076.01 blackfaced connemaras not of the fold but elder children of his

076.02 household, his most besetting of ideas (pace his twolve predama-

076.03 nant passions) being the formation, as in more favoured climes,

076.04 where the Meadow of Honey* is guestfriendly and the Mountain

076.05 of Joy receives, of a truly criminal stratum, Ham's cribcracking

076.06 yeggs, thereby at last eliminating from all classes and masses with

076.07 directly derivative decasualisation: sigarius (sic!) vindicat urbes

076.08 terrorum* (sicker!): and so, to mark a bank taal she arter, the

076.09 obedience of the citizens elp the ealth of the ole.*

[076.10-076.32]: the teak coffin — the grave.

076.10 Now gode. Let us leave theories there and return to here's here.

076.11 Now hear. 'Tis gode again. The teak coffin, Pughglasspanelfitted,

076.12 feets to the east, was to turn in later, and pitly patly near the

076.13 porpus, materially effecting the cause. And this, liever, is the

076.14 thinghowe. Any number of conservative public bodies, through

076.15 a number of select and other committees having power to add to

076.16 their number, before voting themselves and himself, town, port

076.17 and garrison, by a fit and proper resolution, following a koorts

076.18 order of the groundwet, once for all out of plotty existence, as

076.19 a forescut, so you maateskippey might to you cuttinrunner on a

076.20 neuw pack of klerds, made him, while his body still persisted,

076.21 their present of a protem grave in Moyelta* of the best Lough

076.22 Neagh pattern, then as much in demand among misonesans as

076.23 the Isle of Man today among limniphobes. Wacht even! It was

076.24 in a fairly fishy kettlekerry, after the Fianna's foreman* had taken

076.25 his handful, enriched with ancient woods and dear dutchy deep-

076.26 linns* mid which were an old knoll and a troutbeck, vainyvain of

076.27 her osiery and a chatty sally with any Wilt or Walt who would

076.28 ongle her as Izaak did to the tickle of his rod and watch her

076.29 waters of her sillying waters of and there now brown peater

076.30 arripple (may their quilt gild lightly over his somnolulutent

076.31 form!) Whoforyou lies his last, by the wrath of Bog, like the

076.32 erst curst Hun in the bed of his treubleu Donawhu.

[076.33-077.27]: the blasting and lining of the grave — he is buried in.

076.33 Best. This wastohavebeen underground heaven, or mole's

076.34 paradise which was probably also an inversion of a phallopharos,

076.35 intended to foster wheat crops and to ginger up tourist trade

076.36 (its architecht, Mgr Peurelachasse, having been obcaecated lest

Summary of Page 76 of Finnegans Wake

Page 76 of Finnegans Wake continues Joyce’s exploration of identity, social structures, and the cyclical nature of history, themes central to the novel. The passage is dense with Hiberno-English, Irish cultural references, and linguistic playfulness. It blends Irish history, mythology, and universal themes of class, crime, and societal order. Joyce’s use of sexual innuendo and humour is evident, as is his characteristic blending of languages and allusions to Irish placenames and philosophers. The text also reflects on the Irish experience of colonisation and cultural memory, as seen in references to battles and religious conflicts.

The stolen coffin of page 66 now abruptly reappears: The teakwood coffin mysteriously removed from the premises of Oetzmann and Nephew was destined presently to reappear, and this is the story:

Any number of conservative public bodies made him, while his body still persisted, their present of a grave of the best Lough Neagh (name means “Lake of Healing”). pattern. It was in a fairly fishy condition. It was enriched with ancient woods and dear dirty deeps, an old knoll and a coy trout beck (may the quilt of her brown ripples adorn lightly his somnolent form!).

Line-by-Line Analysis

076.01-076.02
blackfaced connemaras not of the fold but elder children of his household, his most besetting of ideas (pace his twolve predama-

• Hiberno-English: “Connemaras” refers to the Connemara region in western Ireland (and a hardy breed of sheep that survive in the rough terrain) , known for its rugged landscape and Gaelic culture.
• Irish Placenames: “Connemaras” grounds the text in Irish geography, evoking the region’s cultural and historical significance.
• Universal Themes: The “elder children of his household” suggests themes of inheritance, hierarchy, and familial bonds.
• Humour: “Twolve” is a playful distortion of “twelve,” adding a humorous, nonsensical twist.

