merrion street

Friday, May 17th - With one month to Bloomsday, Jimmy Deenihan TD, Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, has presented a new edition of Ulysses to each of the European Union Ministers of Culture at the conclusion of the EU Culture Council.

Bloomsday takes place every year on June 16th. The Dublin Illustrated Edition of Ulysses presented to the EU Culture Ministers today includes 18 illustrations of key locations in Dublin which feature in the text and also includes an introduction by Bob Joyce, grandnephew of James Joyce.

Minister Deenihan commented:

"James Joyce's Ulysses is one of the most important Irish contributions to world culture and stands as one of the greatest ever works of literature. Along with readers and academics, it also reaches a different audience through Bloomsday when a day of activities takes place in Dublin, a UNESCO City of Literature, which mirror the book.

"Ulysses is a work of art, of literature, and also of street theatre every June 16th. I can think of no better gift to give my European counterparts than a work which is as compelling today as it was when it was published almost 100 years ago. Ulysses reminds us of the extraordinary power of culture to reach beyond geographic boundaries and connect with people from across the globe."

Minister Deenihan chaired this Culture Council as part of Ireland's Presidency of the European Union.