Dublin in bloom for centenary

BRACE yourself, it’s Bloomsday.

These heady times, Dublin is the epicentre of the worldwide phenomenon that sprung from the fertile pen of its most famous literary son.

A strong constitution will come in handy to withstand the rigours that lie ahead. The Leopold Bloom way to start the day, for instance, is the now famous breakfast, which includes "the inner organs of beasts and fowls".

It certainly takes a strong constitution to enthusiastically embrace Mr Bloom's next culinary item. "Most of all," we read in Ulysses, "he liked grilled mutton kidneys which gave to his palate a fine tang of faintly scented urine." Hmm...

President Mary McAleese is headed this morning for the James Joyce Centre for the aforementioned breakfast. Now there's a constitutional challenge in the offal (sorry, offing).

If you miss breakfast, you can still get in on the act with a lunch of burgundy wine and gorgonzola sandwiches in Davy Byrne's pub. It was Mr Bloom's staple that famous day.

The biggest Joyce-inspired event, running in the National Library until August 28, is an exhibition of the work of 60 world renowned artists.

ReJoyce Dublin 2004, the organisers of the extravaganza gripping the country, have put on a dizzying collection of events to celebrate the writer, playwright, poet and singer.

This evening, three parades will converge with their audiences around the Spire of Dublin. As you already knew, the event is inspired by the Parable of the Plums from the Aeolus chapter of Ulysses. It's got the works masks, costumes, puppets, fire, circus tricksters and performers.