Trinity College Library & The Book of Kells

Trinity College Library dates from 1712 and is the work of the architect Thomas Burgh.

The Library houses one of the finest collections of books in Ireland, including the world famous Book of Kells.

The Book of Kells was written around the year 800 AD and is one of the most beautifully illuminated manuscripts in the world. It contains the four gospels preceded by prefaces, summaries, and canon tables or concordances of gospel passages.

It is written on vellum and contains a Latin text of the Gospels accompanied by magnificent and intricate whole pages of decoration with smaller painted decorations appearing throughout the text.

At the time the book was produced, Irish monks were renowned throughout the rest of Europe for their work as scribes and illustrators.

The Book of Kells contains 680 pages (or 340 folios). Just two of the pages are without ornament, while about thirty folios, including some major decorated pages, have been lost.

The manuscript was given to Trinity College in the 17th century and since 1953 has been bound in four volumes. It has been on display in the Old Library since the 19th century.

How we helped

• The Ireland Funds facilitated the refurbishment of the rooms that hold the Book of Kells.
  
  
• We also aided the acquisition of Samuel Beckett's papers, which were returned to Ireland and are now available to scholars.

• More info on The Book of Kells >