Day 142 – Dublin (Dún Laoghaire), Ireland

Viking Sky arrived in Dún Laoghaire, Ireland, this morning, and we tendered ashore for a visit to Dublin, Ireland’s UNESCO City of Literature. While Tim took in the sights and landmarks of Dublin, I planned to delve deeper into City of Literature with an optional excursion to see “Trinity College and the Book of Kells.” Both the title and description of the excursion had changed since I originally booked it, so I’m not including the original description here. Luckily, I was quite happy with the revised agenda.

Arriving in Dún Laoghaire, a Suburb of Dublin

After arriving at Trinity College, our excursion leader turned us over to a student guide, as required by the college, for Trinity’s official walking tour of the campus. Our guide was excellent, and he described the history of the school, its historic architecture, and his personal insight into life at Trinity.

Trinity College, which was founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I, is Ireland’s oldest university, and its historic campus spans 47 acres. We entered through the front gate and began our tour in the heart of Trinity’s Parliament Square, which is lined by some of Dublin’s most iconic architectural landmarks.

Entering Trinity College Through the Front Gate

The focal point of the Square is the Campanile, one of the college’s most enduring symbols. Those passing beneath it during exams are said to risk academic misfortune, a tradition widely acknowledged by students, including our guide.

The Campanile

Parliament Square is characterized by buildings constructed during the eighteenth century, and the university represents one of the most significant collections of Neoclassical style architecture in Ireland. These include the identical Chapel and Exam Hall, which face one another in the middle of the square.

The Buildings Around Parliament Square (top); Chapel (bottom)

On the other side of the Campanile is the grassy Library Square, which is enclosed by the nineteenth century Gothic Revival style Graduate Memorial Building and the red-brick Rubrics, Trinity's oldest surviving building.

Graduate Memorial Building (top); Rubrics (bottom)

From there, we moved to the Museum Building, built between 1853 and 1857, and another architectural landmark on campus. The building’s exterior boasts an elaborate display of architectural details, including carved string courses, quoins, pilasters, and capitals crafted from Portland Stone. The tympanum above the entrance showcases the College crest.

Museum Building

The interior of the Museum Building is also spectacular.  The most prominent feature is the entrance hall, with its imperial staircase made from marble and limestone.  The domed roof is made of blue, red and yellow enameled bricks.  We did not have time to view the exhibits here, but I was more than happy just to appreciate the architecture.

Museum Building Interior

As we left the Museum Building, our eyes were next drawn to a large polished bronze sphere. Titled Sfera con Sfera by artist Alexander Pomodoro, it is one of a series of at least twelve similar sculptures located around the world. Our guide pointed out that it is located between the historic Museum Building, the Brutalist Main Library, and the iconic Old Library, a point where past, present, and future meet on campus.

Sfera con Sfera Flanked by the Old Library (top and bottom right), Museum Building (bottom left),
and the Main Library (bottom center)

It was now time to enter the Old Library, the highlight of the visit. The main chamber of the Old Library is the Long Room, one of the world’s most beautiful and impressive libraries. Even though I had seen photos, stepping into this grand chamber was an awe-inspiring experience. The Long Room is the longest single-chamber library in the world and is normally filled with 200,000 of the library’s oldest books. Today, however, most of the shelves were bare.

The Long Room

The Old Library Redevelopment Project is underway to safeguard the building and conserve its priceless collection, and most of the books have been removed. The first four bays, however, have been left intact with books to show how the shelves would ordinarily appear. It was amazing to learn that there are almost 16,000 books on these shelves alone.

Shelves with Books in the Long Room

The ”Jewel in the Library’s Crown” is the Book of Kells, a beautifully illuminated manuscript from around 800 AD containing the four Gospels of the New Testament in Latin. The book is known for its intricate artwork and complex symbolism.

We walked through the Book of Kells Experience, an exhibition that combines cutting-edge technology with historical insight, that allowed us to see the physical manuscript and explore its stories and artwork through a digital exhibition. Only two pages of the manuscript are open at any one time, and the pages are rotated every six to eight weeks. It was very cool to see even two pages in person.

Two Original Pages from the Book of Kells

Exhibits About the Book of Kells

The excursion today was excellent, and it was right up my alley. Historic architecture, a gorgeous library, and an iconic manuscript – my idea of a good time.