Sandi’s Ireland: A Literary Journey

Episode 1

Sandi starts in style by meeting internationally bestselling Irish author Marian Keyes. Marian’s popular fiction – shot through with customary Irish wit and humour – has been at the top of the book charts for 30 years, so she knows a thing or two about Ireland’s literary heritage, which they discuss at a book lover’s dream attraction in Dublin – the Museum of Literature Ireland (MoLI).

With rare manuscripts, including the priceless Copy No. 1 of James Joyce’s Ulysses, as well as immersive installations on everything from Oscar Wilde’s De Profundis to Dublin’s literary artefacts, nowhere brings Irish writing to life like MoLI. Don’t miss the tote bags, books and Joyce jewellery exclusive to the museum gift shop, either. It’s one of Dublin’s top literary attractions.

Next, Sandi’s travels uncover the tale of Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift, the satirical masterpiece that celebrates its 300th anniversary this year. Well timed, Sandi! Our host meets Swift expert Dr Brendan Twomey in grand St Patrick’s Cathedral, where Swift was Dean in the 1700s, to discuss the classic’s enduring appeal.

St Patrick’s Cathedral has been a holy site in Dublin ever since Ireland’s world-famous patron saint – St Patrick – baptised Christian converts nearby over 1,500 years ago. The 800-year-old building standing tall today is the LARGEST cathedral in Ireland. Stop by Swift’s grave in the cathedral before relaxing in the elegant adjoining park. Perhaps with a copy of Gulliver’s Travels in hand?

Sandi’s next stop is no less historic – Marsh’s Library, the OLDEST public library in Ireland, founded in 1707. Stepping inside is like being transported back to the 18th century, complete with the sight and smell of rare, old leather-bound books and manuscripts on dark-wood shelves. Library director Dr Jason McElligott guides Sandi through the history-steeped galleries.

Bram Stoker, author of Dracula, studied in the old reading room here when he was a student at Trinity College Dublin, another must-see literary location in the city. Both the legendary Book of Kells and the magnificent Long Room in the Old Library are unmissable sights on the postcard-perfect campus, which also starred in the TV adaptation of Sally Rooney’s Normal People.

The literary landmarks just keep coming in this UNESCO City of Literature.

Sandi leaves bustling Dublin behind for the bucolic plains and waterways of Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands. In County Longford, she meets Dr Susan Manly at the Maria Edgeworth Centre to learn about the writer often described as “Ireland’s Jane Austen”. Sandi hears how Maria Edgeworth was a pioneer of the modern novel in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, earning admiration from literary giants such as Sir Walter Scott and William Wordsworth for her entertaining reads that also challenged societal norms.

If Maria Edgeworth is something of a hidden gem Irish writer, her centre is suitably close to hidden gem attractions, too. The Corlea Iron Age Roadway, built in 148BC from heavy planks of oak, has been perfectly preserved in the boglands of Longford, making it the LARGEST Iron Age road uncovered in Europe. Its modern-day equivalent, the Royal Canal Greenway, provides 130km of scenic canal pathways that you can walk, cycle or cruise along.

But for Sandi, it’s out west to County Sligo on the ruggedly beautiful Wild Atlantic Way. Known as “Yeats Country”, nowhere on the island of Ireland inspired the Nobel Prize-winning poet WB Yeats like here. At the Yeats Society Sligo, executive director Susan O’Keeffe explains how Sligo’s breathtaking landscapes stoked the poetic flames inside the great writer. Exhibitions, tours and afternoon tea, accompanied by poetry, are available through the society.

Then Sandi experiences Sligo’s giant landscapes firsthand, visiting Yeats’ grave at Drumcliffe Church, which is nestled close to Ben Bulben, the Table Mountain-esque peak made famous in Yeats’ poetry. From hiking up Ben Bulben to surfing or swimming at scenic Mullaghmore, embracing the great outdoors is the way to unlock Sligo’s magic. Stop by charming Sligo town, too, and get a snap beside the striking WB Yeats statue.

Bringing episode 1 full circle, Sandi returns to Dublin to visit the Abbey Theatre, the National Theatre of Ireland. She meets artistic director Catríona McLaughlin to uncover the history of this legendary space. Opened in 1904, the theatre has staged performances by iconic Irish playwrights, including George Bernard Shaw, Lady Gregory and Brian Friel. Catching a show here is a bucket list essential for eager theatregoers.

For more theatrics, discover the stories behind Irish theatres.

Episode 2

Beginning in Dublin, Sandi visits Ulysses Rare Books, where she meets the owners, Aisling and David Cunningham. This antiquarian, family-run bookshop has been a stalwart of the city’s literary scene for over 50 years. A bookworm’s paradise, the store specialises in rare editions of 20th-century Irish literature, including works by Samuel Beckett, Edna O’Brien, Brendan Behan and more. It’s the perfect spot to pick up a memorable souvenir or one-of-a-kind gift.

Sandi’s moving on to the next chapter of her journey, but don’t miss our guide to Dublin’s best bookshops.

