To begin the series, University of Ulster history lecturer Dr Eamonn O Ciardha delivered a talk on Swift’s friend and correspondent Charles Wogan. As a Jacobite exile and Anglican clergyman Swift and Wogan were on opposite sides of a deeply-entrenched religious and political divide but, as Dr O Ciardha observed, discussing the five letters they exchanged, such divisions were transcended by Swift and Wogan’s mutual respect and sense intellectual kinship. Professor Joseph McMinn, also of the University of Ulster, delivered a fascinating account of Swift’s interest in gardens. Professor McMinn discussed the many improvements Swift made to his vicarage garden at Trim, and to a plot near his Deanery garden in Dublin which he nicknamed ‘Naboth’s Vineyard’, arguing that in an Anglo-Irish colonial context, Swift’s activities served a moral and political imperative as well as a practical and aesthetic ethos of ‘improvement’.

In the discussion that followed the first lecture session, expert contributions came from one of Swift’s successors, Dean Robert McCarthy of St Patrick’s Cathedral Dublin. Dean McCarthy kindly lent two valuable items, a Chinese cabinet that had been in Jonathan Swift’s personal possession, and a portrait of Swift from the Deanery, and gave an illuminating talk on these objects and their significance in Swift’s life.

Day two saw lively debate and discussion arising from two excellent lectures by Professor Ian Campbell Ross and Dr Aileen Douglas, both of Swift’s own university, Trinity College Dublin. Professor Campbell Ross gave an illuminating account of Swift’s affectionate but complex relationship with the city of Dublin, detailing how Swift left a lasting impression on the physical makeup of the city, and also how it left its mark on him. Dr Douglas’s lecture, entitled ‘Swift and the Art of Speech’ discussed Swift as a master of both eloquence and plain speech, exploring the importance of rhetoric, gesture and articulation in Swift’s work, particularly in Gulliver’s Travels.

Professor Andrew Carpenter of University College Dublin and Dr Adam Rounce of Keele University gave the final pair of lectures in the series. Dr Rounce discussed his role as part of the editorial team working on the new edition of Swift’s collected works for Cambridge University Press, providing some intriguing and witty insights into the history of Swift editions and the ongoing labors, complexities and delights of the current project, the first volume of which emerged in October 2008. Professor Carpenter’s talk, ‘Double Standards and Double Vision: Swift Our Contemporary’ brought Swift’s writing to life by emphasizing that his works are meant to be heard as well as read, and gave a virtuoso demonstration of this point in his reading of quotations throughout his talk. Focusing on Swift’s poems, A Tale of A Tub, as well as Gulliver’s Travels, Professor Carpenter argued that despite its complexity and apparent misanthropy, Swift’s satirical opus as a whole mounts a coherent defense of rational, humanist, Christian values.

Tannoy Debate:
Sparks certainly flew in the castle car park at this old style political rally as George Hook was moderator at the Tannoy Debate, on The Lisbon Treaty: A Modest Proposal or a Faustian Pact. The Tannoy debate, named after the old-style loudspeakers favoured by politicians in political rallies in years gone by, was held in the green area outside the castle walls.
The sun was shining as the argument for and against was put to a crowd of a few hundred people. The atmosphere was positive and good-humoured. The speakers included: Minister of State for European Affairs Dick Roche, Fine Gael MEP Mairead McGuinness, Independent TD, Paul Moore, local Solicitor, Finian McGrath, Declan Ganley of Libertas and former Socialist Party TD Joe Higgins.

Paddy’s People:
Nine people from the town sat on tall stools beside easels supporting huge posters bearing their names. They were in the foyer of Trim Castle Hotel at the official opening of the Swift festival with specific instructions to be available to chat with visitors. And each of them had a story to tell – indeed, several stories.

Here’s who these extraordinary ordinary people were and what they talked about:
Paddy Tully, the drummer in the Hunters Showband, Trim, from the 1960s, conversed on the adventures of these part-time musicians as they travelled throughout the country during the showband era.

