Children invited to mark 300 years of Gulliver's Travels

Johnathon Swift's most famous work, Gulliver's Travels, will be turning 300 years old at the end of this month as the power of his writing is translating across to schoolchildren and scholars alike even in the present day.

To mark the milestone, schoolchildren across Ireland are being invited to submit artwork for a giant Gulliver projection on the walls of Saint Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin, where Mr Swift once served as Dean.

Published in 1726, Gulliver's Travels has been read around the world both as a children's fantasy and as sharp political satire.

Mr Swift served as Dean of Dublin's Saint Patrick's cathedral for over thirty years until his death in 1745. He is also buried within the Cathedral.

St Patrick's Cathedral Choir School pupils are busy creating artwork as part of the Johnathon Swift festival where they may get the chance for their piece to be projected on the cathedral wall on the evening of 28 October, exactly 300 years to the day that Gulliver's travels was first published in 1726.

They are also cherishing the special connection that they have with the author. He is remembered in their almost 600-year-old school as Dean Swift, as he lived and worked between the school and the cathedral and wrote his most renowned work during his time there.

The original title of the book was Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World, In Four Parts By Lemuel Gulliver - the pseudonym name for Johnathon Swift.

Mr Swift published the book pseudonymously as it is believed that he was initially weary of the reaction of the undercurrent themes that flow throughout the novel.

The book follows Lemuel Gulliver on four voyages: to fictional lands such as Lilliput. Although often read as a children's adventure, it is a satire on politics and human nature.

Speaking to RTÉ News, Swift scholar Dr Brendan Twomey said that the book was an instant success as soon as it was released.

"It is the most published Irish-authored book ever - and is in virtually every language in the world".

Dr Twomey speaks about how Mr Swift was not only a writer, but he was also involved in Irish politics in the 1720s before he changed careers and trained to become a protestant clergyman.

While the ink may have dried many years ago for Swift, the force of his writing clearly remains indelible.

Saint Patrick's Cathedral is set to come to life on the evening of Wednesday 28 October as giant Gulliver-inspired animations are projected across the Cathedral's Gothic exterior to mark the important date.

Schoolchildren from across Ireland are invited to submit their artwork for inclusion before 22 October.

The giant projections will be accompanied by a free concert inside the Cathedral that is open to members of the public.