The Man Who Swallowed a Dictionary

The Man Who Swallowed a Dictionary

About the show

Green Shoot Productions presents The Man Who Swallowed a Dictionary, a powerful one-man drama about the life, language and legacy of David Ervine.

Written by Robert Niblock with Martin Lynch and Matthew McElhinney, the play looks beyond the headlines to reveal the human story behind Ervine’s transformation.
Loaded with Belfast humour, moving and politically charged, The Man Who Swallowed a Dictionary explores identity, class, family, conflict and the possibility of change. For Dublin audiences, it offers a distinctive Northern Irish Protestant perspective on a period of history that reshaped relationships and politics across the island, while remaining a human story.

“Beautifully written… superbly acted by Paul Garrett.”

Irish News

Event type

Plays

Upcoming dates

This event runs on several dates — pick the one that suits you.

October 2026

  • Mon 19
  • Tue 20
  • Wed 21
  • Thu 22
  • Fri 23
  • Sat 24

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