Michael Buckley, a native of Kerry, is a farmer who boasted of having spent time in three prisons: Mountjoy and Portlaoise during the farmers’ rights civil disobedience campaign of the 1960s, and Devil’s Island (on holiday) in more recent years.

Pat Mullarkey was on holiday recently in Hawaii and was fascinated by the huge Irish connection with war-time Pearl Harbour and the strategic naval base there.

Willie Walsh, a Mayo man who has settled in Trim, had hilarious stories to tell about life in the boarding houses of the 1960s, long before single people had apartments (or even flats).

Colm McKenna was one of the Extras in the Mel Gibson film Braveheart, much of which was filmed in and around Trim Castle. He actually had a conversation with the international star.

Val Ledwith, a builder, poet and cattle breeder from nearby Batterstown, led the construction team that renovated and restored Trim Castle to the important international tourist attraction it is today.

Richard Haworth, an eminent academic and book collector, lives in Laracor Church. Yes, actually lives in Laracor (erstwhile) Church. This is not the actual church that Jonathan Swift administered from in the late 1600s/early 1700s, but it’s in his parish.

Lucaz Zakrzewski, a native of Poland, is now happily settled in Trim and answered many a question about his homeland and about his new life as a Meath man, questions asked by people who might never come in social contact with an immigrant.

Anthony Conlon literally runs the town (he’s employed as the Town Foreman by Trim Town Council) and is equally well known (and has travelled the world) as a motoring correspondent.

Gala Night
This 18th century candlelit gala night was held at Trim Castle hotel and attended by almost 250 people saw a combination of music, drama and beautiful food and wine.

The guests were greeted on arrival with a champagne reception and music when retiring to the dining room for an evening with the Trim Castle Singers, the Trim Drama Group, Boyne Writers and danced the night away to Cormack Dempsey and his band.

Trim Castle Singers
Jane Lynch, the musical director of the Trim Castle Singers, delivered an outstanding performance at the Gala night. As the choir took the stage all smiling faces and bright eyes, the choir begins. Sopranos, altos, tenors and basses all play off each other to create a richly textured harmony — the music was fun, uplifting, light, wonderful they truly added so much to the festival

Boyne Writers: Entries came from the US and Britain as well as from various parts of Ireland for the Boyne Writers Group satirical writing competition, which was sponsored by the Trim Swift Festival Committee and held in conjunction with the festival.

The prizemoney of €1,000 was a big attraction and satirical writing is enough of a novelty to arouse some interest in writers everywhere.

The guest judge for the competition was the former Dublin TD, Joe Higgins, who became famous for his wit during his time in Dail Eireann. It was something of a coup to have secured the talents of the Dublin man, who is noted for his incisive humour. Mr Higgins, who is a member of the Socialist Party, was without doubt the best orator in Leinster House until he lost his seat in the last general election.

1st, Marie Gallagher, Newbridge, Co Kildare (a prose entry); 2nd, Peter Goulding, Castaheany, Dublin 15 (poetry); 3rd, Janet Fisher, Ilford, Essex (prose). To read these three entries click on Satrical writing competition.

A TALE OF A TUB: Trim Drama Group’s contribution to the Swift Festival was to present a rehearsed reading of an excerpt from ‘A Tale Of A Tub’, the satirical novel by Swift. The 30-minute event took place before the gala dinner on.

The excerpt was adapted and dramatised by Paddy Smith, a member of Trim Drama Group, who also directed it. His academic adviser on the project was Dr James Ward of the University of Ulster, Coleraine, who is the festival’s Academic Director.

The ‘Tub’ is Swift’s take on the antics of the three main religions of his day (Roman Catholic, Protestant and Calvinist). “Even though it’s dressed up in humour and wit,” said Paddy Smith, “it’s quite vicious and we often found ourselves saying: ‘Hey, he can’t say that, can he?’ – but he could and he did, and we found that his comments were just as barbed in the first decade of the 21st century as they were in the first decade of the 18th century.”

