James Joyce: The jealous rage that inspired Ulysses
Updated / Tuesday, 23 Jun 2026 12:22
To mark Bloomsday, Diarmaid and Catriona tell the remarkable story of how two of James Joyce's friends made false allegations of infidelity against Nora Barnacle, something which sent Joyce into a jealous rage. The impact on Joyce was severe, and caused him to question the paternity of his son, Giorgio - but it also had major literary consequences, forming the basis of one of the key chapters of Ulysses. Joyce's political beliefs are also explored, as well as the social history of Dublin at the time.
