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Literary Trails to Map Ireland's Northern "Literary Lands"
8 Mar
Summary
- An initiative proposes literary routes across 11 counties.
- The plan aims to create the world's first Unesco region of literature.
- It highlights writers from Jonathan Swift to contemporary authors.

An initiative by Arts Over Borders is set to rebrand Ireland's border region as "northern literary lands," with the goal of establishing the world's first Unesco region of literature. This plan involves creating nine distinct literary routes spanning 11 counties, designed to guide travelers through areas associated with renowned writers. The project aims to reveal an exceptional concentration of literary heritage, encouraging both inhabitants and visitors to explore these often-overlooked "hidden heartlands."
The proposed routes, such as the "Nobel way" and the "poetic way," will connect significant locations linked to figures like W.B. Yeats, Samuel Beckett, Seamus Heaney, and Patrick Kavanagh. Other routes will highlight writers like Oscar Wilde and contemporary authors including Lisa McGee and Maggie O'Farrell. This initiative seeks to foster a shared cultural heritage and boost tourism in villages and towns off the usual tourist path.
Arts Over Borders will petition Unesco to create a new regional category for literature, beginning with the Irish borderlands. This region, encompassing a third of the island's landmass, holds a rich literary history that has historically been overshadowed by coastal tourist routes. The project is expected to include forthcoming literary festivals and a new independent guidebook to the trail.




