WHILE JAMES Joyce will be forever associated with Dublin, Galway played a role in his life and writings through his wife Nora Barnacle.
Joyce visited the city in 1912 and stayed with Nora Barnacle’s mother, at No 4 Bowling Green. Mrs Barnacle taught Joyce all 35 verses of ‘The Lass of Aughrim’, and it remained a favourite song of Joyce and Nora’s. The song would later appear in his short story The Dead.
Joyce’s connections to Galway will be examined in a public lecture entitled Joyce’s Galway, Galway’s Joyce: A Centenary to Celebrate, which will be given by Frank Shovlin, senior lecturer at the Institute of Irish Studies at Liverpool University. Sandra Murphy will sings parts of ‘The Lass of Aughrim’.
The talk will be given in the Nuns Island Theatre tomorrow at 7.45pm. Seat numbers are limited and early booking is advised. Tickets are available from the Galway Arts Centre, Dominick Street, or by calling 087 - 2803299.
