How Krunchie became James Joyce

 I don't purport to be a James Joyce expert.


Clareville Day Centre celebrates the various seasonal events (Christmas, Easter, St Valentine's Day, Halloween, St Patrick's Day, etc). One of these is Bloomsday, 16th June. Not always celebrated on the day itself, but on a weekday close to Bloomsday. Clients and entertainers put on their tennis-shoes and straw hats or Edwardian Bonnets and feast on an All-day Joycean breakfast, including pork kidney and Gorgonzola cheese, if desired.

Well, when I put on my metal glasses and straw hat, it was observed that I looked very like the man himself. So I have been doing the same for the last 18 years, reading excerpts from Joyce's work as part of the entertainment.

Last year, 2018, Bloomsday fell on a Saturday. Clareville celebrated the event on the Friday, and I was invited to be James Joyce for the day itself in Stoneybatter. Towards the end of the day, Conor McMahon (of What the Feck Productions) turned up with his camera and covered the event.

On this site, you can view Conor's 3D (Virtual Reality) or his 2D recording of my appearance in Stoneybatter (in Saor Ollscoil na hÉireann). You can also contrast my performance to James Joyce's own reading from Finnegan's wake in the link provided.