“Great afternoon of something cultural and worthwhile – not to be missed for the academic minded.”
Trinity College Library - Dublin
Trinity College Library serves Trinity College and the University of Dublin, and is the largest library in Ireland. It was established in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I and is famous for graduates such as Wilde and Beckett. For visitors, the library costs 10 euro to enter.
The Long Room which can be seen pictured, is the largest single-chamber library in the world. It is 65 metres long, and is the main chamber of the Library – it was built between 1712 and 1732 and houses 200,000 of the Library’s oldest books. To begin with, the Long Room had a flat ceiling and provided shelving only for books on the lower level. However, by the 1850s the room had to be expanded due to the fact that the Trinity College Library became an official copyright library.
The license obtained means that the Library has at least one copy of every book ever published in the UK & Ireland. The majority of these books are stored in stacks in Santry as they can’t fit them all on the campus – are you surprised really? – however, if you request a book in the morning, you’ll receive it by lunchtime. The library is also the only Irish library to hold these rights in the UK.
As you can see photographed, the Long Room is lined with marble busts, the collection of which was formed when fourteen busts from Pieter Scheemakers were acquired by the college. As you walk along the Long Room, you will find that many of these marble busts are of great philosophers, writers, and men who supported the college. You will also find in the room one of the last remaining copies of the 1916 Proclamation of the Irish Republic, as well as the Trinity College Harp – the oldest of its kind in Ireland dating back to the 15th century.
In addition to these tourist attractions, you can also view the Book of Kells – an amazing manuscript, with such detail and artistry. Any visitors will find it very interesting to learn about the tools and dyes that were used to create the pages. The crowds and queues can get heavy, so get there early or take your time and enjoy the centuries old books. The library is truly beautiful, with wood paneling and shelves upon shelves of well organised books – you could shoot a Harry Potter movie in this library! There is also an attractive gift shop for anyone who wants to take home souvenirs.
This library is magnificent, and definitely not one to be missed by anyone visiting Dublin!
Address: 2 College Green, Dublin 2, Ireland
Hours: Monday to Wednesday and Friday 9:30am to 5:00pm, Thursday 9:30am to 9:00pm, Saturday 9:30am to 1:00pm, Sunday Closed
Telephone: +353 1 896 1127
Website: http://www.tcd.ie/Library/
Email: [email protected]