Ulysses In 80: The Ulysses Experience

In this episode, we are In Discussion with Kelly Bryan of Blooms & Barnacles.

In this lively and engaging episode, we sit down with Kelly Bryan, co-founder and co-host of the acclaimed Blooms & Barnacles podcast and blog, dedicated to unraveling the mysteries and joys of James Joyce’s Ulysses. With warmth and wit, Kelly leads us through an organic, free-flowing conversation full of insights, laughter, and sharp observations. She chats with participants, dives into the details of Joyce’s text, and brings her signature spirit to the room.

For more on Kelly’s work, visit bloomsandbarnacles.com.

This episode is part of the Reading Ulysses in 80 Days project, led by Clíona Ó’Farrelly and Mark Sanford Gross, alongside hundreds of curious and passionate readers from around the world.

Join the conversation in the Ulysses in 80 Facebook group and follow us on Bluesky at @Ulysses80.

Ulysses in 80
A global reading of James Joyce’s Ulysses, moving through the book together over eighty days.

📧 Contact: [email protected]

The 2026 reading is June 1 to August 19th.

This week's episode: renowned scholar and author Joseph Valente joins us for a mind-opening dive into our Ulysses discussion. With wit, depth, and energy, he reveals the shimmer beneath Joyce's line and the architecture above them--making the text spark in ways we might have missed. Hosted by Cliona O'Farrelly and Mark Sanford Gross, this is a bold, brainy, and illuminating conversation that stays with you long after it ends. Thank you, Joe Valente!

Join Ulysses in 80 on Facebook and follow us on Bluesky @ulysses80

Ulysses in 80
A global reading of James Joyce’s Ulysses, moving through the book together over eighty days.

📧 Contact: [email protected]

The 2026 reading is June 1 to August 19th.

Get ready for another look into James Joyce's Ulysses! 

On this webinar episode of Ulysses In 80, we are thrilled to welcome Professor Matthew Campbell from York University. 

Join our hosts, Cliona O'Farrelly and Mark Sanford Gross, as Professor Campbell illuminates the extraordinary musicality, intricate poetry, captivating voices, and profound lyricism that define Joyce's masterpiece. Professor Campbell, a renowned expert in English/Irish Literature and Poetry at York is also the engaging host of the online course "Reading James Joyce: Life, Place, Fiction,

This episode is the podcast recording of our popular webinar event from July 2, 2025, and features opening and closing original music by Professor Campbell.

Ulysses in 80
A global reading of James Joyce’s Ulysses, moving through the book together over eighty days.

📧 Contact: [email protected]

The 2026 reading is June 1 to August 19th.

In its third webinar, held on June 25th, Ulysses in 80 welcomed James Maynard from the University at Buffalo for a rich and engaging conversation. As curator of the world’s largest collection of James Joyce materials, housed at the University at Buffalo, James brought deep insight and compelling stories to our discussion and Q&A session.

This webinar originally featured both visual and audio elements, but James’s presentation stands on its own through audio alone—thoughtful, clear, and resonant. What you’re about to hear is the podcast version, adapted from the original webinar recording.

To learn more about the University at Buffalo’s renowned James Joyce Collection, visit library.buffalo.edu.

This episode is hosted by Mark Sanford Gross and Cliona O'Farrelly

Ulysses in 80
A global reading of James Joyce’s Ulysses, moving through the book together over eighty days.

📧 Contact: [email protected]

The 2026 reading is June 1 to August 19th.

Join us for a special bonus episode of UlyssesIn80, recorded live on June 13th, 2025, at Chief Sullivan's Irish Bar in North Beach, San Francisco!

Host Mark Sanford Gross invites you to a lively and energetic night filled with music, chats, songs, and, of course, pub discussion about Ulysses and James Joyce. It's all centered around a unique gathering: newspaper folks and an Irish band, right in the middle of our journey through the "Aeolus" episode of Ulysses. You'll hear the wonderful story of Santa John and discover how this fantastic group came together to create an unforgettable Irish night experience. It's a vibrant blend of journalistic wit, traditional Irish melodies, and literary conversation, proving that the newsroom isn't the only place these folks shine.

The Irish Newsboys perform monthly at Chief Sullivan's – check Facebook for dates!

Special thanks go out to Kevin Fagan, Jay Johnson, Jeanne Moshovsky, and everyone else in The Irish Newsboys, both on and off stage, who made this evening truly magical.

For more about UlyssesIn80, visit us at UlyssesIn80@facebook and Ulysses80@bluesky.

Ulysses in 80
A global reading of James Joyce’s Ulysses, moving through the book together over eighty days.

📧 Contact: [email protected]

The 2026 reading is June 1 to August 19th.

