It is believed that 3 artists created the Book of Kells and art historians and archaeologists have identified them as the ‘Portrait Painter’, the ‘Illustrator’ and the ‘Goldsmith’. The Portrait Painter was responsible for stunning portraits of Christ, Matthew and John. In folio 32v, seated on a low-backed throne, Christ holds a red-covered Gospel book. […]

The Book of Kells Creative Competition is all about re-imagining Ireland’s medieval masterpiece. Our judges are looking for modern and innovative interpretations of the Book of Kells and entrants are invited to let their imagination run riot! One of last year’s Primary School Art winners, Violet McGrath, was inspired by the illustrations of cats that […]

The Book of Kells Creative Competition is now it’s 3rd year and our judges have seen thousands of wonderful interpretations of the manuscript, submitted from all over the globe. We have received entries from people of all ages, with our youngest entrant to date aged just 3 and our oldest aged 85. The Book of […]

The theme of our 2019 Creative Competition is Irish Culture and the Book of Kells and there are endless stories to tell about the world’s most famous medieval manuscript. The Book of Kells was created around the year 800AD and researchers believe that it was originally produced in a monastery on the Scottish island of […]

The Book of Kells Creative Competition 2019 has launched and this year’s theme is Irish culture and the Book of Kells. The competition is open to all ages and prizes range from VIP trips to cash prizes of up to €800.  All winners and runners up will be invited to attend an exciting awards ceremony […]

The Book of Kells is thrilled to have won a Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence for the 5th year in a row, which qualifies us for the Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence Hall of Fame! This prestigious accolade is a testimony to the passion and dedication of our front of house team, who welcome visitors […]

Easter is a special time of the year to marvel at the Book of Kells, since it is full of intricate symbolism referencing the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Animals play a big part in this symbolism, with Christ’s resurrection and immortality being referenced through intricate illustrations of lions, snakes and peacocks. In folio 2v, Jesus […]

Evidence suggests that there were never any snakes in post-glacial Ireland, however snakes appear prominently throughout ancient Irish mythology. One of the most famous stories about St. Patrick, is that he is responsible for banishing all the snakes in Ireland. Legend has it that he chased them into the sea after they attacked him during […]