[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 50 (Thursday, April 24, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E736]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           THE JAMES JOYCE RAMBLE: A FINE ARTS RUNNING EVENT

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. JOHN JOSEPH MOAKLEY

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 24, 1997

  Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the James Joyce 
Ramble, a 10K race held in Dedham, MA, that artfully accomplishes a 
dual celebration of both Irish literary heritage and athletic prowess. 
The 14th Ramble will take place on April 27, 1997. This year's event 
will commemorate the 75th publication anniversary of ``Ulysses,'' James 
Joyce's vivid portrayal of a typical day in Dublin through the 
experiences of the main character, Leopold Bloom.
  The race not only extols the memory of James Joyce but also donates 
all proceeds from sponsors and entry fees a very worthy cause, the Dana 
Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. The funds raised through the Ramble 
will support the cancer institute's life-saving research, which will 
bring us one step closer to a cure for this disease that has tragically 
affected so many of our families and friends.
  Not merely a charity event, the race also calls attention to human 
rights violations in various nations. In the past, each James Joyce 
Ramble has focused on one particular author whose writings have 
entreated for respect for human rights. Writers recognized previously 
include Vaclav Havel of Czechoslovakia, Aung San Suu Kyi of Burma, and 
Xu Wenli of China. This year the race has been dedicated to Wei 
Jingsheng, a jailed Chinese author who has used the pen as a powerful 
tool to decry social and political injustice in his homeland.
  Again, I applaud the organizers of the James Joyce Ramble--and wish 
all the participants a competitive race.

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