

Bloomsday celebrations will take place wherever in the world Joyce's masterpiece is honored, and Champaign-Urbana is no exception. Readings from the text -- including some by guest celebrity readers -- will take place throughout the day, woven through many venues in downtown Champaign.

The celebration begins with a reading at Verde Gallery at 8:30 AM and ends with an 11:30 PM performance at Mike & Molly's pub by an electric Irish band with a slightly unprintable name.

"Joyce to the World," a new documentary detailing Bloomsday as it is celebrated around the world, will be shown at 8:00 PM at Verde Gallery on Friday, June 18 as an appetizer for the following day's grand events.

This is the third annual celebration of Bloomsday in downtown Champaign, and -- as experience shows -- you don't have to be a grad student in Irish literature to come downtown and sing a song or lift a pint in honor of good Mr. Bloom, or even to join in the reading.

For more information, contact David Gehrig at zemblan@earthlink.net or Lisa Boucher at lisa@fpmrecords.com.

Bloomsday links:

ReJoyce Dublin: The Official Bloomsday Centenary Festival Site

The Brazen Head

All About Bloomsday

Ulysses for Dummies

The International James Joyce Foundation

James Joyce in Music

A nice overview of "Ulysses"

News:

Ulysses and Us
The Weekly Standard, 14 June 2004

It's too late for me to turn over a new leaf
The Scotsman, 14 June 2004

Who's afraid of James Joyce? A guide to reading 'Ulysses'
Philadelphia Inquirer, 13 June 2004

Portrait of a daughter as the tragic muse
The Scotsman, 13 June 2004

Multiple Joyce
The Scotsman, 12 June 2004

Joyce fans to celebrate Bloomsday centennial
Yomiuri Shimbun, 12 June 2004

Behind the masks
The Guardian, 12 June 2004

Toasting "Ulysses" centenary
Denver Post, 11 June 2004

This Bloomsday, it's Joyce to the world
USA Today, 10 June 2004 (Mentions Champaign event!)

The lessons of Bloomsday
Eye Weekly, 10 June 2004

Sound of Bloomsday comes 100 years later
The Guardian, 7 June 2004

Dear, dirty Dublin
New Statesman, 7 June 2004

Every day is Bloomsday for fans of James Joyce, especially June 16
The Oregonian, 6 June 2004

Joyce fans celebrate Bloomsday centenary
Lawrence Journal-World, 6 June 2004

Joyce casts shadow on Bloomsday
Melbourne Age, 4 June 2004

Linguistic masters of the universe
Chicago Sun-Times, 3 June 2004

Ireland argues copyright of James Joyce
Out-Law.com, 2 June 2004

Joyce's kin threatens Dublin expo
Irish Echo, 2 June 2004

Notoriously Difficult "Ulysses" Actually Quite Simple
(Newswise, 1 June 2004)

Copyright bill is passed by Seanad
(RTÉ, 27 May 2004)

Emergency law to prevent copyright threat to Joyce show
(Irish Times, 27 May 2004)

Bloomsday Cabaret - A film about James Joyce and his music
(CNW Telbec, May 2004)

Quick pass 'The Dead' at James Joyce Ramble
(Boston Globe, 29 April 2004)

Fans of Joyce to Experience 'Bloomsday' Fry-Up
(Reuters, 30 April 2004)

Past Champaign-Urbana Bloomsday events:

Bloomsday 2003

Bloomsday 2002
"Celebrating Ulysses" (Daily Illini, 18 June 2002)