At a train station just as rain threatens, a man in a straw boater hat casually stalks the platform. It could only be Bloomsday.

Normally a fete of lavish kidney-based breakfasts and rambling eccentric literary walks across the city, Bloomsday 2021 is taking place - for the second year in a row - largely online.

But then, surely that great traveller James Joyce - no stranger to a pandemic himself - might have greatly enjoyed the additional surreal atmosphere brought to bear on the event by the transfer of celebrations to the worldwide web and considered it to be no great hardship.

Anyone wishing to join in the breakfast this morning had only to log in at their kitchen table at 8am to enjoy performances and songs from Ulysses with Sinead Murphy, Darina Gallagher, Les Doherty and Elaine Reddy.

While in a live broadcast also online at 6pm, actress, comedian and great niece of Bloomsday founder Patrick Kavanagh, Katherine Lynch will be travelling to many of Ulysses’ key locations throughout Dublin to introduce a cast of noted Irish writers, actors, musicians, pundits, and everyone in between, who will read extracts from Ulysses.

The readings will bring to life Joyce's immortal words, from his description of Dublin's "snotgreen sea”, to Molly Bloom’s “yes.”

Low brow jibes are promised at the unique Bloomsday event, A Joycean Punk Cabaret - an alternative presentation of extracts, songs, poetry and music.

Joyce art exhibitions and drawing workshops are amongst the other options, along with children’s activity books, a Bloomsday Quiz and anyone who fancies themselves in a straw bowler can learn how to dress and eat your way through Ulysses.

As part of the ‘Performing Joyce’ series – Actor Evanna Lynch will perform as Lucia Joyce in the Irish premiere of ‘Calico’ by Michael Hastings.

The award winning Éilís Ní Dhuibhne will be this year’s Bloomsday poet and Sonny Condell has re-recorded his wonderful song ‘The Fruit Smelling Shop’ with Phillip King and Scullion based on the Wandering Rocks episode of Ulysses.

Lisa Hannigan performs the poetry of Joyce in PomesPennyeach and the spoken word collective Word Up perform their extraordinary exploration of Joyce’s work in ‘Ulysses’.

Meanwhile Dublin City Libraries invite new readers to take a plunge and open up Ulysses with a fun introduction to the book in a Live lecture with music and readings.

Live ‘in person’ events include exhibitions in Lexicon Dún Laoghaire in association with the Joyce Tower, Ulysses street tours with historian Pat Liddy and live reading and street theatre with Balloonatics.