Celebrating the renowned Irish writer James Joyce, the Bloomsday Festival returns this year for its third edition. Literature events will take place this week in three cities, organised by the Cultural Movement of Larnaca – Friends of Literature, Technodromio and Ideogramma, supported by the Embassy of Ireland.

Bloomsday celebrations are held around the world, since first being held in Dublin in 1954. Joyce’s best known novel Ulysses is set on June 16, 1904 as that is the date he met his wife. Bloomsday celebrations are held around that date to mark the occasion and in Cyprus this year they will be held from Friday to Sunday.

Following last year’s success, the festival extends its events to more cities, coordinated by Ideogramma. The festivities begin from Larnaca with an event at Kleidi Café Bar titled Ulysses, An internal journey of return. The 8pm event will include readings by poets Athena Temvriou, Maria Kouvarou, Christos Tsiailis and Nicos Tasou and will be presented by Angela Kaimaklioti and Maria Kouvarou.

On the following evening, Bloomsday will travel to Limassol for more readings by writer Christina Metaxa and actor Elena Hileti. Technodromio, Centre of Letters and Arts will host logophiles and literature lovers at 8.30pm.

The festival will culminate in Nicosia at the rooftop of Nicosia’s Town Hall. Presented by poet Lily Michaelidou, the evening will continue with more readings by director and writer Andy Papadimitriou and actors Neophytos Neophytou and Antony Papamichael.

All of the festivals events are free to attend yet require reservations which can done via the Eventbrite website.

3rd Cyprus BLOOMSDAY Festival

Literature festival celebrating Irish writer James Joyce. June 14-16. Larnaca, Limassol and Nicosia. www.facebook.com/IdeogrammaCyprus