The end?

Ann Cavanaugh

 Our second tour of Finnegans Wake has come to an end. In the front of my copy I have noted "2nd try, 8/8/18." On June 1st, 2025, we convened in person for the first time in quite awhile (most of the time we met on Zoom this time around) to toast the end of our journey. A rousing rendition of the song that started it all was led by Tom Watson  on his guitar:

And then we finished the book. I noticed that I didn't remember the ending of the book that well from the last time around, and I have a feeling that the same will be true of this time, because so much of the moment is about celebrating the achievement of it all. Of course, we all know the last line. It's written on our T shirts. (As is the first one.)

Ann Cavanaugh presented each of us with the very lovely print above that she made for the occasion and that she's allowed me to share here. 

We then had a delicious potluck of mostly Irish or Joyce related fare (although I was gauche and brought guacamole. At least it's green.) John Vesecky's wife Cynthia, who is not a Waker herself, was kind enough to take a photo of the group to mark the occasion.

There was a toast to our dear departed Wake member, Ed Smiley. It is partly in memory of his passing that we managed to continue through our second reading, which was brought to a halt for a while due to Covid. We felt pretty sure he would have wanted us to continue and so we did.

Ed Smiley and his art

What's next? Why Ulysses, of course. If we are granted the time to do so, we may travel back through Portrait and The Dubliners too. And then? Finnegan, begin again? Perhaps.

After all, there's lots of fun at Finnegans Wake!

Wakers Ann, Cathy, Tom, Leslie, Melissa, Seana, John (and Martin)