Leave him where he is. Bring him back!
Born in the Dublin suburb of Rathgar in 1882, Joyce spent decades living away from Ireland due to his growing animosity towards Irish society and his need to find work.
He died in Zurich in January 1941 at the age of 58, after undergoing surgery on a perforated ulcer.
He is buried in Fluntern cemetery in Zurich, alongside his wife Nora, who died 10 years later. In 1966, they were moved from an ordinary grave to a more prominent one, where their son Giorgio and his second wife were later buried with them in 1976.
When Joyce died, Ireland’s secretary of external affairs sent an order: “Please wire details about Joyce’s death. If possible find out if he died a Catholic.”
Mrs Nora Barnacle Joyce later requested that his remains be repatriated but the minister for external affairs refused.
Leave him be.
RIP Mr Joyce.
On the other hand – Joyce and family never stayed in the same place too long. They have only made one change of grave location since he was buried therefore it may not be too much bother to him to move with his family elsewhere.
Live on Eire 21/10/2019 with Author, Ger Sweeny, presenter Talk Radio Europe and Blogger at The Emerald Connection.
Live on Eire 21st October 2019
Ger Sweeney resumes his conversation with Irish Ambassador to Spain, Sile Maguire about Irish cultural events happening in Spain over the next few weeks. Artist and Joycean Roger Cummiskey talks about Sean Scully’s exhibition that opened in CAC Malaga last week and the debate surrounding a motion to bring James Joyces’ body back to Dublin. Singer/Songwriter Marieann Dwyer tells us the story behind her new song, and we hear that song. There was a lot happening in the news last week in Ireland and George Lee discusses that.
Bahnhofstrasse
The eyes that mock me sign the way
Whereto I pass at eve of day.
Grey way whose violet signals are
The trysting and the twining star.
Ah star of evil! star of pain!
Highhearted youth comes not again
Nor old heart’s wisdom yet to know
The signs that mock me as I go.
Zurich 1918 ©
ref: P102
Stephen James Joyce died (15 February 1932 – 23 January 2020) was the grandson of James Joyce and the executor of Joyce’s estate. He was 87.
He was born in France, the son of James Joyce’s son, Giorgio, and Helen Joyce, née Kastor. Stephen attended Harvard University, graduating in 1958.
When the Central Bank of Ireland issued a ten euro James Joyce commemorative coin on 10 April 2013, Stephen Joyce described the coin and the circumstances of its issue as “one of the greatest insults to the Joyce family that has ever been perpetrated in Ireland”. He complained of a lack of consultation over the coin; he objected to an error in a Joycean quotation inscribed on the coin; he was upset by the design of the portrait on the coin, calling it “the most unlikely likeness of Joyce ever produced”; and he described as highly insensitive and offensive the decision to issue the coin on the anniversary of the death of his grandmother, Nora Joyce, who died in 1951.
