Trinity College: The Book of Kells and The Long Room

Trinity College has a very unique beginning. The land was originally owned by a monastery, until it was bought by Queen Elizabeth I in 1592. She commissioned it as a Protestant university. Trinity is the first university established in Ireland, and now educates over 17,000 students every year. It is 47 acres and 1 kilometer in length. It was originally built outside of the Dublin walls, but now it sits at the heart of the city, as everything has developed around the university.

It was the first university to grant women with degrees. Ironically enough, the man impeding women from graduating with degrees, Provost George Salmon, had a daughter who graduated with a degree shortly after his death. Now there are two female students for every one male student at the university.

Trinity famously houses the Book of Kells, a large, decorated text made in 800 AD, in the Old Library. The pages were made of calfskin, and the inks were brought all the way from modern day Iraq. It was given to the university in 1661 in order to rebound and preserve the precious manuscript. The book was recently rebound by the university into 4 volumes -- each volume being one of the Biblical gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). Today, two of the gospels are displayed at a time for visitors to observe; one book open to a textual page, and the other book to an ornamented page to give the viewers an accurate depiction of the rest of the Kells manuscripts.

The Long Room was built between 1712 and 1732, and it is the longest single chamber in the world. It houses many artifacts including the oldest harp in Ireland, (which is the national symbol of Ireland, the Guinness logo, and the Irish currency), one of the last remaining copies of the 1916 Proclamation of the Irish Republic, and 14 marble busts created by famous sculptor Pieter Scheemakers. Within the library, roughly two-hundred thousand of the library’s oldest books are housed, and are still available for checkout by university students today. The books are ordered not according to the Dewey Decimal System, subject, or genre, but rather by size. The larger books are housed on the lower shelves, and the size of the book decreases with increasing shelving height. This keeps the library aesthetically pleasing as well as helping with the efficiency of space. Therefore, students desiring to check out books must know the exact dimensions of the book.

Today, all three of these things (Trinity, The Book of Kells, and The Long Room) hold significance for both cultural and historical reasons. Trinity is one of the most prolific and praised universities in the world, and has a continued tradition of excellence since its establishment in 1592. The fact that Trinity holds the Book of Kells shows its devotion to the preservation of historical artifacts, and helps educate all that walk through about the importance of remembering the past. The Long Room shows how Trinity has a passion for the beauty of learning. There are many aesthetically pleasing aspects of the Long Room, and this was absolutely intentional in order to display these old, wonderful books. In all, we loved our experience here, and recognize how important Trinity is to the cultural heart of Ireland.

Personal Reflections

Rae: Though the entirety of the campus was entirely beautiful, I most enjoyed seeing the Long Room. The Book of Kells was a lovely thing to see, especially since I learned about it through Western Art History. However, the Long Room was impressive in its size and also in the books that it housed. Also, I find it absolutely amazing that the university is so old and yet it thrives still today. It is in the center of Dublin, and is therefore an integral part of the community. Through this experience, I have better come to understand the importance and prominence of Trinity University.

Isaac: The entirety of Trinity College was absolutely stunning. From the entryway at the front of the University to the residential buildings that over a hundred years old. It was fascinating learning about the history and origin of the college, such as George Salmon’s influence until his death, which finally allowed for the acceptance of women. The contrast of architectural styles of very intriguing, including the library in contrast with its neighboring natural science museum. The intricate architecture was baffling, as each decorative aspect was unique and not repeated. The Book of Kells was quite impressive, and it was great to see it in person after learning so much about it. My favorite aspect of our visit was the Long Room, and the impressive architecture and ordering its walls. The size was shocking, and beauty of the design and order was impressive. I thoroughly enjoyed this visit, and have come to appreciate the history and future of Trinity College.

Grace: I think I want to transfer now. Trinity College is astoundingly beautiful, holds so much history, and is at the center of Dublin. What more could I look for in a college? All jokes aside, I really enjoyed the incredible historical significance of the university, and wished that I could take more time to explore. The Book of Kells and The Long Room were both things I have wished to see my whole life, but never actually believed that I would witness in person-- they both took my breath away. I couldn’t believe how old the Book of Kells was, and how remarkable the condition of it was in. To think that something so valuable and precious as this manuscript was written as a celebration of Jesus’ life just fills my heart with joy. It couldn't be more appropriate! And the Long Room? W O W. I had chills for the entire time I was there. I could have sat in that room for hours taking it all in. The whole experience at Trinity was wonderful, and I learned so much. I really hope we can go back soon!

Erin: Trinity College has a beautiful campus and an intriguing history. Although the university is home to over 120 different nationalities now, it was originally only accessible to Protestant males. The population of the university has grown and expanded over time, but the campus has remained the same for the most part. Many of the buildings are hundreds of years old, and there are even a few Oregon Maples that are almost as old as the building. Two of my favorite buildings on Trinity’s campus are the Old Library and the Museum Building. The Old Library houses the Long Room, which is absolutely beautiful -- everything from the smell of the old books to the way the sun streams in the windows. The Museum Building has beautiful carvings of native Irish plants and originally housed all the samples of plants and animals.