LITERATURE:

A literary historian is on the brink of publishing a sensational new theory that claims former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce is a direct descendant of the famous Irish writer James Joyce.

Emeritus Professor Al Legoric of the University of Queensland said his research had shown a link between the two men.

“I first began exploring the possible link after listening to Barnaby Joyce speak at news conference, in interviews, or in Federal Parliament over many years,” Professor Legoric said.

“I began to see similarities with his utterances and the almost impenetrable, stream-of-consciousness prose of James Joyce seen in what is perhaps his most famous work Ulyssess.

“I undertook further research and travelled to Ireland to search libraries, archives, or government depositories for whatever records and materials I could lay my hands on.

“I was in luck because my efforts turned up some old, previously unpublished family photos of James Joyce in the archives of Dublin University.

“The photographs reveal James Joyce in a new light. He has a striking similarity to Barnaby Joyce despite being born on the other side of the world. So the genes in that family are very strong. (main picture)

“Despite the photographic evidence I still wasn’t entirely convinced about my theory – well, I wasn’t sufficiently convinced at that stage to have it peer reviewed and published.

“But I was firmly of the belief that the dense, often unfathomable, rambling and confusing Ulysses held the key.

“Then a few Sundays ago I saw Barnaby Joyce being interviewed on the ABC’s Insiders program.

“That sealed the deal for me and I’ll be publishing my findings very soon,” Professor Legoric said.