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‘We want our Book of Kells back from Trinity College’

Meath town of Kells demands their famous manuscript

CATHAL DERVAN,

IrishCentral.com Staff Writer

Published Wednesday, August 31, 2011, 7:43 AM

Updated Wednesday, August 31, 2011, 10:44 AM

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The Book of Kells

Residents of the County Meath town of Kells want the most famous book in the world and Ireland’s major tourist attraction back – but Trinity College is refusing to repatriate The Book of Kells.

A new campaign has been launched in the medieval town to bring the famous manuscript back to its hometown over 350 years after its removal.

Locals in Kells have formed a new lobby group with the intention of getting Trinity College to release at least one of the four volumes of the ancient manuscript so it can go on display in Kells.

They want to base a new tourism industry around the manuscript which draws hundreds of thousands of visitors to the Dublin city centre university each year.

Just a few months ago the Queen of England was an interested visitor to the College to see the Book of Kells for herself.

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The book was written by monks around 800 AD. It went missing when Oliver Cromwell’s army arrived in Kells in 1654, and resurfaced in Trinity six years later.

The current display at the College features the illuminated copy of the four Gospels and is one of the top five tourist attractions in Ireland.

The Book is worth millions to the College as it can attract over half a million fee paying visitors each year.

College bosses have however already rejected the attempts to relocate The Book of Kells.
The new Kells group said: “The book is an early Christian artifact and should be celebrated in an early Christian setting as opposed to its current profane setting.”

Kells Tourism Forum chairman Aidan Wall added: “Trinity College does not own the Book of Kells; it is a national treasure and is owned by the people of Ireland. Our town is its natural and spiritual home.

“The forum believes that having one volume of the book in their town would boost tourism.”
Trinity College responded however with a statement which said “The display and storage of the manuscript are subject to very careful environmental controls and security.

“Since the year 2000, it has been the policy of the board of Trinity College on the grounds of security, environmental and preservation concerns to decline such requests.

“The preservation of this manuscript must take priority over all other considerations.”

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28 Comments

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johnshiel | Sep 06, 2011, 09:00 AM EDT

there are some truly valuable ideas proffered in this series of comments. (they are NOT conveyed by the childish snobs arguing to one-up each other.) But my first and only visit to Trinity and "the book..." was in March 2010 and was a disappointment. Was glad and impressed to see the real deal, but only a page or two. And not very well. Conservation considerations require relatively low lighting. And the large backlighted vertical reproductions were weak as well. The political skirmishing over the display site is not inconsequential either. But a worthy presentation site in Kells has undeniable authenticity and impact. Monks' writing desks etc. would be brilliant. So would a number of modern high tech interpretive technologies that are in use today, coming substantially from the fertile minds and fat accounts of the Disney franchise. The new Abraham Lincoln Museum in Springfield Illinois is a positively stunning example.

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molliepmac | Sep 02, 2011, 01:30 PM EDT

"The Book of Kells" belongs as much to Scotland as it does to Ireland. According to research, it was written around the year 800 AD, probably in the monastery of Iona, off the Scottish coast. This monastery was founded by the Irish Saint Columba. The Columban monks also had a monastery at Kells in County Meath. Iona was under regular threat of attack by Viking raiders, and at some point in the 9th Century the book was sent over to Ireland for safekeeping. Meath County Council have proved themselves incapable of heritage safekeeping- in particular they presided over destruction of 40 heritage sites during construction of the M3 motorway through the Tara Complex. Who would trust this precious book to that county?

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sirpeter | Sep 01, 2011, 04:00 PM EDT

By the way Georgy.It's Sir Peter.

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Searlit | Sep 01, 2011, 03:51 PM EDT

This year would probably be a good time to view it, as tourism is down.

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sirpeter | Sep 01, 2011, 03:44 PM EDT

Georgy Boy.You have more comprehension problems I see.Never said it should be in Kells.You think you are so literate ha ha ha.Try reading my first post again dopey.First line

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jamieLM | Sep 01, 2011, 02:56 PM EDT

@JohnKinMD, I had the same experience viewing the Book of Kells in Sept. a few yrs. ago as you did. I guess we're some of the lucky ones, and yes, that WAS great for us.

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GeorgeDillon | Sep 01, 2011, 01:01 PM EDT

sirpeter, as much a poltroon as ever. If the Book of Kells doesn't belong inside the Pale (capital P, by the way) why should it be in Kells, which was inside the Pale? It's just impossible to follow your half-witted "logic"--you always seem to be drunk when you post.

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GeorgeDillon | Sep 01, 2011, 12:57 PM EDT

JohnKin: Well wasn't that great for you.

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JohnKinMD | Sep 01, 2011, 09:16 AM EDT

I saw The Book of Kells this past May, and GeorgeDillon,I was not rushed, waited my turn to get up to the book and viewed it at my pace.

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Springfield9 | Aug 31, 2011, 09:45 PM EDT

There's an American University (St. John's in MInnesota) producing a hand done illustrated parchment bible. It's taking time but the monastery has plenty of that.

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sirpeter | Aug 31, 2011, 09:08 PM EDT

@eiriamach. ;))

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eiriamach | Aug 31, 2011, 06:49 PM EDT

LOL! You're the history expert, sirpeter, by acclamation.

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sirpeter | Aug 31, 2011, 03:16 PM EDT

Georgy Boy.The book was written by monks around 800 AD.There was NO pale then Georgy Boy.That's why I said it didn't belong inside the pale.The pale been West Brit even to this day.What part confused you Georgy?

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eiriamach | Aug 31, 2011, 02:56 PM EDT

Searlit, if someone else would skin the sheep and make the vellum, I'd be happy to put some calligraphy and simple illustrations on it. Ireland has more medieval manuscripts besides the Book of Kells. Those I've seen vary in amount of illumination, with the Book of Kells the most ornate. There are facsimiles to work from. Bottom line: Like many others, I could copy from a facsimile, no creativity involved, just some experience with pens and brushes and gold leaf, I think. I'd really like to see a replica of a medieval monastery library, complete with drawing tables and tools. I've seen many ruins of monasteries, and a 19th century monastery library (beautiful!) but nothing much older. When I saw the Book of Kells in Trinity, no one rushed me through. The pity is that you'd have to return every day for I don't know how many years to see all the pages if they show one new page every day!

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SeamusMor | Aug 31, 2011, 01:43 PM EDT

All four volumes should be on display. Spread them around the country to encourage tourism and travel. Care for them as Trinity does. Kells, Armagh, and Clonmacnoise might be good venues to consider.

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