No literature lover can miss the chance to explore the James Joyce Centre in Dublin, so Sandi stops by for a chat with the director, Darina Gallagher. From the short story collection Dubliners and the experimental Finnegans Wake to one of the greatest novels of all time – Ulysses – Joyce’s work places him as one of the towering figures of Irish literature. The centre hosts tours, exhibitions, workshops and lectures in the stunning surrounds of a Georgian townhouse.

James Joyce’s Dublin is dotted with must-see locations made famous in his fiction, including Glasnevin Cemetery and Sweny’s Pharmacy. Sandi goes to the latter, where she meets the owner, PJ Murphy. This is where Leopold Bloom picked up his lucky charm lemon soap in Ulysses, and you can get your own bar of it from the Victorian-era mahogany counter, alongside an eclectic array of secondhand books and literary bric-a-brac.

To truly follow in the footsteps of Joyce’s protagonist in Ulysses, celebrate Bloomsday in Dublin. The literary festival boasts walking tours, food experiences, live performances and much more, all centred around 16 June 1904, the day immortalised in the masterwork.

Next, Sandi keeps up her appointments with Dublin’s literary greats by sitting down with Roddy Doyle, whose novels include the Booker Prize-winning Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha, and The Commitments, which was made into a hit 90s film. They discuss Dublin’s influence on Doyle’s work. His tales of working-class life in the city mix Irish humour, slang and gritty realism to lively effect.

For a flavour of the local communities Doyle brings to life so vividly on the page, head to Dublin’s northside neighbourhoods of Smithfield and Stoneybatter, or The Liberties. Each of these hip hubs mixes old-school Dublin charm with urban cool. Think chic coffee shops beside authentic pubs, and trendy eateries hidden down cobbled lanes.

Dublin’s emerging literary talent shows no signs of slowing down, either. Take Syrian-Irish writer Suad Aldarra, who Sandi meets next. Aldarra won the coveted Rooney Prize for Irish Literature in 2024 for her memoir I Don’t Want to Talk About Home, about her experience of fleeing war-torn Syria in 2012. She joins an illustrious list of former winners, including Irish literary titans such as Anne Enright and Claire Keegan.

We then join Sandi on a peaceful stroll along the leafy Grand Canal in Dublin, an oasis of calm that greatly inspired the revered poet and novelist, Patrick Kavanagh. Read his much-loved poem Canal Bank Walk for a taster, then add this scenic area to your growing literary trip itinerary!

Kavanagh was a regular in many of Dublin’s literary pubs, but it’s the historic Palace Bar that Sandi stops by to sample the atmosphere. The great poet himself described the Victorian gem as the “most wonderful temple of art”. It’s also known to serve one of the best pints of Guinness in town in the main bar, while upstairs is a cosy whiskey palace.

No discussion of Kavanagh is complete without a visit to his home county of Monaghan. So off Sandi goes to the brilliant Patrick Kavanagh Centre, located in a deconsecrated 18th-century church amid the rolling drumlins where Kavanagh now rests. She meets fellow broadcaster and comedian Oliver Callan, himself a proud Monaghan man and President of the Patrick Kavanagh Society.

Kavanagh, the farmer-turned-poet, drew inspiration from the pastoral way of life and rural landscapes of the area. Go off-grid on a trip through Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands to experience this raw beauty for yourself.

Continuing north into the giant landscapes of Northern Ireland, Sandi meets CS Lewis expert Lolly Spence of Hidden Ulster Tours, in Belfast’s enchanting CS Lewis Square. This hidden gem is a must for fans of the books or film adaptations of The Chronicles of Narnia, Lewis’ best-known work. The square features seven life-sized bronze sculptures of characters from The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, including Aslan, the White Witch and Mr Tumnus.

Amid such fittingly magical surroundings, Sandi and Lolly chat about the life and works of Belfast’s own CS Lewis, and how the nearby Mourne Mountains – with their granite peaks and sweeping views – proved the catalyst for the creation of his extraordinary world of Narnia.

If fantasy epics are your genre of choice, then Northern Ireland has got you covered. As a main filming location for Game of Thrones®, otherworldly locations are nestled around the region. As for Belfast, the city that built the Titanic knows how to tell a blockbuster tale or two. Don’t miss the definitive story of the ill-fated “Ship of Dreams” at Titanic Belfast.

The final pages of Sandi’s journey before she heads home take her to a homestead of another kind – Seamus Heaney HomePlace in County Londonderry. With Brian McCormick, manager of the award-winning attraction dedicated to Northern Ireland’s Nobel Prize-winning poet, they discuss the importance of the local people and landscapes to Heaney’s work. The centre is a creative hub of exhibitions, tours, workshops and more.

From the tranquil shores of nearby Lough Neagh to the clifftop marvels of the Causeway Coastal Route, it’s easy to see how this picturesque region inspired Heaney’s sublime poetry.

Plan your literary journey

The final chapter has closed on Sandi’s bookish romp around the island of Ireland, but your adventure is yet to be written. To help you follow in the footsteps of Oscar Wilde, Marian Keyes, Jonathan Swift and more, keep exploring our curated list below. It delves deeper into the people and places that wowed Sandi in the series.

Sandi’s Ireland: A Literary Journey will air on More4 from Thursday 3rd September and will also be available on demand.