Metal bridge

New space-time. Section 14 of Wandering Rocks continues a pattern, well established by now, of representing scenes close to the Liffey, jumping back and forth between the northern and southern banks and thereby evoking the narrow Bosporus strait in Homer's story. The men in this section are seen standing on the northern quays not far from "the metal bridge," usually called the Ha'penny Bridge––a striking cast iron pedestrian span, steeply arched and painted white. An interpolation looks far away toward the southeastern edge of the Trinity College campus, anticipating action in sections 17 and 19. A second one visits a spot quite close to where the men are standing, recalling actions seen in section 8. Both references bear thematic relevance to their story.

John Hunt 2024


Dublin's Ha'penny Bridge in a 2003 photograph by Thorsten Pohl.
Source: Wikimedia Commons.




Simon's path along the northern quays, starting at Dillon's auction house (F), going by Reddy's antiques (13), stopping at the greenhouse (6), and ending at the Ormond bar (11). Source: Gunn and Hart, James Joyce's Dublin.




The Kildare Street Club at the intersection of Kildare and Nassau Streets, in a Robert French photograph from the early 1910s held in the Lawrence Photograph Collection of the National Library of Ireland. Source: Wikimedia Commons.




Smaller detail of the map above with added stars showing the locations of Hugh Love (Kennedy's) and Bob Cowley (Reddy's) and arrows showing their intended paths of travel. Source: Gunn and Hart, James Joyce's Dublin.




  Engraving of the Tholsel by Charles Brooking, from Walter Harris's The History and Antiquities of the City of Dublin (1776). Source: Wikimedia Commons.




  1792 illustration of the Tholsel by James Malton. Source: Wikimedia Commons.