15. The Joyce Ancestry

These five portraits are ostensibly portraits of Joyce’s paternal ancestors. They are supposed to represent Joyce’s great-grandfather, James Joyce, and his wife Ann McCann, and Joyce’s grandfather, James Augustine Joyce, and his wife Ellen O’Connell. Thomas Connolly of the State University of New York at Buffalo, where the originals of these paintings are how housed, claims that there is reason to doubt the authenticity of the portraits, and he suggests that they are merely random portraits purchased by John Joyce to bolster his family’s credentials.

Press ‘A’ to learn more about Joyce’s father, John Joyce… Press ‘B’ to learn more about Joyce’s mother, May Murray… Press ‘C’ to learn more about Joyce’s wife, Nora Barnacle…

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The James Joyce Center

The James Joyce Cultural Centre is situated in a stunning Georgian townhouse, offering visitors historical and biographical information about James Joyce and his influence in literature. We host walking tours, exhibitions, workshops and lectures for visitors with a casual interest and Joycean experts alike. See the door to the famous No 7 Eccles Street from “Ulysses”, a recreation of his living quarters in Paris, art exhibitions and more which bring the author and his works to life.