DUBLIN - Ireland 2014 - page 105

For eight centuries, the glorious gospel sat regally atop the high altar of the monastery
church at Kells, where the priest would read from it during special Masses. In 1654, as
Cromwell's ravaging armies approached, the topic was smuggled to Dublin for safety.
Here at Trinity College, it was first displayed to the public in the mid-1800s. In 1953,
the topic got its current covers and was bound into four separate volumes. The 1,200-year
journey of the Book of Kells reached its culmination in 2012, when it came out as an iPad
app.
The Exhibit: The first-class “Turning Darkness into Light” exhibit, with a one-way
route, puts the 680-page illuminated manuscript in its historical and cultural context, pre-
paring you to see the original book and other precious manuscripts in the treasury. Make
a point to spend time in the exhibit (before reaching the actual Book of Kells). Especially
interesting are the five-minute video clips showing the exacting care that went into tran-
scribing the monk-uscripts and the ancient art of bookbinding. Two small TV screens (on
oppositewallsoftheexhibition room)runcontinuously,silently demonstrating themonks'
labors of love.

Dublin at a Glance

▲▲▲ ▲▲▲ Traditional Irish Musical Pub Crawl A fascinating, practical, and enjoy-

able primer on traditional Irish music. Hours: April-Oct daily at 19:30, Nov-March
Thu-Sat only. See here .
▲▲▲

▲▲▲ National Museum: Archaeology Interesting collection of Irish treasures
fromtheStoneAgetotoday. Hours: Tue-Sat10:00-17:00,Sun14:00-17:00,closed
Mon. See here .
▲▲▲ ▲▲▲ Kilmainham Gaol Historic jail used by the British as a political pris-

on—today a museum that tells a moving story of the suffering of the Irish people.
Hours: Mon-Sat 9:30-16:30, Sun 10:00-16:30. See here .
▲▲▲ Historical Walking Tour Your best introduction to Dublin. Hours: May-Sept
daily at 11:00 and 15:00, April and Oct daily at 11:00, Nov-March Fri-Sun only at
11:00. See here .
▲▲▲ Trinity College Tour Ireland's most famous school, best visited with a
30-minute tour led by one of its students. Hours: Departs every 30 minutes May-
Sept daily 10:15-15:40, Feb-April and Oct-Nov Sat-Sun only, no tours Dec-Jan;
weather permitting. See here .
▲▲▲ Book of Kells in the Trinity Old Library An exquisite illuminated
manuscript, the most important piece of art from the Dark Ages. Hours: Mon-Sat
9:30-17:00, Sun 9:30-16:30 (Sun 12:00-16:30 Oct-April). See here .