The City of Our Dreaming - A Poem by Paula Meehan

The City of Our Dreaming is an original poem by Paula Meehan, commissioned by The Guinness Choir as part of their 75th anniversary celebrations.

This recording features Meehan reading the poem in her own voice, offering an intimate entry point into a work that reflects on Dublin as a place shaped by memory, imagination and lived experience. Moving between past and present, the poem traces the emotional landscape of the city, rooted in The Liberties and reaching outward into a shared sense of belonging.

In the spirit of this year’s festival theme, Songlines of the City, the poem can be understood as a kind of urban songline, mapping Dublin through story, memory and voice, where place is carried through language, and meaning is embedded in the act of telling.

The poem forms the foundation of a new choral work, with music composed by Seán Doherty and performed by The Guinness Choir. The full work will premiere at St Patrick's Cathedral on Thursday 7th May 2026 as part of the Culture Date with Dublin 8 festival.

Click for more information about the concert.

This recording offers a chance to encounter the text in its purest form, spoken, personal and direct, ahead of its expansion into a collective musical performance.

With thanks to The Guinness Choir and Paula Meehan
Music by Peter Cooney
Artwork by Alan Clarke