The cast consisted of ten members of Trim Drama Group and they included Michael Regan, whose son Ronan was the successful bidder (he paid €350) at a public auction for a Walk-on/Talk-on part in the production and who gave it to his dad as a present. Another member of the cast, Jerry Kearney, one of the founder members of Trim Drama Group, came out of retirement for the occasion.

The cast were as follows:
Jerry Kearney as the Narrator, the main story teller.
Martin Bolger as Peter, one of the three sons (represents the Church of Rome).
Willie O’Brien as Martin, another of the three sons (Martin Luther, the reformist).
Brendan Bagnall as Jack, the third of the three (John Calvin, dissenter from the English Church Establishment).
Terry White as Ev’ryone Else, represents all others who are not one of the main characters.
Elaine McLoughlin as Miss Footnote, dressed like a librarian from central casting, provides essential explanations.
Bernadette Walsh as Miss Subtitle, announces the English translations of Latin and French phrases.
Michael Regan as the Absent-Minded Professor, puts some historical context on the proceedings.
Cormac O’Reilly and Mary Clemenger as the Husband/Wife who are watching the entire proceedings at home on TV and contribute (or not) to our knowledge of what’s happening.

In it’s second year running, we are delighted with the growth of the festival. Many people from around Ireland attended, showing that the festival is growing outside the local area and attracting people from outside the county.

This year’s festival was also more family-friendly with bouncy castles and face-painters present on the Saturday along with open air markets and pig on the spit. The Tannoy debate led by George Hook attracted up to 500 people. John Waters, Senator Mark Daly, Mary Lou McDonald, Deputy Joan Burton and local solicitor, Paul Moore took part in the debate.

The introduction of a comedy element this year was also very popular with a comedy night featuring the peerless Oliver Callan of ‘Nob Nation’ and Newstalks “The Emergency” in Trim GAA Club on Saturday night having its sell-out audience and included some media and political figures such as George Hook, Deputy Joan Burton and many more. This indeed gave great material for our satirists to work with.

The round table dinner/discussion, featuring Vincent Browne, Terry Prone, Senator David Norris, Mark Hennessy, Harry McGee, Noel Whelan, and TDs Darragh Calleary and Conor Lenhian, was also a sell-out. The stars hosted a table and afterwards took to the stage to debate ‘The state we’re in and how we get out of it’ with the debate getting quite heated at times. The audience also had the chance to interact and voice their opinions.

The Battle of the Books at Trim Swift Festival was won by the Boyne Writers’ Group in a closely-contested dual that went on for more than an hour on Sunday evening.

The Boyne Writers defeated rivals Meath Writers’ Circle, which is also based in Trim, in the battle of satirical prose and poetry at the literary and musical cabaret that brought the successful festival to a conclusion in the Trim Castle Hotel.

The winning team were presented with a perpetual trophy of Cavan crystal, with inscribed miniature replicas, by Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey, who sponsored the competition.

The format of the contest led to an ‘X-Factor’ set-up with three judges commenting robustly on the content of each piece of writing and the performance of each participant before announcing scores out of 10.

One of the highlights of the Sunday night was a talk by Jonathan Swift himself (Trim-born author Pat Dunne), who revealed insights into his relationship with Stella

The local groups performing included Trim Drama Group, which staged a rehearsed reading of the boiled eggs episode from Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels, written and directed by Paddy Smith;

The Swift Trail led by Richard Hayworth on a guided tour of the sites associated Swift and Stella. Was a huge success with over 60 people participating.
Barbara Nestor, festival director thanked all who participated in the festival, especially

At the launch of the Festival on Thursday 2nd July Professor Andrew Carpenter of University College Dublin introduced the academic series. He spoke about the continuities and discontinuities between the Ireland of today and of Swift’s time, and about Swift’s engagement with the scientific thinking of his day. Professor Carpenter introduced each of the speakers in the academic programme, who ranged from leading experts in the field to emerging scholars, with reference to their chosen topics and their context within ongoing debates and developing research in the field of Swift studies.

