The Swift and Vanessa Festival celebrates the story and relationship of Jonathan Swift and Esther Vanhomrigh or “Vanessa”. Vanessa lived at Celbridge Abbey and Swift visited here there from Dublin. Their letters and his poem “Cadenus and Vanessa” survive as the record of one of the most famous and most turbulent literary relationships in Irish history. The festival celebrates this love story and brings Vanessa and Swift’s deep, passionate and tense romance on the banks of the Liffey in Celbridge Abbey to life in a celebration of arts and literature.
This year, in 2026, we also mark 300 years since the publication of Gulliver’s Travels. Swift wrote this masterpiece during the period in which he was visiting Vanessa in Celbridge. The festival hosts events based on the book and its themes, with a celebratory event on the 19th July dedicated to the book and its relevance today. For more information see the Festival programme of events.
Celbridge Abbey, the home of 'Vanessa' and from where she constantly wrote letters inviting Swift to visit her. On those special days they walked in the beautiful gardens of the Abbey and sat together in 'Vanessa's bower' - a romantic stone structure. The Rockbridge over the liffey is another icon location in the grounds - of their romance. The Abbey is in private ownership by the John of Gods.
A warm thanks to festival sponsors Celbridge Tidy Towns. Thanks also to the Kildare Library Service for support and engagement.
If you would like to sponsor the festival or volunteer this year please get in touch. We would love to hear from you! info@swiftandvanessa.com
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