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Jonathan Swift & Gulliver's Travels

Jonathan Swift, one of Ireland's most famous writers, was born in Dublin 1667, and lived to the ripe old age, for those times, of 77 years. Gulliver's Travels is Jonathan Swift's most famous work which was written under a pseudonym as was his custom. Swift was also a noted satirist, pamphleteer & poet.

Jonathan had literary connections with the great William Shakespeare in that his uncle, a Thomas Swift, married the daughter of Shakespeare's godson. After an education from Kilkenny College, Swift went up to Trinity College Dublin where he gained Doctor of Divinity. This later helped him to secure the office of Dean at St. Patrick's Cathedral, with assistance from his Tory connections in England.

Whilst at Trinity, Swift made his own literary connection! Swift struck up a lifetime friendship with fellow student, Englishman William Congreve, who went on to become one of the most famous playwrights of the period & the most celebrated writer of Restoration Comedies (named after the 'Restoration of Charles II).

Jonathan Swift's notable works include Gulliver's Travels, A Tale of a Tub and The Battle of the Books.