Cablog

Sydney Bloomsday

Bloomsday is a commemoration observed annually on 16 June in Dublin and elsewhere to celebrate the life of Irish writer James Joyce and relive the events in his novel Ulysses, all of which took place on the same day in Dublin in 1904.

Once again Cablog is proud to promote the 2010 Sydney Bloomsday knees-up this coming Wednesday at the famous Friend in Hand hotel, Cowper Street, Glebe. The event starts upstairs at 7pm after which one can catch the crab racing downstairs at 8:30pm!

Local actors will be reading from Ulysses and Finnegans Wake accompanied by songs and music all provided free of charge. So for a night of great literature and good cheer head to Glebe next Wednesday.

Event list and readers found here.

Harry

Reader Bernie visited my area recently and has inquired about a well-known local identity, Harry Thompson or the Mayor of Shelly Beach. Harry and his wife hailed from western NSW and first arrived at Shelly Beach in the sixties after winning the lottery and buying a caravan. Being a bushie with absolutely no experience of the beach he duly got bogged in the sand and thence decided he'd found their spiritual home.

Over the next forty years or so he became the self-appointed custodian and caretaker of the beach and surrounding bushland by cleaning and landscape the foreshore and adjacent headland. He would also welcome visitors, preserve lost property (especially a lost thong tree) and generally become a much-loved happy soul.

On my first visit to the area in the eighties I remember seeing Harry's beachside caravan and wonderng how obtained permission to live there. It was entirely due to his years of tireless unpaid work in protecting the local environment which thwarted council attempts to remove him. Finally they recognised his value and popularity and bestowed upon him the title of Mayor or Shelly Beach.

Harry passed away in 2000 aged 83 and these days the Lookout bears his name after his effort carving 254 hand made stairs to the spot. Additionally there is a sculpture park and picnic areas erected by the community in appreciation of Harry's love for Shelly Beach.

News items and images of Harry here. Bernie's blog report and holiday snaps.