Trinity College, Dublin

Trinity College Dublin – visiting the Book of Kells and Trinity’s College famous Long Room Library in Dublin Ireland when in port in Dublin with Princess Cruises.

This post is sponsored by Princess Cruises. All opinions are 100% my own. I love working with brands that I love and know my readers will

love too, and cruising with Princess is one of my favorite ways to relax and come back new on vacation!

I recently went on the dream cruise of a lifetime – a British Isles Cruise with Princess Cruises.

We spent two weeks exploring Ireland, France, and the UK – and it was heavenly!

I’ve been to Ireland, Scotland, England, and France before – but never from the sea – and it was unforgettable, and such a perfect way to experience the best of the British Isles in a short period of time.

While I am a fairly independent traveler, a cruise makes touring lots of spots easy, effortless, and SO relaxing. No worries about schlepping luggage, booking tickets, or finding the best places to stop – it’s all done for you with Princess!

Visiting Trinity College Dublin – Book of Kells and the Long Room Library –

Be sure to read all the way to the bottom of the post, where I’m sharing my best tips to make your trip to Trinity College in Dublin the best ever – including other stops to check out nearby, where to eat after you go, how to skip the long lines, how to time your visit with a cruise shore excursion, and more!

Trinity College

The Library began with the founding of Trinity College in 1592. The Old Library, which includes the Long Room and the Collonade, among other areas, was built between 1712-1732, and is home to many treasures of Ireland.

Trinity College Library is the only Irish library with copyright authority, which is has had since 1801.

The Book of Kells at Trinity College

This illuminated manuscript donated by Henry Jones in 1661 contains the four Gospels of the New Testament (as well as supporting texts and tables) in Latin is a masterwork of Western calligraphy and called Ireland’s finest national treasure.

It includes 340 folios, bound into four volumes (since 1953) and is made of calf vellum.

The name comes from the Abby of Kells in Kells, County Meath, where the Book resided for centuries.

There is much debate over the origins of the Book, including who authored it, the location it was written and time of creation.

It is generally dated to around 800 and assumed to have been created in a Columban monastery in Britain or Ireland, possibly to commemorate the 200th anniversary of St. Columba’s death in 597.

The Long Room Library at Trinity College

Long Room: At 65-meters (213 feet) long, this main chamber f the Old Library building houses 200,000 of the oldest books in the Library collection. This room originally had a flat ceiling, which was expanded upward in 1860 to allow for the upper gallery and storage of more books.

The walls are lined with marble busts, including great philosophers, writers and men who supported the College through the years – the most famous of which is that of writer Jonathan Swift.

Collections: Many treasures of Ireland and the United Kingdom are housed at the Library, the most famous of which are:

One of the last copies of the 1916 Proclamation of the Irish Republic, which was read outside of the General Post Office by Patrick Pearse at the start of the Easter Rising
Trinity College Harp (or “Brian Boru Harp”) – the oldest of its kind, dating to the 15th Century – made of oak and willow with 29 brass strings, the model for the national symbol of Ireland
The Book of Kells (see below)
The Book of Armagh
The Book of Darrow
The Book of Mulling
The Book of Dimma

Tips: Buy your tickets ahead of time and skip the line! https://www.tcd.ie/visitors/book-of-kells/