This year marks the 300th anniversary of the literary Dean's most celebrated work Gulliver's Travels
12.10.26
The Jonathan Swift Festival is back for 2026! The Festival celebrates the life and works of Jonathan Swift, the renowned satirist and author of “Gulliver’s Travels.” with a range of events including lectures, performances, and guided walks that explore his influence on literature and satire.
This year, the event celebrates 300 years since the publication of Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels. To mark the occasion, Saint Patrick’s Cathedral will host a very special ‘Gulliver-inspired’ evening celebration on 28th October.
Three centuries after Swift’s masterpiece first appeared in print, the Cathedral where he served as Dean will celebrate his extraordinary legacy through an evening of music, literature and performance.
At the heart of the celebration will be the world premiere of The Man Mountain, a new work by acclaimed composer Seán Doherty, written especially to commemorate the 300th anniversary. The piece will be performed for the first time by a specially assembled choir of children from across Dublin.
The evening will continue with selected readings from Gulliver’s Travels by renowned Swift scholar Dr Brendan Twomey, bringing to life the wit, imagination and satire of one of the most celebrated works in world literature.
The readings will be accompanied by organ performances from Stuart Nicholson, Master of the Music at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, with music reflecting the extraordinary worlds encountered during Gulliver’s voyages.
Taking place in the Cathedral that Swift knew so well, and where he is buried, this celebration offers a unique opportunity to experience Gulliver’s Travels in a setting inseparably connected with its author, exactly three centuries after its publication.
For tickets to this special event visit www.stpatrickscathedral.ie.
Find full details of the Jonathan Swift Festival at www.jonathanswiftfestival.ie.
