The Book of Kells on display at the Old Library, Trinity College

John 1.1, Portrait of St. John, Book of Kells

Here is one book you cannot check out, though many would like to get closer to this extraordinary illuminated manuscript.  Since Trinity College does not allow you to take photos within the exhibit I have used an image off of Google images.


The book of Kells was stored in a special shrine, a fine jeweled case which was lost in the 10th century.  The book was discovered by a farmer tilling his field.  When the printing press was invented in the 15th century scribes stopped copying manuscripts.

Sometimes hair follicles are found on manuscripts as animal skin was used to create the velum the treasured manuscripts.  It is estimated that it took 185 calves to create the full sized Book of Kells, which was trimmed down which cropped off portions of many of the illuminated designs. Many times monks wrote notes to one another in the margins while they painstakingly worked in cold rooms, these were later removed.

Current Book of Kells Display

There are two of the four volumes on display at any given time.  The pages that were on display when I visisted the library were the following:

Decorated opening: John 1.1 Portrait of St John. P/rinci/pio erat uer/bum {et} uer{b}um - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word ... Opening words of the Gospel according to St John (folios 291v-292r)

Text opening: Luke 16.10-22. Et qui in modico ... ut / moriretur mendicus lazarus The parable of the unjust steward (continued); Jesus rebukes the Pharisees; the story of the rich man and Lazarus (folios 253v-254r). Luke 16.10-22