A mock inquest in Dún Laoghaire reenacts the investigation into Paddy Dignam's death from Ulysses, blending humor and literary scholarship as attendees vote on causes ranging from apoplexy to unlawful killing. The event, featuring a Wheel of Fortune writer among the jurors, reflects James Joyce's lasting impact on Dublin's culture, coinciding with nods to the novel at a David Byrne concert and the ongoing revival of the Burton Tavern.
In a creative reimagining of a famous literary inquest, participants gathered at Dún Laoghaire's old Carnegie Library to determine the fictional cause of death for Paddy Dignam, a character from James Joyce's Ulysses.
The event, mirroring the novel's humorous yet poignant tone, offered five options: apoplexy, heart failure, scurvy, an open verdict, or unlawful killing. Despite a spirited campaign for unlawful killing-fueled by playful speculation about motives like insurance policies and a widow's alleged guilt-the audience voted overwhelmingly for apoplexy, which secured 43% of the vote. The unlawful killing camp garnered 25%, while an open verdict attracted 28%.
The coroner, Senan Molony, steered the proceedings with theatrical skepticism, even questioning the absent widow's decency. The inquest's lighthearted yet scholarly atmosphere was enhanced by the presence of jurors like Rob Roman, a Los Angeles-based writer for the TV game show Wheel of Fortune, who also composes sonnets inspired by Joyce.
The event highlighted the enduring cultural resonance of Ulysses, as did coinciding references during David Byrne's recent concert in St Anne's Park, where a slide mistakenly identified Davy's pub as 'David Byrne's'-a nod to Leopold Bloom's fictional lunch there. Meanwhile, the real-world revival of the Burton Tavern, the restaurant Bloom avoids in the novel, continues its uncertain saga, with recent signs seeking staff and menus placed on tables hinting at an imminent opening.
These layered echoes of Joyce's work-from pub culture to theatrical inquests-underscore how Ulysses remains a living, breathing part of Dublin's identity, sparking both playful reinterpretation and tangible urban nostalgia
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