Reluctant Irishman who became the high priest of satire

When Jonathan Swift was appointed Dean of St Patrick’s Cathedral exactly 300 years ago, he wasn’t that impressed. Robert Hume explains why.

THREE hundred years ago this month, Jonathan Swift, later famous for his novel Gulliver’s Travels, was appointed 45th dean of St Patrick’s Cathedral, in his native Dublin.

Swift had impressive academic qualifications, including a doctorate in theology, but had never wanted to be a dean. He had only entered the Church in Ireland out of desperation, fed up with his employer in England, William Temple, fobbing him off with promises of a better job.