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DCU Arts and Culture

Ulysses Book Club

“You pique my curiosity. Is it some paradox?”

Have you ever been curious about James Joyce’s Ulysses? Wondered what all the fuss is about? Here is an opportunity to join two Joyce enthusiasts in a wander through Joyce’s masterpiece and the streets of its Dublin.

Book cover for Ulysses in front of Dublin Skyline taken in DCU Library

Ulysses 

Join Claire Devlin and Jennifer Whelan as they bring you through each of the eighteen episodes of Ulysses. We’ll discuss one or two episodes at each session, which will be held roughly monthly (dates below). For each session we will also choose one or two key passages, that we’ll discuss during the session, so that if someone has not had a chance to read the full episode it will still be possible to read the shorter passages and engage with the session.

This will be a non-academic exploration – both Jennifer and Claire have benefitted from a Ulysses book club as a way of reading the book, and have a lot to share in terms of how to help each other to understand difficult sections and to enjoy the funny ones. We will also have occasional special guests to help put the book in context.

There will be three sessions before the summer break, as follows:
  • Wednesday 30th April @ 7.30pm - 9.00pm: Introduction to the book, and Episode 1 Telemachus
  • Wednesday 21st May @ 7.30pm - 9.00pm: Episodes 2 Nestor and 3 Proteus
  • Wednesday 11th June @ 7.30pm - 9.00pm: Episodes 4 Calypso and 5 Lotus Eaters
 
From September, sessions will be take place on the dates below, from 7.30-9.00pm

(breakdown of episodes may change based on special guest availability)

  • 10th September 2025 - Hades / Aeolus
  • 8th October 2025 - Lestrygonians / Scylla & Charybdis
  • 12th November 2025 - Wandering Rocks / Sirens
  • 10th December 2025 - Cyclops / Nausicaa
  • 14th January 2026 - Oxen of the Sun / Circe
  • 11th February 2026 - Eumaeus / Ithaca
  • 11th March 2026 - Penelope

Location: G220, Cregan Library, DCU St Patrick's campus, Drumcondra (Google map linked here)

 

To join, please submit your details below and a member of our Arts and Culture team will be in contact

This project is kindly supported by Dublin City Council Community Arts Grant 2024