Alfonso Zapico - James Joyce: Portrait of a Dubliner: A Graphic Biography

Arcade Publishing is a registered trademark of Skyhorse Publishing, Inc., a Delaware corporation. Visit our website at www.arcadepub.com. Visit the authors website at www.alfonsozapico.com. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file. LCCN number: 2016005080 Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-62872-655-8 Ebook ISBN: 978-1-62872-658-9 Printed in the United States of America Chapter I The Joyce Family James Joyce I James Joyces great grandfather was born in Cork in the early nineteenth century. His turbulent life was marked by his membership of the Whiteboys, a group of anti-landlord, Catholic agitators.

He was sentenced to death for this, though the sentence was later annulled. A lucky man, this early Joyce. His descendants inherited his passionate nationalism, along with a deep contempt for the clergy and an inability to run any kind of business. This last trait was clearly manifested by all the later Joyces. In 1835,Joyce obtained the licence to exploit a salt and lime mine near Cork. This was a profitable, prosperous business, but by 1852 he was completely bankrupt.

James Joyce II Joyces son was a know-it-all. When he was twenty-one, he married Ellen OConnell, from Corks richest and most powerful family. From then on, he devoted himself to playing the Irish gentleman and hobnobbing with high society, until his business affairs fell apart and he declared himself bankrupt. His in-laws helped him to get a modest job as an inspector for Hackney Coaches, a position he held till his death in 1866. John Joyce James father hada complex personality, and the same kind of genius for which his son would become famous. He was a good student, a champion jumper, an excellent shot, a great cross-country runner and a marvellous singer and actor.

Johnshandicap was his wealth of talents, which ultimately led him to failure. His youthful recklessness forced his mother to move to Dublin, in the hope that her unusual son would settle down and find honest employment. Instead of this, John bought himself a sailing boat and spent his time sailing around Dalkey. John Joyce allowed himself to be conned by a Cork man into buying a distillery with him on the outskirts of Dublin. John was no genius when it came to business, and one day he discovered that his partner had swindled him out of all of their funds. But luck hadnt turned its back on the charismatic Joyce. But luck hadnt turned its back on the charismatic Joyce.

John was a nationalist, andhe decided to devote himself to the politics of those turbulent years. In 1880 there was a general election. He became secretary of the United Liberal Club, and campaigned for Brooks and Lyons, the two liberal candidates for Dublin. They were running against two conservatives: Jim Sterling and Guinness, the powerful beer magnate. Brooks and Lyons were elected, and John was rewarded with a life-long post in the Dublin Tax Office. Well set up socially and financially, John Joyce was now ready for marriage.

He set his eyes on a young lady who sang with him in the Rathgar Church Choir. May Murray, a young lady with blonde hair and infinite patience, soon felt attracted to the cheerful young man with the refined tenor voice. They formed the kind of couple that people would say weremade for each other. John Joyces mother never spoke to her son again. Of course, not everybody agreed. In the end the lovers did as they pleased. In the end the lovers did as they pleased.

They were married in Rathmines Church on 5 May 1880.