A Swell night out in Dublin with 'a galaxy' of literary, theatrical and musical greats

From Oliver Goldsmith to James Joyce and Brendan Behan, Dublin has never been short of famous literary sons and daughters. Last year, its status as a city of letters was recognised with the titular award of Unesco City of Literature, writes SINÉAD GLEESON.

Unlike other plaudits, it’s a title bestowed for life, so the powers that be figured it was time to celebrate this fact. Under the banner of the St Patrick’s Festival, DublinSwell is a literary event with a difference, taking place next Friday. It plans to unite music, film, visual art and the written word with a high-profile rollcall of cultural names.

“It’s about having a celebration for our city of words, and to say ‘we’re wonderful’,” says Jane Alger, director of Dublin Unesco City of Literature. “We wanted to have storytelling and music and to represent every shade of writing. It’s important that there’s no elitism and that it’s just entertainment.”

Writers Sebastian Barry, Paula Meehan, Dermot Bolger, Claire Kilroy and Declan Hughes will take part and there will be some interesting collaborations on the night. Joseph O'Connor will read from Ghostlight, accompanied by guitarist Robbie Overson, performing a specially composed piece of music. The Abbey Theatre will present four excerpts from landmark Dublin theatre, from O'Casey to Mark O'Rowe's Terminus. Actors Barry McGovern and Eamon Morrissey will perform from Beckett's Wattand Swift's A Modest Proposal. Musically, Damien Dempsey is set to tackle Raglan Road, and Lisa Hannigan will sing an Irish ballad. Irish language poet Biddy Jenkinson, accompanied by a saxophonist, will recite a story about Drimnagh and Crumlin from the 14th-century Book of Fermoy.

Jane Alger believes it is the kind of line-up that “we’ll never see again” and Maureen Kennelly, the event’s creative producer, agrees. “Paul Durcan is performing on the night, and has called it ‘a galaxy of stars’. We have so much talent in this country that we could have run this on multiple nights.”

Kennelly worked alongside director Alan Gilsenan on the programme and is delighted to have Seamus Heaney present to give a short reading. DublinSwell will be presented by broadcaster Mike Murphy, and will seat 2,000. Already, it has attracted interest across a broad spectrum. “We’ve had bookings from as far away as Guam and Tokyo,” says Jane Alger, “and as far as we know it’s the single, biggest literary event ever held in this country.” “The city is a character in itself,” says Maureen Kenneally, “and this animated night will reflect that.”

DublinSwell takes place at the Dublin Convention Centre next Friday at 7.30pm. See dublincityofliterature.ie