Join us for a truly extraordinary Bloomsday special as we transform a single day into a captivating global narrative. "A Day in the Life of Our U80 Readers" brings together 25 unique voices from our 2025 Ulysses in 80 group, each contributing their personal two-minute story, hour by hour, throughout a momentous day.

From the bustling streets of Hong Kong to the vibrant landscapes of Mexico, these individual narratives weave together, creating a singular, interconnected story of a day shared across continents. What makes this episode so special isn't just the diverse locations, but the remarkable bond forged between strangers. Mostly unknown to each other, these participants are united by their shared passion for reading Ulysses together over 80 days.

Prepare to be moved as you hear and feel the profound relevance our "community"—a collective brought together by literature—holds for each individual. This isn't just a podcast; it's a testament to the power of connection, proving that even across vast distances, a shared journey can create an undeniable sense of belonging.

A heartfelt thank you to our incredible readers and listeners for making this unique production possible.

Hosted by Cliona O'Farrely and Mark Sanford Gross.

Special thanks to Dublin Bus Driver Kevin Anderson and The Voices of a Wexford Living Room

MuchiBus Thankibus

Ulysses in 80
A global reading of James Joyce’s Ulysses, moving through the book together over eighty days.

📧 Contact: [email protected]

The 2026 reading is June 1 to August 19th.

Renowned James Joyce scholar and author of "Annotations to James Joyce's Ulysses (2022), Sam Slote joins Ulysses In 80 hosts Cliona O'Farrelly, and Mark Sanford Gross.

A wonderful opportunity for the curious reader, the first-time reader, and the frequent reader. 

For more about the Ulysses in 80 project, visit Ulysses in 80 on Facebook and @Ulysses80 on Bluesky

This episode is the podcast version of the Ulysses in 80  weekly webinar held on June 11th, 2025.

Ulysses in 80
A global reading of James Joyce’s Ulysses, moving through the book together over eighty days.

📧 Contact: [email protected]

The 2026 reading is June 1 to August 19th.

Ulysses In 80 brings its webinar series to the podcast platform.  The 2025 webinar series, part of the Reading Ulysses in 80 Days project, is a weekly online event featuring an incredible array of guests during the 2025 80-day global reading of Ulysses.  These webinars will be available in podcast format for viewing on demand.

Webinar #1 features Patrick Hastings, renowned author of The Ulysses Guide, and Deirdre Mulrooney, dance historian, filmmaker, and author of Full Capacity, The Life of Lucia Joyce, and producer of the film, Lucia Joyce, Full Capacity.

The Ulysses in 80 podcast series is hosted by Cliona O'Farrelly and Mark Sanford Gross

Ulysses in 80
A global reading of James Joyce’s Ulysses, moving through the book together over eighty days.

📧 Contact: [email protected]

The 2026 reading is June 1 to August 19th.

Reading Ulysses is often called a marathon—demanding, winding, and full of questions. Can I do this? Will I make it through? At the start of our 80-day journey, we offer encouragement—not just from fellow readers around the world, but from James Joyce himself. The novel’s first call to action, “Come up, Kinch!” (Stephen’s summons to rise and begin the day), sets the tone.

 Hosts Mark Sanford Gross and Clíona Ó’Farrelly gather voices—new and returning participants—offering words and phrases of support to carry us through. This is not pomp and performance, just real readers walking the pages together.

Ulysses in 80 Days, 2025 begins June 1, 2025. 

Follow us on Facebook @ ulyssesin80 and Bluesky @ulysses80

Ulysses in 80
A global reading of James Joyce’s Ulysses, moving through the book together over eighty days.

📧 Contact: [email protected]

The 2026 reading is June 1 to August 19th.

In this episode of Ulysses in 80, we talk about the big question: How do you read James Joyce’s Ulysses?

Hundreds of books, essays, lectures, and guides exist to help decode Joyce’s masterpiece. But for every reader who dives deep into its layers of meaning, allusions, and annotations, there are just as many who set it down and walk away.

 This episode brings together a small group of volunteer participants from around the world—some first-timers, some familiar friends of the book—who’ve joined the 2025 “Ulysses in 80” project.

Together, we share individual thoughts on what it means to prepare, what to expect, and why we are committing to reading 8–10 pages a day for 80 days, starting June 1st, 2025. We're just everyday folks.

Hosted by project guides Clíona O’Farrelly, from Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, and Mark Sanford Gross, Founder of Write Up the Coast in Northern California.

🔗 Learn more and join the conversation:
Facebook: ReadingUlyssesIn80
Bluesky: @ulysses80.bsky.social
Email: [email protected]

🎧 Thank you to all our volunteer participants for your thoughtful contributions.

Ulysses in 80
A global reading of James Joyce’s Ulysses, moving through the book together over eighty days.

📧 Contact: [email protected]

The 2026 reading is June 1 to August 19th.