Today is Bloomsday, a day to celebrate the life and work of James Joyce, but the day itself marks the author's first date (memorable for its sensual aspects) with his wife-to-be, Nora Barnacle, in 1904. Though the Dublin couple didn't marry until 1931, Joyce's father, when apprised of her surname, is said to have commented: "She'll stick with him." Barnacle, who had borne Joyce a son in 1905 and a daughter in 1907, did just that, up until her husband's death in 1941. Perhaps she stuck with special stubbornness given the fact that she'd been dubbed a "man-killer" by her friends after two young lovers of hers had died, from unrelated causes. In any case, Nora's relationship with Joyce was complicated and, despite her early efforts to make him happy, she never really appreciated his work and would have rather he had become a musician. Happy Bloomsday to the real Molly Bloom! There were three cases of Dubin + Dublin in OhioLINK today, and two of Dulbin, all typos for Dublin.(Nora Barnacle, from Wikimedia Commons.)
Carol Reid
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