About This Event

Join us as we step into the world of Jonathan Swift as part of Culture Night 2026. This tour will explore the streets and stories of 18th-century Dublin through the life and legacy of the founder of St Patrick’s University Hospital, celebrated satirist and author of Gulliver’s Travels, Jonathan Swift. The walking tour will also showcase Gulliver’s Travels-inspired artworks along the route to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the book’s publication. Led by the Archivist at St Patrick’s Mental Health Services, you’ll learn about Swift’s deep connections to the city; from his time as Dean of St. Patrick’s Cathedral to his advocacy for the poor, and his lasting impact on Irish literature and society. The tour will conclude at St Patrick’s University Hospital, founded by Swift in 1746. Now known as St Patrick’s Mental Health Services, the organisation is driven by the same vision, energy and determination first demonstrated by Dean Swift, who, on his death in 1745, bequeathed £12,000 to establish not only the first psychiatric hospital in Ireland, but one of the very first in the world. This one-hour walking tour will meet near Christ Church Cathedral* and will conclude at St Patricks University Hospital.* The exact meeting location will be communicated following registration for tickets. Registration for this event is free, but essential. If you have any accessibility requirements for attending this event, please email communications@stpatricks.ie.

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