Ireland - Dublin Trinity college

After drinking our Guinness we found a nice spot for lunch. A nearby but off the main trail pub that served Guinness beef stew with bread. It was delicious! Than we walked to the Gaol (Jail) for a tour. Sadly the next you was in an you and the main section of the jail is closed off for renovations. So we opted to not go inside. Though this is the same jail from Boondock Saints!

Instead we took the bus across town to Trinity College which has been around since the mid 1500's. Its sister colleges are Cambridge and Oxford. We took a walking tour and learned that the college is very proud of its history. Originally in the 1100's was a monastary and the bell still exists and is rung for meal times. Guinness supplies one half pint per student at supper. The commencement ceremony takes place in October and is always the exact same very ritualistic and all in Latin! They use to be required to wear long vest like robe now it is optional so only the tour guides wear them.

The college also is the keeper of the Book of Kells. This is a book dating back to 900 AD and is a hand written and illustrated book of the four main gospels. The pages are calf skin and the pigment used had to be seen in. Tho book I just amazing to see. No photographs allowed. The pages looked almost oily and appeared thick but the book was under glass so hard to tell really. The colors appeared to be faded son but the golds were still vibrant. There wet other books on display all amazing to see.

These were all housed in the old library which is just one long room filled with books. Instead of any traditional filing system the books are catergorized by size, talker low on the shelf working upwards to the smallest in ABC. Before computers they had Librarians who knew sections to help you find a book. Crazy system!

Amazing campus, I love learning the history. I wish I could attend the commencement ceremony or some longstanding ritual. I love seeing and feeling like a part of some old tradition.