Finnegans Wake-End

To mark the 80 anniversary of the publication of Finnegans Wake the James Joyce Centre is delighted to host Finnegans Wake-End, a weekend celebrating this epic piece of literature. The Finnegan Wakes Film Project will be filmed in Joycean locations across the city, co-hosted by Waywords and Meansigns. Throughout the weekend, there will be further events, including a performance of “Mrs Liffey” by Sinead & Darina from Songs of Joyce and a Finnegans Wake reading workshop. For further information about the event click here.
Friday 3rd May
Finnegan Wakes Film Project at the James Joyce Centre
8 pm
€15, including wine reception.
We’ll kick off the Finnegans Wake-End with a panel discussion featuring Derek Pyle, Gavan Kennedy and Genevieve Sartor. Our panellists will consider the cultural and artistic impact of Finnegans Wake since its first publication in 1939. They will also discuss the way Finnegans Wake‘s obscure, often difficult style lends itself to unique forms of reading and artistic adaptation. This will be a great opportunity to explore Joyce’s final masterpiece, including the Wake‘s relevance in the 21st century.
The panel discussion will be followed by the Dublin beginning of the Finnegan Wakes Film Project, where Everybody will be invite to read a full page to a piece of wordless music that has impacted on their life.
Saturday 4th May
Reading the Wake at the James Joyce Centre
2pm – 4pm
€5
Led by Terence Killeen, James Joyce Centre Research Scholar, this reading workshop will explore the Anna Livia chapter of Finnegans Wake (Part I, Chapter 8). This accessible and engaging workshop will feature the 1929 recording of James Joyce reading from the text. Join us for an interesting afternoon exploring the linguistic richness of Joyce’s notorious text.
Saturday 4th May
Circling the Wake at James Joyce Centre
8pm doors
€20, including wine reception.
Circling the Wake is an evening guaranteed to entertain both seasoned readers and newcomers to Finnegans Wake. This epic piece of literature has baffled and delighted countless readers. Readings and performances throughout the evening will open up the text. The Finnegan Wakes Film Project will continue with Everybody invited to read a full page to a piece of wordless music that has impacted on their life. Darina Gallagher and Sinead Murphy from Songs of Joyce will perform excerpts from their Misses Liffey show, which brings us on a riverrun journey through the city of Dublin. They’ll introducing us to many of James Joyce’s women characters that live, work, sing and laugh along her banks. The evening will also include performances from Cathal Stephens of The Here Comes Everybody Players and Breda Cannon-Courtney and Bertha Reilly of Wilde Irish Productions.
Sunday 5th May 
Finnegan Wakes at Sweny’s Chemist, Soffsoaping Salesman
8pm
€15, including tea and biscuits.
Sweny’s Pharmacy is famously featured in the fifth chapter of Joyce’s Ulysses, known as the ‘Lotus Eaters’ episode. This delightful spot has survived since 1847 and today still has all its original fixtures and fittings. Now run by volunteers, Sweny’s Chemist offers reading groups, bars of lemon soap and literary diversions served up with hot cups of tea. This is a unique opportunity to be part of the Finnegan Wakes Film Project in an intimate Joycean location. Everybody will be invite to read a full page to a piece of wordless music that has impacted on their life.