Plan to turn Irish borderlands into Unesco region of literature'

"We have this constellation of extraordinary writers associated with border counties. We're revealing a map of this heritage—an unsurpassed concentration of literary greatness crammed into one small corner of Europe. Doran hopes that rebranding a 310-mile border roiled by the Troubles and Brexit will encourage inhabitants to recognise a shared cultural heritage and draw visitors to villages and towns that are off the usual tourist trail."

"The nine ways, or routes, include the Nobel way that encompasses parts of Sligo, County Fermanagh and County Derry that are respectively associated with WB Yeats, Beckett and Seamus Heaney. The poetic way takes in areas of Monaghan, Tyrone and Derry that are associated with Patrick Kavanagh, Paul Muldoon, John Montague and Tom Paulin."

"We're putting this out there for people to pick and do their own journeys. The nine routes crisscross and you can do each in a day. It's a way of illuminating how to join the dots."

Arts Over Borders is developing a plan to transform the Ireland-Northern Ireland border into a literary destination and the world's first Unesco region of literature. The initiative creates nine literary routes across 11 counties, guiding travelers through areas connected to renowned writers including Jonathan Swift, Samuel Beckett, WB Yeats, Seamus Heaney, Oscar Wilde, and others. Routes include the Nobel Way, the Poetic Way, and the Wilde Romantic Way, each highlighting different literary associations. The project aims to help border communities recognize shared cultural heritage while attracting visitors to lesser-known villages and towns. Each route can be completed in a day, and the initiative will incorporate literary festivals including the Beckett Biennale.

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