James Joyce and the L&H
In September 1898, at the age of sixteen, James Joyce entered University College Dublin. He studied modern languages, with Latin and logic, and graduated in 1902.
During his time in UCD, Joyce was actively involved in the Literary & Historical Society (L&H) and served on its various committees. While he first addressed the Society in 1899, he did not regularly speak at meetings. In an article for the Irish Independent, former UCD Registrar and author of the book, Joyce the Student, Prof. John Kelly suggests that:
His [Joyce] principal contribution to the L&H was two papers he read to it, ‘Drama and Life’ in January 1900, and ‘The Poetry of James Clarence Mangan’, in February 1902, which got a great reception from the student body.
His Mangan paper was highly praised by the Freeman’s Journal the following day: “It was deservedly applauded at the conclusion for what was generally agreed to have been the best paper ever read to the Society.”
The image below is a copy of the minutes taken on the day James Joyce read ‘Drama & Life’ to the L&H (27 January 1900).
Minutes from the records of the Literary & Historical Society (L&H), UCD
College Calendar, St. Stephen’s (March 1902)
‘Drama and Life’ (January 1900)
Much to Joyce’s annoyance, the L&H Auditor, Arthur Clery, submitted his paper to the University President, Fr. Delaney, for approval. The President decided that the paper was not suitable and could not be read at the L&H.
In response, Joyce went [unannounced] to confront the President in the gardens at the back of the University.
Both episodes appear in Stephen Hero.
Later, Fr. Delaney agreed that the paper could be read on condition that all references to Ibsen (and other elements that he had identified) be removed. However, Joyce simple proceeded with the original paper, choosing to ignore the President.
The reading of the paper is represented in both Stephen Hero and A Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man.
Extract from Stephen Hero
The next [evening] afternoon McCann reported:
—Well, I’ve read your paper.
— Well?
— Brilliantly written — a bit strong, it seems to me. However I gave it to the President this morning to read.
— What for?
— All the papers must be submitted to him first for approval, you know.
— Do you mean to say, said Stephen scornfully, that the President must approve of my paper before I can read it to your society!
— Yes. He’s the Censor.
— What a valuable society!
Paper on Mangan (February 1902)
Joyce read his paper on Mangan to the Society in February 1902. St. Stephen’s, the student magazine at UCD, reviewed the paper in March 1902, noting:
Hatter’s' paper proved highly interesting. Everyone went home feeling that he knew a great deal more about Mangan’s purpose and aims than he had known when he entered the theatre.
The nickname Hatter was a reference to a satrical sketch in St. Stephen’s, ‘Alice at the Debate’, in which Joyce was ‘the Hatter’.
As a contributor to the ‘Centenary History of the Literary & Historical Society 1855-1955’, Felix E. Hackett, who was also a member of the St. Stephen’s editorial staff at the time, reflected on Joyce’s Mangan paper:
Now after 50 years, we can see that those present on that evening at the meeting of the Literary & Historical Society of University College, Dublin, were privilege to witness an early outburst of a literary Nova which, blazing to prominence 40 years ago, has ever since and illumined the skies of English literature.
Elections (1899-00 & 1900-01)
Twice Joyce sought election to senior positions within the Society, but was defeated on both occasions.
In 1899 Joyce ran for the position of Treasurer but was narrowly defeated by Louis J Walsh.
In 1900 he ran for the position of Auditor but was defeated by Hugh Kennedy. Mr Kennedy had served as secretary under the auditorship of Arthur Clery and was awarded the Society’s Gold Medal for Oratory at the end of the session (1899-1900). In the election, he received fifteen votes against nine for Joyce. Kennedy would later become the first Chief Justice of Ireland.
Despite those defeats, Joyce was elected to the Society’s executive committee for both sessions (1899-1900 and 1900-01).
Bibliography:
Kelly, J 2021, ‘How a young James Joyce transformed from holy UCD student to wholly artist’, The Irish Independent, 21 June, accessed 2 February 2023
Kelly, J, Joyce the Student: University College, Dublin 1898–1902 (Dublin, 2021)
Meenan, J, Centenary History of the Literary and Historical Society, (Dublin 1955)
St. Stephen's : a record of University life, Vol. I No. 5 (March, 1902) - UCD Digital Library (https://doi.org/10.7925/drs1.ucdlib_48159)
Joyce, J, Stephen Hero (1944)
Joyce, J, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man (1916)