Programme Announced for The Jonathan Swift Festival 2018

This year's festival will include a range of talks, performances and exhibitions across venues in Dublin City.

Among this year's highlights, beloved author and filmmaker, Roddy Doyle, will join one of Ireland's best comedians, Tommy Tiernan, in conversation in Saint Patrick's Cathedral on Thursday, November 29th, while Dave McSavage is set to host comedy event "Swift Laughs" in Dublin's Smock Alley Theatre on Friday, November 30th.

Children's author Dave Rudden will present a retelling of classic Gulliver's Travels in Saint Patrick's on Saturday 1st December with the help of musician Jerry Fish. Later that evening Dublin New Voices will perform "Sounds from Swift's Era" in the beautiful surrounds of the 13th Century Cathedral.

A panel discussion including author June Caldwell, poet Stephen James Smith and writer Frankie Gaffney will take place in the National Gallery of Ireland on "Writing of(f) Class" and you can even step (or stumble) back in time when Sweetman's Brewery opens its doors for an authentic 18th-century beer tasting.

The festival will end with a Family Fun Day and market in St Patrick's Park on Sunday 2nd December.

Festival curator Dr. Sarah Cleary said, “It’s with great pleasure we welcome the Jonathan Swift Festival to Dublin’s cultural calendar for a second year.  Honouring one of Ireland’s greatest writers and social advocates, the festival continues to celebrate Swift’s legacy in the 21st Century through a multitude of events incorporating spoken word, poetry, debate, art and song, concluding with an open-air fair, ripe with family favorites.”

The Jonathan Swift Festival will run throughout Dublin from Thursday 29th November-Sunday 2nd December. 

Many of the events in the festival are free but for more information, event times and the full list of events visit www.jonathanswiftfestival.ie