Richard Holmes of the University of Bristol, recent winner of the British Association for Irish Studies’ essay prize, gave the first lecture series on Friday 3rd July. His lecture focused on the poet, pamphleteer, and polemicist James Arbuckle – an outspoken figure in early eighteenth-century Dublin and sometime satirical target of Swift. Providing an insight into the intellectual history of Arbuckle’s thought, which took its cue from progressive thinkers such as Robert Molesworth and the Earl of Shaftesbury, this talk argued the case for Arbuckle as a religious and political thinker with a notably more inclusive, pluralist and progressive agenda than Swift.

James Ward of the University of Ulster continued the series with a talk entitled ‘Swift and the Value of Rubbish’. Drawing on sociological and anthropological research on the cultural significance of waste, this talk tried to establish a wider social and historical context for an aspect of Swift’s work that has more often been dealt in personal and pathological terms – namely his obsession with discarded matter of all kinds, whether in the form of dirt, dust rubbish, sewage, waste paper, or even human remains.

The first day of the series was brought to a close by Professor Robert Mahony of the Catholic University of America, Washington, DC. His talk, ‘Swift and the Irish Colonial Project’ deconstructed the longstanding perception of Swift as a proto-nationalist or founder of Irish nationalism. Instead Professor Mahony argued that Swift was ‘in a genuine sense opposed to English misgovernment, without necessarily wanting to break the link with England – Swift was in fact always a supporter of the Irish Colonial Project, for all his clear perception of its faults’. Drawing Swift’s extensive grounding in political theory historiography, and making a detailed study of classical models of colonization, Professor Mahony provided an analysis of the reformation of culture, manners and language which Swift understood to form the essential core of colonial policy.

Dr Greg Lynall of the University of Liverpool began day two of the series with a lecture on ‘Swift’s Satiric Alchemy’. His talk asked why Swift chose to write satire against alchemy, which ‘had seemingly become a universal joke in the light of rational, empirical and experimental philosophies’. Reaching beyond traditional accounts, this talk showed how Swift used alchemy not merely as a vehicle for his riotous humour but as a means of self-exploration and a meditation on the value and place of his writing in society.
Hermann Real continued the theme of Swift’s engagement with science in his talk ‘The Dean and the Lord Chancellor: Or, Swift saving his Bacon’. Focusing on Part Three of Gulliver’s Travels, the most overlooked and least enjoyed of the four voyages, Professor Real placed Swift’s work within a seventeenth-century tradition of rational enquiry, arguing that this was a vital and relevant a context for Swift’s work. Professor Real’s talk also provided an object lesson in the philological methods of enquiry embodied in the Ehrenpreis Centre for Swift Studies, and agued passionately for the relevance of these methods and the sense of overarching, transnational intellectual context they helped establish, in the field of Swift studies today.

The series was brought to a close by Dr Frank Ferguson of the University of Ulster, with a talk entitled ‘Swift and Leinster-Scots’. Dr Ferguson, researcher in the institute for Ulster-Scots studies at the University of Ulster, discussed the importance of writing and publishing in Scots in Ireland during the early eighteenth century, and commented that although Ulster is usually seen as the centre of this literary culture, most of its were in fact published and sold in Dublin. Dr Ferguson provided illuminating readings of writing in Scots, and an analysis of their relevance to the debate religious, cultural and linguistic identity which were conducted among Swift’s contemporaries.

After the close lecture series, visiting academics were invited by Richard Haworth to tour the grounds of Laracor Church. Built on the site of Swift’s own parish church, and close to the location of Stella’s cottage, the tour, and Richard’s expert commentary, provided a mine of fascinating associations and details for devotees of Swift and his life, work and parish in Trim.

Please visit: http://www.meath.ie/Tourism/

British spin doctor Alastair Campbell stole the headlines from the festival, which also attracted a long list of celebrities from the world of politics, journalism, academia and sport. Tony Blair’s former right-hand-man featured at the Roundtable discussion in the Knightsbrook Hotel on Friday night. He turned on the charm for the attendance of more than 100 people, who were also treated to entertaining gems of wisdom from a list of 13 leading figures in Irish public life. Each was asked by MC Senator David Norris to give a short input at certain junctures throughout the meal. Stars of the show were Leo Varadkar, Senator Dan Boyle, Terry Prone and Minister Dara Calleary.