076.03-076.04
nant passions) being the formation, as in more favoured climes, where the Meadow of Honey is guestfriendly and the Mountain*

• Irish Mythology: The “Meadow of Honey” and “Mountain of Joy” evoke Irish mythological landscapes, blending local folklore with universal themes of abundance and hospitality. Ironically these evocative placenames also refer to prisons in Clonmel Co. Tipperary (now closed) and Dublin
• Universal Themes: The “formation” of social structures resonates with the human desire for order and stability.
• Humour: “Guestfriendly” is a playful, exaggerated term, typical of Joyce’s wordplay.

076.05-076.06
of Joy receives, of a truly criminal stratum, Ham's cribcracking yeggs, thereby at last eliminating from all classes and masses with

• Irish History: “Ham’s cribcracking yeggs” may allude to biblical and Irish historical narratives, blending religious and cultural references.
• Universal Themes: The “criminal stratum” reflects universal concerns about crime and social order.
• Humour/Innuendo: “Cribcracking yeggs” is a humorous, grotesque phrase, possibly hinting at sexual or violent undertones.

076.07
directly derivative decasualisation: sigarius (sic!) vindicat urbes terrorum (sicker!):*

• Language: “Sicarius vindicat urbes terrorum” (Latin for “the assassin sets free the cities of terror”) reflects Joyce’s use of Latin, common in Irish Catholic liturgy. The joke is that Joyce uses the word "Sigarius" and not "Sicarious" which seems to hint at a cigar?
• Universal Themes: The phrase evokes themes of destruction, renewal, and the cyclical nature of history.
• Humour: “Sicker!” is a playful exclamation, adding levity to the phrase.

076.08-076.09
and so, to mark a bank taal she arter, the obedience of the citizens elp the ealth of the ole.

• Hiberno-English: “Bank taal” and “elp the ealth” are playful distortions of “bank tell” and “help the health,” reflecting colloquial Irish speech patterns.
• Irish Culture: The phrase may allude to Irish rural life and societal norms, blending humour with cultural commentary.
• Universal Themes: The “obedience of the citizens” reflects universal concerns about social order and governance. It refers to the motto of Dublin: Obedientia Civium Urbis Felicitas: Citizens' Obedience is City's Happiness.
• Humour: “She arter” and “elp the ealth” add a rhythmic, nonsensical humour, typical of Joyce’s wordplay.

References to Irish History and Culture

• Battles/Colonisation: The “criminal stratum” and “cities of terror” may symbolise Ireland’s history of conflict and colonisation.
• Religion: The use of Latin (“sigarius vindicat urbes terrorum”) reflects the influence of Catholicism in Irish culture.
• Philosophers: The focus on social structures and order aligns with Irish philosopher Edmund Burke’s ideas on society and governance.

Universal Themes

• Social Order and Crime: The “criminal stratum” and “obedience of the citizens” reflect universal concerns about law and order.
• Inheritance and Hierarchy: The “elder children of his household” resonates with themes of familial bonds and societal roles.
• Destruction and Renewal: The “cities of terror” evoke universal experiences of conflict and the cyclical nature of history.

Humour and Sexual Innuendo

• Humour: Phrases like “twolve,” “guestfriendly,” and “sicker!” add levity through playful, exaggerated language.
• Innuendo: “Cribcracking yeggs” carries subtle sexual or violent undertones, typical of Joyce’s layered humour.

076.10
Now gode. Let us leave theories there and return to here's here.

• Hiberno-English: “Gode” is a playful distortion of “good,” reflecting colloquial Irish speech patterns.
• Universal Themes: The phrase reflects the human desire to move from abstract theories to concrete realities.
• Humour: The phrase “here’s here” is a humorous, self-referential play on words, typical of Joyce’s style.

