Sandymount Strand - Nausicaa

Gerty McDowell is sitting on Sandymount Strand with Cissy Caffrey, Edy Boardman and the children they are minding. It is evening and the “far away in the west the sun was setting”. Gerty is the focus of the narrative which is both a parody of romantic fiction and also draws from the text of woman’s magazines. A service at the nearby Star of the Sea church brings the symbol of the Virgin Mary. Bloom having met with the widow of Paddy Dignam is taking a break on the strand and sees Gerty. She looks back at Bloom and realises he is watching her. She begins to idealise him as her “dreamhusband”. The others run off to watch the fireworks, but Gerty remains where she is, leaning back showing her blue garters “and then a rocket sprang” and “then the Roman candle burst”. Gerty leaves to join her friends but slowly because “… Tight boots? No. She’s lame! O!”