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Ep. 92 – Hades
The parallels between Bloom and Odysseus’ journeys to the Underworld. Topics include a summary of Chapter XI of The Odyssey, Bloom as sideways Odysseus, the neighborhoods of Glasnevin and Sandymount, Paddy Dignam and his “apoplexy,” Elpenor, Martin Cunningham the Sisyphus of Dublin, Dublin’s waterways, Dublin’s Charon, coins for the eyes, psychopomps, Reuben J. Dodd, Corny Kelleher,…
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Ep. 91 – Bantams and Bathtubs
“Bantam” is an anagram of “Batman.” Coincidence? Topics include the state of Bantam Lyons’ hygiene, horseracing, Conway’s pub, cat wrangling, the Ascot Gold Cup, Throwaway, Bloom’s accidental racing tip, Dublin geography, Bloom’s disinterest in gambling, lotuses, the fleshpots of Egypt, Dermot’s dad’s betting tips, Orientalism, the Lincoln Place baths, sports as a lotus, Joyce’s love…
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Decoding Dedalus: RHYMES AND REASONS
“That is how poets write, the similar sounds. But then Shakespeare has no rhymes: blank verse. The flow of the language it is. The thoughts. Solemn.” – Leopold Bloom This is a post in a series called Decoding Dedalus where I take a passage of Ulysses and break it down line by line. The passage…
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Ep. 90 – Bloomsday 2022
Dermot and Kelly take to the streets of Dublin on Bloomsday 2022 with the goal to talk to as many people celebrating the occasion as possible. They talk to revelers at the Sandycove Martello Tower, Kennedy’s Pub in Lincoln Place, outside Sweny’s Pharmacy, and on Duke St. in the general vicinity of Davy Byrne’s. Many,…
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Ep. 89 – Yes! Reflections of Molly Bloom (w/ Aedín Moloney)
Kelly speaks with actress Aedín Moloney about playing Molly Bloom in her one-woman show, Yes! Reflections of Molly Bloom. Sweny’s Patreon helps keep this marvelous Dublin landmark alive. Please subscribe! Aedín Moloney: http://www.aedinmoloney.com/ Instagram | Twitter Blooms & Barnacles Social Media: Facebook | Twitter Subscribe to Blooms & Barnacles: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher
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The Invincible Ignatius Gallaher
“And yet it was in some way if not as memory fabled it.” – Stephen Dedalus To listen to a discussion of this topic, check out the podcast episode here. It seems that poor Stephen Dedalus can’t catch a break from the nightmare of history anywhere in this bloody city. While Stephen’s presence in “Aeolus”…
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Ep. 88 – NIGHTTOWN (w/ Benjamin Wenzelberg)
Blooms & Barnacles chat with composer Benjamin Wenzeberg about his new, Ulysses-inspired opera NIGHTTTOWN. Topics include adapting Ulysses for the stage, the process of writing an opera during Covid, gender politics and #metoo in Ulysses, gender-inclusive casting, Molly as a force of nature, the proper use of Italian, the symbolic power of musical notation, and…
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Leopold Bloom in the House of Habsburg
“That archduke Leopold was it no yes or was it Otto one of those Habsburgs? – Leopold Bloom” To listen to a discussion of this topic, check out the podcast episode here. Midway through “Aeolus,” Ulysses’ seventh episode, Stephen Dedalus re-enters the story just as Leopold Bloom steps out, like two ships passing in the…
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Ep. 87 – Chemists rarely move.
Is a bar of soap just a bar of soap? Topics in this episode include Leopold Bloom’s visit to Sweny’s Pharmacy, how often chemists move, Dublin geography, Bloom’s forgetfulness, the shrunken skull of Sweny the pharmacist, lotuses in the chemist’s, the philosopher’s stone, doing drugs, distilled water prices, Bloom’s filthy bath plans, the lemon soap,…
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Ep. 86 – How long since your last mass?
Have you repented for the sin of reading this filthy book yet? Topics in this episode include the Spanish Inquisition, English v. Latin, the Leonine prayers, the similarity between Catholic Mass and Columbo, Dermot’s priest voice, praying for the conversion of godless Communists, the difficulty of leaving Dodger stadium, Joyce’s parody of the Leonine prayers,…