076.11
Now hear. 'Tis gode again. The teak coffin, Pughglasspanelfitted,

• Hiberno-English: “Pughglasspanelfitted” blends “pugh” (a colloquial Irish term) with “glass-panelled,” reflecting Joyce’s linguistic inventiveness.
• Irish Culture: The “teak coffin” evokes Irish funeral traditions, blending local customs with universal themes of death and mourning.
• Humour: “Pughglasspanelfitted” is a humorous, exaggerated term, typical of Joyce’s wordplay.

076.12-076.13
feets to the east, was to turn in later, and pitly patly near the porpus, materially effecting the cause. And this, liever, is the

• Irish History: “Feets to the east” may allude to traditional burial practices, reflecting Irish cultural and religious norms.
• Universal Themes: The phrase “materially effecting the cause” resonates with themes of action and consequence.
• Humour: “Pitly patly” is a playful, rhythmic phrase, adding levity to the text.

076.14-076.15
thinghowe. Any number of conservative public bodies, through a number of select and other committees having power to add to

• Irish Placenames: “Thinghowe” may be a playful distortion of “Thingvellir,” an Icelandic site, blending local geography with Joyce’s linguistic inventiveness.
• Universal Themes: The “conservative public bodies” reflect universal concerns about governance and societal order.
• Humour: The phrase “thinghowe” is a humorous, nonsensical term, typical of Joyce’s style.

076.16
their number, before voting themselves and himself,

• Irish History: The phrase may allude to Irish political structures, reflecting the country’s history of governance and colonisation.
• Universal Themes: The act of “voting themselves and himself” resonates with themes of self-governance and authority.
• Humour: The phrase is slightly mocking, adding a layer of irreverent humour.

References to Irish History and Culture

• Battles/Colonisation: The “conservative public bodies” may symbolise Ireland’s history of political conflict and colonisation.
• Religion: The “teak coffin” and “feets to the east” reflect the influence of Catholicism in Irish culture.
• Philosophers: The focus on governance and societal order aligns with Irish philosopher Edmund Burke’s ideas on society and governance.

Universal Themes

• Death and Mourning: The “teak coffin” and “feets to the east” evoke universal experiences of loss and remembrance.
• Governance and Authority: The “conservative public bodies” and “voting themselves and himself” reflect universal concerns about leadership and societal order.
• Action and Consequence: The phrase “materially effecting the cause” resonates with themes of responsibility and impact.

Humour and Sexual Innuendo

• Humour: Phrases like “here’s here,” “pitly patly,” and “thinghowe” add levity through playful, exaggerated language.
• Innuendo: The phrase “materially effecting the cause” carries subtle sexual undertones, typical of Joyce’s layered humour.

Line-by-Line Analysis

076.17-076.18
own, port and garrison, by a fit and proper resolution, following a koorts order of the groundwet, once for all out of plotty existence, as

• Hiberno-English: “Koorts” and “groundwet” are playful distortions of “courts” and “groundwater,” reflecting colloquial Irish speech patterns.
• Irish History: “Port and garrison” evoke Ireland’s history of military occupation and colonisation.
• Universal Themes: The “fit and proper resolution” reflects universal concerns about justice and societal order.
• Humour: “Plotty existence” is a humorous, exaggerated term, typical of Joyce’s wordplay.

076.19-076.20
a forescut, so you maateskippey might to you cuttinrunner on a neuw pack of klerds, made him, while his body still persisted,

• Hiberno-English: “Maateskippey” and “klerds” are playful distortions of “mateskipper” and “clerks,” reflecting Joyce’s linguistic inventiveness.
• Irish Culture: The phrase may allude to Irish rural life and societal norms, blending humour with cultural commentary.
• Universal Themes: The “neuw pack of klerds” reflects themes of renewal and change.
• Humour: “Cuttinrunner” is a humorous, nonsensical term, typical of Joyce’s style.

076.21-076.22
their present of a protem grave in Moyelta of the best Lough Neagh pattern, then as much in demand among misonesans as

• Irish Placenames: “Moyelta” and “Lough Neagh” ground the text in Irish geography, evoking the region’s cultural and historical significance.
• Irish Culture: The “protem grave” reflects Irish funeral traditions, blending local customs with universal themes of death and mourning.
• Universal Themes: The “best Lough Neagh pattern” resonates with themes of quality and tradition.
• Humour: “Misonesans” is a playful, exaggerated term, typical of Joyce’s wordplay.

