News

Show your true colours at the Book of Kells Creative Competition 2020! We are proud to announce our third annual Book of Kells Creative Competition, which invites artists and writers of all ages to submit a work inspired by the famed book. This year, contestants are asked to share art and writing that evoke the […]

As Ireland’s cultural sector begins to emerge from lockdown, the Book of Kells and Old Library team is thrilled to be re-opening Monday 10 August 2020. While our team is truly excited at the prospect of welcoming the public through our exhibition’s doors once again, visitor safety remains our number one priority.  We are proud […]

The Book of Kells and Old Library exhibition at Trinity is delighted to announce that our doors will once again open to the public from 10 August. We are preparing a revised visitor journey to ensure that all necessary precautions are in place to protect our visitors and staff. Tickets to our exhibition will be […]

We wish to advise you that the Book of Kells and Old Library Exhibition will remain closed until further notice in response to government advice concerning the current Coronavirus (COVID 19) health emergency. At the heart of this decision is the welfare of our visitors, students and staff. Our thoughts are with you, family and […]

As part of ongoing conservation and preservation plans for the Old Library, the Book of Kells will be removed from public display from November 2019 to early March 2020. Housed within the Old Library at Trinity College Dublin, the display area for the precious 9th century precious manuscript is undergoing necessary works which will require […]

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 […]