Seed funding set to bloom in new Joyce foundation

THE James Joyce Centre on North Great George's Street, Dublin, was allocated £100,000 by the Minister for Finance, Mr Quinn.

In his Budget speech, Mr Quinn pointed out that this year is the 75th anniversary of the publication in Paris of Joyce's Ulysses.

The money is to be used as "seed funding" for the creation of a £1 million foundation which it is hoped will secure the future of the literary heritage centre.

Senator David Norris, who was active in establishing the centre, described the allocation as a "wonderful generous gesture".

He had not as yet heard, but was expecting, expressions of begrudgery. The allocation was not a case of "playing to the bourgeois gallery", he said, nor was the centre "elitist".

The centre created employment in the north city and was a significant tourist attraction. It was also the location of a very successful FAS scheme, Mr Norris said. "We are very conscious of the fact that this is taxpayers' money."

The centre had previously been allocated £60,000 by Mr Quinn, and £70,000 by former finance minister Mr Bertie Ahern, a TD for the area. One payment was a Budget allocation and one an allocation from Lottery funds, but Mr Norris could not remember which was which.

£1 million was spent restoring the building which houses the centre. Number 16 North Great George's Street was once home to a dancing school run by a Mr Denis Maginni, who is mentioned in Ulysses.

Mr Norris said the centre was receiving a high number of visitors. He and the others involved wished to ensure that a continuing income would be available once those who are currently running it were "long gone". For this reason they wished to establish a foundation.

James Joyce's nephew and grand-nephew, Mr Ken Monaghan and Mr Bob Joyce, were both involved in setting up the centre.

Mr Quinn, in his speech, pointed out that in Ulysses the character Leopold Bloom is involved in the construction of a budget.

"His careful budget for Bloomsday included the following: lunch - 7 pence; a copy of the Freeman's Journal - 1 penny ("bad value even then", Mr Quinn interjected sarcastically); "a postal order and stamp - 2 shillings and 8 pence; Banbury cakes - 1 penny; bath and gratification - 1 shilling and 6 peace."

Joycean scholars last night said the bath referred was taken via an old bathhouse which once existed at Lincoln Place. The "gratification" is a reference to the gratuity, or tip, paid by Bloom.