Happy Bloomsday!

Dear Citizens of The Ferment Nation.  Today is Bloomsday, and while it is not an official drinking holiday, we here at the Nation have deep roots in the Emerald Isle, and since Bloomsday is a celebration of the urban perambulations in Dublin Ireland of one Leopold Bloom, from James Joyce's Ulysses, it has been adpoted by drinkers and Irish-Americans and of course Irish-American drinkers as a day to drink and celebrate the brilliance of Ulysses and Irish literature in general.  So, be sure to drink a drink and salute James Joyce, Leo Bloom, Stephen Dadelus, and Molly Bloom!

Facsimile edition of Ulysses

I started off by wandering around Philadelphia.  It's no Dublin, but there are plenty of Irish pubs in the city of brotherly love, as well as a literary connection to Ulysses.  I found myself at The Bards, at 20th and Walnut, and what could I do but have a Guinness?

Guinness @ The Bards

From there I stopped by at The Rosenbach Museum on Delancey Street.  The Rosenbach is home to Joyce's manuscript of Ulysses.  Why?  Find out HERE.  Every year, The Rosenbach has a reading of Ulysses, featuring notable Philadelphians and Irish literary figures.

At the Rosenbach Museum

Bloomsday @ The Rosenbach

From there I wandered to 17th Street and found myself at The Black Sheep Pub, where, no big surprise, I had another pint of Guinness.

Guiness @ The Black Sheep Pub

So, having wandered around a city, pondering political and literary notions, and enjoying a pint or two, I feel like I have paid tribute to the spirit of Bloomsday.  I have read Ulysses, and I will admit that I enjoyed it, but I have no plans to read it again.  But, I will be sure celebrate it every year on June 16th!

James Joyce