076.23-076.24
the Isle of Man today among limniphobes. Wacht even! It was in a fairly fishy kettlekerry, after the Fianna's foreman had taken*

• Irish Mythology: The “Fianna’s foreman” refers to the Fianna, a band of legendary warriors in Irish mythology.
• Universal Themes: The “Isle of Man” and “limniphobes” evoke themes of fear and avoidance.
• Humour: “Fishy kettlekerry” is a humorous, nonsensical phrase, typical of Joyce’s style.

076.25
his handful, enriched with ancient woods

• Irish History: “Ancient woods” alludes to Ireland’s historical landscape, blending local geography with cultural memory. When the legendary Parthalonians arrived in Ireland they found an uninhabited island covered in woods except for Moyelta near Dublin.
• Universal Themes: The phrase resonates with themes of abundance and heritage.
• Humour/Innuendo: “Handful” carries subtle sexual undertones, typical of Joyce’s layered humour.

References to Irish History and Culture

• Battles/Colonisation: The “port and garrison” and “Fianna’s foreman” tie the passage to Ireland’s history of military conflict and mythology.
• Religion: The “protem grave” reflects the influence of Catholicism in Irish culture.
• Philosophers: The focus on justice and societal order aligns with Irish philosopher Edmund Burke’s ideas on society and governance.

Universal Themes

• Death and Mourning: The “protem grave” and “ancient woods” evoke universal experiences of loss and remembrance.
• Justice and Order: The “fit and proper resolution” reflects universal concerns about fairness and governance.
• Fear and Avoidance: The “limniphobes” and “Isle of Man” resonate with themes of fear and avoidance.

Humour and Sexual Innuendo

• Humour: Phrases like “plotty existence,” “cuttinrunner,” and “fishy kettlekerry” add levity through playful, exaggerated language.
• Innuendo: “Handful” carries subtle sexual undertones, typical of Joyce’s layered humour.
   

076.26
and dear dutchy deep-linns mid which were an old knoll and a troutbeck, vainyvain of*

• Hiberno-English: “Dear dutchy deep-linns” is a playful, lyrical phrase which is used multiple time throughout the book, reflecting Joyce’s linguistic inventiveness.
• Irish Placenames: “Troutbeck” evokes Irish geography, blending local landscapes with universal themes of nature and memory.
• Universal Themes: The “old knoll” and “troutbeck” resonate with themes of nostalgia and the passage of time.
• Humour: “Vainyvain” is a humorous, exaggerated term, typical of Joyce’s wordplay.

076.27
her osiery and a chatty sally with any Wilt or Walt who would

• Irish Culture: “Osiery” (osier, a type of willow) reflects Ireland’s natural landscape and traditional crafts. Could it be a reference to the disccese of Ossory?
• Universal Themes: The “chatty sally” evokes themes of communication and human connection.
• Humour: The phrase is playful and slightly mocking, typical of Joyce’s irreverent tone.

076.28
ongle her as Izaak did to the tickle of his rod and watch her

• Irish Mythology: “Izaak” may allude to Izaak Walton, author of The Compleat Angler, blending literary and cultural references.
• Universal Themes: The “tickle of his rod” evokes themes of nature, leisure, and the human relationship with the environment.
• Humour/Innuendo: The phrase carries subtle sexual undertones, typical of Joyce’s layered humour.

076.29
waters of her sillying waters of and there now brown peater

• Irish Placenames: “Brown peater” may reference Ireland’s peat bogs, blending local geography with cultural memory.
• Universal Themes: The “waters” and “brown peater” resonate with themes of nature and renewal.
• Humour: “Sillying” is a playful, nonsensical term, typical of Joyce’s style.

076.30
arripple (may their quilt gild lightly over his somnolulutent

• Irish Culture: The “quilt” may allude to traditional Irish crafts, blending local customs with universal themes of comfort and care.
• Universal Themes: The phrase evokes themes of rest and tranquillity.
• Humour: “Somnolulutent” is a humorous, exaggerated term, typical of Joyce’s wordplay.

