The Book of Kells
After our intriguing visit at the National Museum of Ireland, we walked over to Trinity College. The campus was beautiful, although I think Elon is still prettier (I'm a little biased)! We were planning on seeing the Book of Kells and the Long a Room (old library) as a class, but the line was so long that we decided to come back individually at a different time. After some perusing some shops on Grafton Street and eating a fabulous lunch at Pasta Fresca, I went back to Trinity with a couple of my classmates.
The Book of Kells has fascinated me for quite some time. I watched the cartoon, “The Secret of Kells,” and loved the artworks, colors and writing that the film would show. When I entered the “Turning Darkness into Light” exhibit, I was surrounded by wall-sized, illuminated copies of the illustrations from the Book. The book was written over 1,000 years ago when Ireland had a population of less than 500,000 people and contains the four gospels in Latin along with decorated pages and illustrations. The exhibit said that at least four people wrote in the Book using inks from flowers, mud and precious stones like Lapis Lazuli. This beautiful book survived the Viking attacks and raids, and arrived in Dublin for preservation and safety during the Cromwellian period in 1654. On the decorated pages, there are many symbols and illustrations that were used multiple times. Spirals, Peacocks, Snakes, Eagles and the Cross were among the commonly used images. As I approached the area where the actual book was on display, I reminded myself that this book means so much to Ireland. Photography was not allowed and a security guard stood right next to the book and other sacred scriptures. The Book of Kells is one of the many unique treasures that Ireland possesses. I truly enjoyed the exhibit, especially the title “Turning Darkness into Light.” Although the Irish have had many hardships, whether it be the Vikings, Cromwellian Era, The Famine, or the national debt today, The Book of Kells is a symbol for Ireland's resilience, beauty and hope.
-Margaux Holly
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