Campbell was interviewed by Irish Times columnist John Waters in a public question-and-answer session after dinner and he loosened up as the evening progressed, regaling his audience with hilarious stories of his life and times as a spin doctor. He launched (again!) his book, Prelude to Power, the first in a set of four of his diaries, at the Trim event and was a big hit with his charming ordinariness, refusing nobody who wanted to have their photograph taken with him and he had time for anyone who wanted a chat in the informal atmosphere of the function. Debate and conversation continued long into the night, after the formalities were finished.

The only time his claws were really bared was during the John Waters interview when he railed against how the media had become lazy and cynical. He believes this has had a knock-on effect on the general population which now has no trust in politics or institutions, and he implored people to challenge the media and to question their approach. The former journalist finished that section of his conversation with a telling story of how, in an interview that same morning before he even arrived in Trim, a radio station in Dublin had asked him if he had seen any stags while he was in Meath (and, yes, he was totally up to speed on the Ward Union story). When he countered that he hadn’t been to County Meath yet and, therefore, couldn’t answer the question, it was explained to him that the interview was being pre-recorded and would not be broadcast until three days later so it would be helpful if he gave an answer. He did – declaring that he saw 17 stags, including one in his bedroom!

The festival was launched on Thursday evening in the new OPW headquarters by Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey. The main speaker of the evening was Professor Andrew Carpenter whose delightful talk on Swift and the Ireland of Swift’s day was a master class in how to make history and literature interesting. Trim Castle Singers, under Jane Lynch, performed their magic blend of song and harmony in the keep of Trim Castle for specially-invited guests beforehand.

At the function, Meath County Council cathaoirleach William Carey officially launched a very impressive new guide to ‘Swift’s Trim: People and Places’, commissioned and published by Meath Heritage Office, Meath County Council, in association with Trim Swift Festival Committee. The booklet was written by Pat Dunne, a founder member of the Trim Swift Festival.

Also announced at the launch were the prizewinners in the Boyne Writers International Satirical Writing Competition, sponsored by the Trim Swift Festival. First prize of €500 went to Ira Nayman, Ontario, Canada, for his poem, Love Amid The Construction. Ira is a comic writer/performer/cartoonist. His Les Pages aux Folles Web site is a showcase for his political and social satire, among other things. His two books in print, Alternate Reality Ain’t What It Used To Be and What Were Once Miracles Are Now Children’s Toys contain a unique form of humorous science fiction journalism.

Second prize (€300) went to Fin Keegan, Westport, Co Mayo, for his prose piece on the life and times of a brown envelope. Third prize (€200) was won by Trim poet Tommy Murray, Summerhill Road, for his poem Mocking political correctness.

The judge, journalist John Murray of RTE, said: “My choices were based on two main criteria – simplicity and creativity. The other entries, I felt, were a little confused, and meandering. There was very little in it between the top two but what decided it for me ultimately was the extent to which the two entries addressed the subject, and in this, Love Amid The Construction emerged the winner.”

After the official launch of the festival, The Steps beat Lenihans in the final of the Standup Row which took place in the Malt House pub (see full report)

A small fringe appeared in this year’s festival for the first time with the introduction of Poetry in Motion and Pubs for Poetry. These events entailed readings in public – on the street and in a pub – of well-known poetry, plus some of Swift’s own poetry. These two events were accompanied by the appearance of Street Theatre performers from Trim Drama Group and Oulala Productions (Delphine Coudray) who wandered the streets in 18th century costume promoting the readings and the festival. The Street Theatre performers were among the readers who proclaimed the poetry outside the Credit Union and the former Centra store on Market Street, outside SuperValu on Haggard Street, at the entrance gate to Trim Castle and in Lenihans pub, High Street. Passers-by joined in the recitation and reading of poetry at the outdoor venues, including one lady who requested the group to stay where they were outside Centra while she went back to her car to get her poetry book! The Editor of Focus was another of the passers-by who was volunteered to read.