076.31
form!) Whoforyou lies his last, by the wrath of Bog, like the

• Irish History: “By the wrath of Bog” may reference Ireland’s boglands, blending local geography with cultural memory.
• Universal Themes: The phrase resonates with themes of death and finality.
• Humour: “Whoforyou” is a playful, nonsensical term, typical of Joyce’s style.

076.32
erst curst Hun in the bed of his treubleu Donawhu.

• Irish History: The “treubleu Donawhu” may reference the River Danube, blending Irish and European cultural references.
• Universal Themes: The phrase evokes themes of conflict and the cyclical nature of history.
• Humour: “Treubleu” is a humorous, exaggerated term, typical of Joyce’s wordplay.

References to Irish History and Culture

• Battles/Colonisation: The “erst curst Hun” may symbolise Ireland’s history of conflict and colonisation.
• Religion: The “wrath of Bog” reflects the influence of Catholicism in Irish culture.
• Philosophers: The focus on nature and renewal aligns with Irish philosopher George Berkeley’s ideas on perception and reality.

Universal Themes

• Death and Finality: The “Whoforyou lies his last” and “wrath of Bog” evoke universal experiences of loss and remembrance.
• Nature and Renewal: The “waters” and “brown peater” resonate with themes of the natural world and the cycle of life.
• Conflict and History: The “erst curst Hun” reflects universal concerns about conflict and the passage of time.

Humour and Sexual Innuendo

• Humour: Phrases like “vainyvain,” “somnolulutent,” and “treubleu” add levity through playful, exaggerated language.
• Innuendo: The “tickle of his rod” carries subtle sexual undertones, typical of Joyce’s layered humour.

076.33
Best. This wastohavebeen underground heaven, or mole's

• Hiberno-English: “Wasto have been” is a playful distortion of “was to have been,” reflecting colloquial Irish speech patterns.
• Universal Themes: The “underground heaven” evokes themes of death and the afterlife.
• Humour: The phrase is slightly mocking, adding a layer of irreverent humour.

076.34
paradise which was probably also an inversion of a phallopharos,

• Irish Mythology: “Phallopharos” may reference ancient fertility symbols, blending Irish and classical mythology.
• Universal Themes: The “inversion of a phallopharos” resonates with themes of transformation and renewal.
• Humour/Innuendo: The phrase carries subtle sexual undertones, typical of Joyce’s layered humour.

076.35
intended to foster wheat crops and to ginger up tourist trade

• Irish History: The “wheat crops” may allude to Ireland’s agricultural history, blending local customs with universal themes of sustenance and growth.
• Universal Themes: The “tourist trade” reflects themes of commerce and cultural exchange.
• Humour: “Ginger up” is a playful, exaggerated term, typical of Joyce’s wordplay.

076.36
(its architecht, Mgr Peurelachasse, having been obcaecated lest

• Irish Language: “Obcaecated” (Latin for “blinded”) reflects Joyce’s use of Latin, common in Irish Catholic liturgy.
• Irish Culture: “Mgr Peurelachasse” may reference a historical or mythological figure, blending local culture with universal themes of authority and vision.
• Universal Themes: The phrase resonates with themes of blindness and insight.
• Humour: The phrase is slightly mocking, adding a layer of irreverent humour.

References to Irish History and Culture

• Battles/Colonisation: The “wheat crops” and “tourist trade” may symbolise Ireland’s history of agricultural and economic struggle.
• Religion: The use of Latin (“obcaecated”) reflects the influence of Catholicism in Irish culture.
• Philosophers: The focus on transformation and renewal aligns with Irish philosopher George Berkeley’s ideas on perception and reality.

Universal Themes

• Death and the Afterlife: The “underground heaven” evokes universal experiences of loss and remembrance.
• Transformation and Renewal: The “inversion of a phallopharos” resonates with themes of change and renewal.
• Blindness and Insight: The “obcaecated” reflects universal concerns about perception and understanding.

Humour and Sexual Innuendo

• Humour: Phrases like “ginger up” and “obcaecated” add levity through playful, exaggerated language.
• Innuendo: The “inversion of a phallopharos” carries subtle sexual undertones, typical of Joyce’s layered humour.

