Trinity College, Dublin, Dublin County, Republic of Ireland

Old Library, Trinity College.

Since the 17th century, Trinity College has been the home of Ireland's most densely decorated illuminated manuscript, the Book of Kells (c. 9th century). Tourists flock to the College's Old Library and wait in lines that wrap around Fellow's Square, just for a peek at a few of the book's pages. 

The related exhibition mostly consists of other manuscripts and reproductions from the Book of Kells interspersed with didactic information. It culminates in a small room containing the original manuscript, now divided into sections so that more of it can be visible at once. The open pages change frequently, but consistently feature both image and script-heavy selections. Photographs are not allowed, and visitors have only a few minutes in the crowded room before they are ushered out. Like a ride at Disneyland, it is hard to argue that the time and money spent trying to see the Book are truly worth the experience. And yet, for anyone at all interested in Celtic design or Medieval art, skipping the Book of Kells is unthinkable. 

The same ticket also includes entrance to the Library's aptly named Long Room, a 210 ft hall containing around 200,000 texts and the Brian Boru Harp. Made around 1220, the harp is the oldest surviving example of its kind in the country and has been prominently featured on the Euro as a symbol of Ireland.

Most tourists only come to the college for the treasures of the Old Library, but a wander around campus can be rewarding. Of particular note, the Museum Building is a Venetian-inspired Victorian structure. Each capital on the building's exterior consists of a unique and realistic floral design, and these details are carried over into the multicolored marbled decor of the great hall. Upon entering the building, visitors are immediately greeted by the articulated fossilized skeletons of two Giant Irish Elk that seem strangely at home in their stony garden.      

Long Room (1732) in the Old Library, Trinity College.

Exterior of the Museum Building at Trinity College with Arnoldo Pomodoro's 1982 sculpture, Sphere within Sphere. 

Museum Building, Trinity College.

Skeleton of the male Giant Irish Elk in the Museum Building, Trinity College. 

Staircase in the hall of the Museum Building, Trinity College.


All photos by Renée DeVoe Mertz, May 23, 2013.

Impressions of Dublin

Well, Pierce, it looks like your catch-phrase caught-on somewhere. 

If you're going to Ireland, chances are you will fly in and out of Dublin. The Republic's capital is a mostly charming city of manageable size with several museums, impressive cathedrals, and numerous drinking establishments. Travelers can see a lot in a short amount of time without sacrificing the enjoyment of simply wandering in a new city. In two days, we drank some good beer, ate some good (Indian) food, and went to six museums, two crypts, two cathedrals, one church, and one library. Someone in a hurry or lodging in a more central part of the city could probably do more.

Staircase in the Long Room of the Old Library, Trinity College. Photo by Joshua Albers, May 23, 2013.

Whale skeleton in the upper galleries of the Natural History Museum. Photo by Renée DeVoe Mertz, May 23, 2013.

Detail of window in St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin. Photo by Renée DeVoe Mertz, May 30, 2013.

Dublin graffiti. Photo by Renée DeVoe Mertz, May 30, 2013. 

Detail of pulpit from Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin. Photo by Renée DeVoe Mertz, May 30, 2013.

Second floor of Natural History Museum, Dublin. Photo by Renée DeVoe Mertz, May 23, 2013.

One of several unique floral capitals in the Museum Building, Trinity College, Dublin. Photo by Renée DeVoe Mertz, May 23, 2013.

Detail of window in St. Michan's Church, Dublin. Photo by Renée DeVoe Mertz, May 30, 2013.

Building in downtown Dublin. Photo by Renée DeVoe Mertz, May 30, 2013.

Second floor of Natural History Museum, Dublin. Photo by Renée DeVoe Mertz, May 23, 2013.

Building in downtown Dublin. Photo by Renée DeVoe Mertz, May 30, 2013.

Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin. Photo by Renée DeVoe Mertz, May 30, 2013.

Shop window in Dublin. Photo by Renée DeVoe Mertz, May 30, 2013.

St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin. Photo by Renée DeVoe Mertz, May 30, 2013.

Dublin graffiti. Photo by Renée DeVoe Mertz, May 30, 2013.

Detail of case on second floor of the Natural History Museum, Dublin. Photo by Renée DeVoe Mertz, May 23, 2013.

Museum Building, Trinity College, Dublin. Photo by Renée DeVoe Mertz, May 23, 2013.

Long Room, Old Library, Trinity College. Photo by Renée DeVoe Mertz, May 23, 2013.

Museum Building, Trinity College, Dublin. Photo by Renée DeVoe Mertz, May 23, 2013.

Detail of window in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin. Photo by Renée DeVoe Mertz, May 30, 2013.

Detail of case on second floor of the Natural History Museum, Dublin. Photo by Renée DeVoe Mertz, May 23, 2013.

Detail of pigment display in the Long Room of the Old Library, Trinity College. Photo by Joshua Albers, May 23, 2013.

Window in St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin. Photo by Renée DeVoe Mertz, May 30, 2013.

Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin. Photo by Renée DeVoe Mertz, May 30, 2013.