A group of Cross & Passion College Transition Year students have visited an exhibition in Dublin on the life and works of Jonathan Swift,
writes Brian Byrne.
The exhibition is being held in Pearse Street Library and commemorates the 350th anniversary of the famed writer's birth. It runs until 25 February.
Included in the exhibition is a first edition of Swift's most famous satirical work,
Gulliver's Travels, published in London in 1726.
Other artefacts include a large vellum manuscript with Swift's signature, and copies of his Drapier's Letters and other pamphlets. There are also a number of contemporary engraved portraits of the writer.
Swift was born in Dublin in 1667 to English parents and educated in Kilkenny College and Trinity College Dublin. He lived at various times in England and Ireland, becoming very involved in political writing in that former country. This eventually forced him back to Ireland for political reasons, whereupon he became very involved in pro-Ireland causes. He died in Dublin in 1745 at the age of 77.
An engraved wooden block made by CPC pupil Padraic Behan was presented to library staff to mark the students' visit to the exhibition.
(Pics ex Twitter and Dublin City Library.)
