03.05.2013
Celebrations to Mark 300th Anniversary of Swift Becoming Dean of St Patrick’s
A series of events is planned to take place in June to celebrate the tercentenary of Jonathan Swift becoming Dean of St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin. The Swift 300 festivities run from June 4 to June 18 and highlights include walks, talks and music from his time culminating in a Festival Evensong at which the Archbishop of Armagh, the Most Revd Dr Richard Clarke, will preach.
A number of themed Swift Walking tours will take place on Thursday June 6 and 13 and on Saturday June 8 and June 15. The tours will last two and a half hours and will depart from the Tourist Information Centre on Suffolk Street. The cost is €10 per person of €8 for students and seniors and includes a visit to St Patrick’s Cathedral. Further information is available from www.walkingtours.ie.
An exhibition entitled Swift’s Time Capsule featuring survivals from the World of Jonathan Swift will run in Marsh’s Library from June 4 to June 18. On display will be objects that belonged to Swift or were associated with his life and work as Dean of St Patrick’s Cathedral. Admission to the exhibition is €2.50 or a joint ticket to Marsh’s and St Patrick’s will cost €6.50 for the duration of the exhibition.
A free themed walking tour by acclaimed historian Pat Liddy takes place on June 14 at 4.00 pm. Entitled Let’s Walk & Talk: Jonathan Swift – A Giant in a Literary Lilliput, the tour will take in many place associated with the great man. En route participants will hear about his work and life in a Dublin divided by excesses of wealth and poverty. The tour is part of Dublin City Council’s community initiative, Let’s Walk & Talk and departs from the Bell Tower in the Main Square of Trinity College Dublin.
An evening of music, recitals and readings – Swift in his own Words – takes place in St Patrick’s Cathedral on June 14 at 6.00 pm. The story of Swift’s time at the Cathedral will be told through readings from his work and correspondence with music and images from the period featuring Eamonn Lalor, the Revd Adrian Empey, June Rogers and the DIT Irish Traditional Music Ensemble. This event is free of charge.
The Festival Evensong will commemorate the 300th anniversary of Jonathan Swift’s installation as Dean on Sunday June 13 1713. The preacher will by the Archbishop of Armagh and this will take place in the Cathedral on Sunday June 16 at 3.15 pm.
For further information see www.stpatrickscathedral.ie.