Join us for an evening discussing James Joyce's influential masterpiece, Ulysses, in-store at Gertrude & Alice. The Prankqueans, a collective of Irish Australian female creatives, will take you on a journey through turn-of the century Dublin, exploring the women in Joyce's life and writing.

WHEN: Friday, 13th June 2025, at Gertrude & Alice Cafe Bookstore; please arrive at 6.30pm for a prompt 7pm start.

TICKETS:

Admission: $25.00 (excluding external fees). Your ticket includes a drink on arrival and nibbles during the evening.

About the event:

Every year on 16 June the renowned Irish writer, James Joyce is celebrated around the world. This is the date on which the events in his seminal novel, Ulysses take place. The original Bloomsday - June 16, 1904 – was chosen by Joyce as it was when he and Nora Barnacle who would eventually become his wife had their first romantic date. It was named Bloomsday as a way of referring to the novel’s main protagonist Leopold Bloom.

Over the weekend of 13 – 15 June the Prankqueans (a collective of Irish Australian female creatives) and friends look forward to transporting audiences to turn of the century Dublin via participatory readings, music and events that will take place around Bondi and Waverley to celebrate this iconic work of literary fiction.

Our inaugural Festival event at Gertrude and Alice on 13 June will take attendees on a journey through the women in Joyce’s life and writing. This book was banned twice in Australia (1929, 1941) due to its sexual themes and its treatment of explicitly female sexual desire. It features many feisty females as will be shown in extracts from ‘Ulyssses’ that are included in the program. We will also look at Joyce’s influence on female writers such as the acclaimed Irish novelist Mary Morrissey who will read from her award-winning book Penelope Unbound. This engaging novel may be a work of fiction but it draws from meticulous research Morrissy conducted into Norah Barnacle, James Joyce and their circle. A Girl is a Half-formed thing by Eimear McBride and acclaimed Australian novelist Gabrielle Carey’s book James Joyce, a Life will also be briefly discussed in this vein. Irish Australian poet and Prankquean Anne Casey will offer poetry inspired by Joyce’s work. The evening will feature music inspired by Joyce’s feisty women and attendees can expect to enjoy light refreshments at its conclusion.