18 Ballads from James Joyce's Ulysses, Val O'Donnell

This collection consists of eighteen new ballads written by Val O’Donnell and set to airs of music which are referred to in Ulysses or in other works of James Joyce. The collection includes short quotes from Ulysses, a note on the music and suggestions for accessing the original sheet music and performances of the airs chosen for the ballads. A notable feature is also the inclusion of many period woodcuts and illustrations.

Professor Zack Bowen examined approximately seven hundred separate musical allusions in Joyce’s Ulysses (Musical Allusions in the Works of James Joyce). But there are very few songs actually performed in the novel. Only one of the episodes – episode eleven set in the saloon bar of the Ormond Hotel – is the setting for an informal afternoon concert. Even then we only hear snatches of the music being sung. Val O’Donnell thought it would be a welcome idea to give a musical voice to some of the characters that feature in James Joyce’s most famous work and to set their ballads to music associated with James Joyce and his works. 

Val O’Donnell has a connection with the theatre for over 50 years as an actor, director and adaptor from Irish literature. In 2011 Val established The JoyceStagers theatre company to perform his adaptations from the works of James Joyce. 

Self Published
Softcover
40 pages
250 x 150 mm
ISBN 9781739714871