of all the jolly japes being rolled out for the stripy jacket and straw boater brigade are readily available for those who want to miss them.

President Michael D Higgins is holding a Bloomsday-themed garden party in the grounds of Áras an Uachtaráin on Sunday.

The South Co Dublin Ulysses villages of Sandycove and Glasthule are going all out as usual with a packed programme of hearty breakfasts, live cultural performances, readings, music and buckets of wine.

The highlight of the day itself has to be the official opening of the festivities, which kick off at 7.30am and continue well into the night.

In the 10am to 10.30am slot, trumpeter Niall O’Sullivan will play a fanfare to herald the merriment to come and the Cathaoirleach of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council will cut a ribbon. Sure that’ll take no time at all.

And here’s the best bit.

This is peak Sandycove/Glasthule.

“Gorgonzola cutting by Jennifer Carroll-MacNeill.”

It’s such an honour.

Jennifer, holding a big knife, slicing into a big wheel of Gorgonzola, striking further fear in the hearts of hospital consultants.

Some of her political colleagues must be jealous.

“Huh. Health Minister to spend half an hour cutting the cheese,” shrugged the source who drew our attention to it.

Shady characters

The hard-working ushers in Leinster House, when not conducting tours of the building or looking after needy politicians, make sure that life proceeds smoothly by keeping order on the premises and making sure people abide by the rules.

A particularly busy and lively area is the long corridor which runs from the Visitors’ Bar past the Members’ Bar and on to the canteen and restaurants. The bars are on one side and the ground level entrance to the Dáil chamber is conveniently located on the other.

There are always ushers stationed in the vicinity.

And a constant source of complaint for them has been the quality of the light in that corridor, which witnesses so many comings and goings. They often found it difficult to make out the passes worn by visitors or quickly identify faces or get a proper look at groups of people coming out of the Dáil bar.

This week, their campaign for more light finally came to fruition and now the corridor is noticeably brighter with new candle bulbs on the light fittings.

Might be because of the couple of visitors who recently managed to slip off on a wander, pints in hand, before they were swiftly intercepted.

Of course, there will always be people who say Leinster House is a shady place, no matter what wattage illuminates the halls.