Conclusion

Page 76 of Finnegans Wake exemplifies Joyce’s mastery of blending Irish history, culture, and universal themes with linguistic playfulness and humour. The passage invites readers to explore the layers of meaning beneath its surface, offering insights into social order, inheritance, and the human condition.

Commentary from Reading Finnegans Wake Facebook group:

On p76 HCE seems to be prepared for burial. He's in a glass coffin with his feet facing East, a traditional Christian burial. John Bishop notes in his outline to the book that HCE is buried in Lough Neagh ... that's a bit unclear from the text (in my humble opinion). He gets a grave of the best Lough Neagh pattern (whatever that means) but it sounds to me like he's buried in Moyelta (Magh Elta), a burial plain near Dublin. In any case the underground environs are billed as underground heaven, a mole's paradise.

My favorite words are "misonesans" and "limniphobes".. The former is from the Greek words for hatred and island and is referring to people who favour Lough Neagh - which has very few islands. The latter essentially means fear of lakes and is referring to people who favour the Isle of Man - which is virtually lake-less. No matter how much the Wake is decoded I think its greatest joys rest in its sounds and wordplay. 

Favorite phrase: ‘Whoforyou lies his last, by the wrath of Bog, like the erst curst Hun in the bed of his treubleu Donawhu.’- Who for you lies his last, by the wrath of God, like the erst cursed Hun (HCE backwards) in the bed of his true blue donna (woman in Italian) who…

An attempt at an abridged interpretation.

Blackfaced sheep, not of the fold, but elder children of his household (HCE) , his most besetting of ideas (pace his two/twelve predominant passions) being the formation, as in more favoured climes, where the Meadow of Honey is guestfriendly and the Mountjoy Prison receives, of a truly criminal stratum, Ham’s cribcracking safecrackers, thereby at last eliminating from all classes and masses with directly derivative decasualisation: assassin (sic!) Vindication urges terror : and so the obedience of the citizens help the health of the whole.

Now hear. ’Tis God again. The teak coffin, (faced) to the east, was to turn in later, and pitly patly near the porpus, materially effecting the cause. And this, rather, is the thinghowe. Any number of conservative public bodies,, before voting themselves and him, once for all out of plotty existence, made him, while his body still persisted, their present of a temporary grave.(may their quilt gild lightly over his sleeping form!) Who for you lies his last, by the wrath of Bog, like the erst curst Hun in the bed of his true blue woman who.....

This was to have been underground heaven, an inversion of a phallopharos (pyramid/obelisk), intended to foster wheat crops and to ginger up tourist trade first in the west, our misterbilder, exploded from a reinvented T.N.T. bombingpost around eleven and thirty near to stern out of his aerial torpedo, Auton Dynamon, contacted with the expectant minefield by tins of improved ammonia lashed to her shieldplated gunwale, and fused into tripwires, slipping through those and playing down from the conning tower into the ground battery fuseboxes, all differing as clocks from keys since nobody appeared to have the same time of day, some saying by their war that it was six to nine, more holding with the Ryan vogt it was Dane to pfife (10 to five, Dane to pipe). (This seems to references the Cad with the Pipe) Afterwards whenever his bladder began to fail him, he neared a tree, and retired to urinate, he was seen by some girls. The account of the incident was given in misleading language.

But it is time to prepare for the next life!

Note on the Parthalonians: Page 123 from A Short History of Ireland by PW Joyce

The Parthalonians : the first colony, Anno Mundi (A.M.) 2520 (the creation of Adam is A.M. 0). The first man that led a colony to Ireland after the flood was a chief named Parthalon, who came hither from Greece, with his wife, his three sons, and 1,000 followers. He was forced to fly from Greece because he had murdered his father and mother ; and he took up his abode on the little island of Inish-Samer in the river Erne, just below the waterfall of Assaroe at Ballyshannon. Afterwards he and his followers settled on Moy-Elta, the level district between Dublin and Ben-Edar or Howth. But the curse of the parricide pursued the race ; for at the end of 300 years they were destroyed by a plague,which carried off 9,000 of them in one week on Moy-Elta. The legend relates that they were buried at Tallaght near Dublin ; and we know that this name Tallaght—or as it is written in Irish, Tam-lacht—signifies ' plague-grave.'