The Swift Family Day on Saturday was a major success, with street markets of local artisan food producers, entertainment for children and a football tournament in Porchfields for children from Trim Celtic, Trim GAA Club and Clann na Gael (Athboy GAA), culminating in a Tannoy sports discussion led by rugby pundit George Hook, with Swift Festival Committee member Ronan McKenna as MC. Participants in the sports discussion, conducted on a 40 ft trailer in the Castle carpark, included rugby pundit Jim Glennon, GAA analyst Colm O’Rourke, and Meath footballer Anthony Moyles. All money collected from the bouncy castles, obstacle course, face painting, magic show and other attractions went to the individual sporting organisations involved. George Hook presented medals to the children who took part in the tournament. Civil Defence, River Rescue and all health and safety issues for the event were co-ordinated by Cathal Rogers and his team in a major logistical operation.

The Comedy Night in the Knightsbrook Hotel on Saturday was sold out. It headlined two of the top impressionist acts in the country, Nob Nation’s Oliver Callan and Bull Island’s Alan Shortt, as well as a new Cork comic, Colm O’Regan. Also very prominently featured was Ray Reilly, a Longford man now living at Trimblestown, Trim, who showed what a bright future he has as a standup comic. He came to local public attention over the past month or so during the Standup Row as an impressionist on the winning Steps team and he was also featured on the Joe Duffy ‘Funny Friday’ Show which was broadcast on Friday from the Trim Castle Hotel.

The festival’s shop front competition was won by Riverlane Nurseries of Roriston, who were presented with a Cavan crystal trophy and €200 in prizemoney. The judge was Senator Fergal Quinn, who came down from Dublin specially for the contest.

The inaugural Danny O’Brien Memorial Photography Competition was won by Dermot McGuinness, Avondale, Trim, with a picture of a very tall man holding hands with a child togged out in a Trim GAA jersey. This was very much in character with the theme of the competition: Little and Large. The competition was inaugurated by the Trim Swift Festival Committee to honour local man Danny O’Brien, a keen photographer who was very much involved with the arts in the Trim area. He passed away earlier this year.

On Sunday morning, the Big End Breakfast, organised by Trim 2025 in conjunction with the festival, was held in the former Bennini’s restaurant in the castle carpark. Writers from the Cavan/Meath LitLab writers group read their own material on the theme of Journeys. A troupe of actors from Trim Drama Group and Oulala Productions performed some comic routines, directed by Delphine Coudray, based on the big end/small end controversy in Gulliver’s Travels as to which end of a boiled egg is the proper one to open when eating it.

The Battle of the Books on Sunday in the Trim Castle Hotel was won by the Meath Writers Circle, captained by Tommy Murray, who defeated the Boyne Writers Group, captained by Michael Farry, in this satirical writing contest (see full report ).

A special church service was conducted in St Patrick’s Cathedral on Sunday morning by Rev Robert MacCarthy, Dean of St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin. In his homily he gave an interesting insight into the religion of Swift. Hymns were sung by the Meath and Kildare Diocesan Choir, with organist Doreen Kimberley, Navan. Swift Festival academic adviser Dr James Ward made a special presentation to Dean MacCarthy on behalf of the Swift Festival.

The festival finished with a guided walk through Swift’s Trim, led by Richard Haworth of Laracor and featuring a visit to St Mary’s Abbey, courtesy of Peter and Marie Higgins, and some readings by Trim Drama Group from the Projectors episode (another swipe at academics) in Book III of Gulliver’s Travels, the Voyage to Balnibarbi, adapted by Paddy Smith. The first part of the drama group presentation was performed in St Mary’s Abbey, the second in the Malt House pub, Athboy Gate. The actors were Cormac O’Reilly as Gulliver, Kevin Shelly as Swift, and Craig Regan as all the Projectors. The Swift walk concluded in St Patrick’s Cathedral with a talk by Jonathan Swift (internationally renowned author Pat Dunne, who is a native of Trim) and a viewing of the holy silverware from Laracor church.

Please take a look at our 2010 photo album for some of the action that took place this year.