After having had a copious breakfast at a small restaurant located at the far end of Gardiner's we headed towards the main entrance of Trinity College where we were supposed to meet an American girl Mia had got acquainted with during the tour to the Cliffs of Moher.
The three of us made it to the Trinity College Old Library and the book of Kells' exhibition after having been a mere half hour on the queue, and I say mere because we were lucky enough to have arrived quite early.
The main chamber of the Old Library, a nearly 65 metre long room filled with 200,000 of the Library's oldest books was really impressive. Marble busts said to represent great philosophers and writers of the Western World, as well as famous and less famous men connected with Trinity College lined the room.
Among them another treasure caught our attention - a 15th century harp made of oak and willow with 29 brass strings and considered the oldest of its kind in Ireland.
Among them another treasure caught our attention - a 15th century harp made of oak and willow with 29 brass strings and considered the oldest of its kind in Ireland.
If I was impressed in the Old Library the moment I walked into the room exhibiting the Book of Kells (an illuminated manuscript Gospel book in Latin believed to have been created ca. 800 AD) I felt speechless. Despite the fact that there were too many visitors in the room, which naturally didn't allow us to thoroughly appreciate the exhibited pages of the manuscript behind the show windows I felt the provided additional information we had access to helped to raise one's interest and curiosity.
Once photography was not allowed and the illustrations had had me mesmerised because of the human faces' expressions, the figures of the mystical beasts, the abundant Celtic knots and interlacing patterns in vibrant colours I bought not only a rather complex book on it but also some copies of several of the illustrations.
Once we walked out of the exhibition room and the Library bookshop we strolled around the Trinity College gardens before heading towards our next "programmed" visit ... and to our utmost surprise it wasn't but when we looked at the watch that we realised it was practically midday ...
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