Dublin named City of Literature by world heritage group UNESCO
By: Brendan Patrick Keane | Published Tuesday, July 27, 2010, 6:55 PM | Updated Friday, September 9, 2011, 9:45 PM
"How many! All these here once walked round
Dublin. Faithful departed. As you are now so once were we."
--Ulysses, James Joyce
The
United Nations has named Dublin City of Literature. The announcement was made by Irina Bokova, president of
UNESCO.
At a ceremony in the Grand Canal Theatre,
Ireland's Culture
Minister Mary Hanafin, with Dublin Lord Mayor Gerry Breen, accepted the award, predicting it would be a great boon to the city.
There was no sign of Denis Breen in his "skimpy frockcoat and blue canvas shoes."
The successful bid was first placed and then lobbied by The Dublin City Library on Pearse Street, which is also home to the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award.
Over the years, four Nobel Prizes for Literature have found their way to Dublin: GB Shaw,
WB Yeats, Sam Beckett and
Séamus Heaney.
Names like
James Joyce,
Brendan Behan, Seán O'Casey, Flann O'Brien, Máritín Ó Díreáin,
Roddy Doyle,
Bram Stoker,
Maeve Binchy, Patrick Kavanagh, Jonathan Swift and
Oscar Wilde are pop stars in the city. Everyone knows them.
Dublin is the 2010 recipient, joining
Edinburgh (2004)
Melbourne (2008) and Iowa City (2009) for the honor.
The award was begun as part of a development project called the Creative Cities Network which seeks to find ways where countries can "nurture their own creative economy."
The United Nations has named Dublin City of Literature. The announcement was made by Irina Bokova, president of UNESCO. 
8 Comments
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.BrendanPKeane | Aug 06, 2010, 02:47 AM EDT
It makes me so sick to think what they did to Viking Dublin.
WoundedKnee | Aug 05, 2010, 05:05 PM EDT
I despise Dublin Corporation. These are the people who are preening themselves about this award, yet they destroyed Wood Quay, knocked doown 5 Eccles Street (so familiar to Joyceans) and tore down Lord Edward's house at Frascati to make a parking lot. I wish them no success with this bogus and undeserved award.
BrendanPKeane | Jul 27, 2010, 06:39 PM EDT
I haven't read all your comments. The couple I caught about dirt etc seemed very nasty. I'll take you at what you say here, and believe you when you say you are not hateful.
GeorgeDillon | Jul 27, 2010, 12:50 PM EDT
Keane, you're a liar. If you have such a romantic view of Ireland that you see everything thru a green haze, that just shows you have no business commenting on the country. For my part I know Ireland very well. I love what the country could be, but hate what it has become. I call on you to retract your slur against me.
BrendanPKeane | Jul 26, 2010, 05:36 PM EDT
GeorgeDillon writes anti-Irish comments on just about every article he can find on IrishCentral.
GeorgeDillon | Jul 26, 2010, 05:13 PM EDT
Sorry, bus, you mean you feverishly thumbed thru Ulysses looking for what you had heard were the dirty bits. That doesn't count. Maybe move to Iowa City and find a cattle shed that's an appropriate site for your literary "talents". By the way, there's no such word as "Irisher".
Bushothehill | Jul 26, 2010, 04:33 PM EDT
I don't think this comes as any surprise---it was a long time overdue. Yes Dillon, as a limited educated Irisher, I did read "Ulysses" and "Finnegan's Wake" at the age of sixteen. I admit I didn't fully understand the language until my adulthood. That's when I realized I had read the words of a genius. Try reading it Dillon, it may help to improve your lit-challenged comprehension
GeorgeDillon | Jul 26, 2010, 03:59 PM EDT
When I consider the other three holders of this particular honor, Melbourne, Edinburgh and Iowa City (!!!!) I am quite underwhelmed. I have never met an Irish person who had read James Joyce. It's all tripe and onions, baloney for the Dublin Tourist promoters.