No visit to Dublin is complete without a trip to Trinity College, Ireland’s oldest and most renowned University, and no visit to Trinity College is complete without a peek at the Book of Kells.
The illuminated work was composed by Monks in 800 AD and is arguably the most famous Celtic manuscript. Named after the Abbey in Kells that housed the manuscript for centuries, the 340 folio work was given to Trinity College in the 17th Century. It was bound in four volumes in 1953 and now resides on permanent display at the Old library.
To get to the illuminated manuscripts, you must enter through Fellow’s Square. There is normally a long line at the entrance and an admission fee of 9 Euros for Adults, 8 Euros for Students and Senior Citizens, and free tickets for children under 12.
The first room past the entrance is dimly lit and framed by warm dark wood. It has large panels entitled, “Turning Darkness into Light,” explaining how the book was made. Only four pages from two volumes are ever displayed at once. The current illuminated pages on display are from the Gospel of St. Luke and Folios on the entombment of the body of Jesus. Text pages are from the Gospel of Saint John. The volumes are under glass, and many visitors will anxiously crowd around to peer at the elaborate lettering and gilded illustrations.
The Book of Armagh is another early manuscript housed in the library. Written mainly in Latin in the 9th century AD, many believed in was produced by Saint Patrick himself. Actually, it was written in part by a scribe named Ferdomnach of Armagh, for a member of Saint Patrick’s family. This book is also very special to the Irish people, and the current pages on display are from the Revelation of Saint John.
The final Celtic Tomb in the collection is the Codex Usserianus Primus, written in Irish. It has been badly damaged and discolored over the years, but it retains its grandeur as the oldest surviving Irish Manuscript.
To leave the Book of Kells exhibit, visitors must walk upstairs through the Long Room. It is more akin to walking through a time machine than onto another floor: The Long room is majestic and antiquated. It is 65 meters long with over 200,000 works of some of the library’s oldest books. The shelves reach two stories high, with exhibitions of beautiful botanical illustrations under glass. Marble busts line the hall, in tribute to great writers and philosophers of the past. The overall experience in the room is reverential and impressive.
Although hassles such as a relatively high admission fee, lines and a predominant gift shop at the entrance may cause a minor annoyance, the Book of Kells and the Long Room are definitely worth a visit during your next trip to Dublin.
Top 5 Dublin Hotels near Trinity College:
- Hotel The Lombard – Townhouse – Double room from €64
- Hotel O’Donoghue’s – Guesthouse – Double room from €90
- Holiday Inn Dublin City Center – 3-Star Hotel – Double room from €75
- Hotel The Westin Dublin – 5-Star Hotel – Double room from €179
- Maldron Hotel Cardiff Lane – 4-Star Hotel – Double room from €199
Photo of Book of Kells design by Psd
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