The cantankerous xenophobe referred to as the “citizen” in James Joyce’s novel Ulysses seems poised to finally get his wish after more than a century. In Joyce’s literary masterpiece, set in Dublin on 16 June 1904, the character rails against foreigners, Jews and the “thicklugged” English and yearns for an Irish battleship to fly the flag of the province of Munster, which shows three crowns on a blue field. It is not quite a battleship but on Wednesday the LE James Joyce, an offshore patrol vessel of Ireland’s naval service, is expected to sail through Dublin Bay under the Munster flag. The naval service was contacted for comment. “None of your Henry Tudor’s harps, no, the oldest flag afloat, the flag of the province of Desmond and Thomond, three crowns on a blue field, the three sons of Milesius.”

Source: The Guardian June 15, 2021 16:07 UTC