Dublin's in bloom all week long for the Bloomsday Festival, which gets under way tonight.
The festival runs until 16 June, which marks the day in 1904 on which all the action of James Joyce's novel 'Ulysses' takes place.
Events will take place in the city centre and south Dublin.
Laura Barnes, Director of the James Joyce centre, says there is something for everyone in the celebrations, which are getting bigger every year.
The line-up of events includes performances from the critically acclaimed musical 'Himself and Nora', alongside the traditional Bloomsday breakfast of Guinness and rashers and theatrical readings by Senator and Joycean scholar David Norris.
The show tells the love story of Mr Joyce and his wife and muse Nora Barnacle, with leading Broadway actors Matt Bogart and Kaitlin Hopkins lined up to take part.
Other traditional events include the Joycean bike tour, Ulysses walking tours and readings at a number of venues.
Organisers are trying to bring the Bloomsday celebrations further across Dublin with events planned for Dún Laoghaire and Temple Bar as well as the more traditional North Great Georges Street.
Organisers have also enlisted Spanish scholars to explain to literature buffs the impact that Joyce has had on the Hispanic world.
Speaking at the launch of this year's festival last month, Ms Barnes said embassy staff in the capital have been determined to keep 16 June free for ambassadors.
'I happened to see one of the Ambassador's diaries and Bloomsday was pencilled in long before we had the events decided - as many ambassadors who are in town will attend,' she said.
'The diplomatic corps will do readings in their national language. Joyce scholars are universal and the idea here is to get a little taste of Ulysses as it is heard across the globe.'
