Please Help Me Hivemind - BOOK OF KELLS, Trinity College Dublin - have you been?

Kev Levell · 11 December, 2009, 05:32:24 PM

Hello there - I'm doing some illustrations for a book... and one of the illustrations requires a scene where someone is looking at the display case that houses the Book of Kells. (Trinity College Library Dublin).
Searching the internet has served only to help discover that NO ONE shall photograph the Book of Kells - NO ONE! And I can't find any descriptions that can tell me if the damn thing is housed in the long-room or in it's own special dedicated area...

Has anyone been there?
Can anyone give me a brief description of the room?
Better still, has anyone got a sneaky holiday snap? (preferably of the whole room - I don't need to be accurate with the book - just the location).
I'll be happy to do a sketch for anyone who can help.

Mike Gloady · 11 December, 2009, 05:39:50 PM

Oooooh, TordelBack!?

Who am I kidding, if there's ANY comicbook forum on the web where you're likely to be tripping over answers to that question, I'd reckon it'd be here.

Sadly I can't help. It's one of the things on my list of things to do when visiting the Auld Cuntry.

Emperor · 11 December, 2009, 06:12:41 PM

Quote from: KevLev on 11 December, 2009, 05:32:24 PM
Hello there - I'm doing some illustrations for a book... and one of the illustrations requires a scene where someone is looking at the display case that houses the Book of Kells. (Trinity College Library Dublin).

It might seem obvious but have you emailed them? It never hurts to be a little bit cheeky.

With a lot of rare books flash photography is banned (and OK they might also say that to flog a few postcards) so there might not be any. However, I'd assume they'd have something for promotional purposes or even a postcard they can send you. Offer to bung them in the acknowledgments and hey is your presto.

locustsofdeath! · 11 December, 2009, 06:23:56 PM

There is an image on this page:

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://img3.travelblog.org/Photos/17776/168210/t/1279897-Book-of-Kells-2.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Dublin/blog-168210.html&usg=__k1i80eJA3LWBjw2GpTPmh0cA90I=&h=300&w=300&sz=13&hl=en&start=155&um=1&tbnid=82jMv8be3uQm7M:&tbnh=116&tbnw=116&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbook%2Bof%2Bkells%2Bimages%26ndsp%3D20%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1T4ADFA_enGB353GB353%26sa%3DN%26start%3D140%26um%3D1

I know the link is crazy, but I just copied and paste it. There is an image of the book on a table - probably not useful but the best I could find. Hope it helps!

Dog Deever · 11 December, 2009, 07:17:09 PM

Kev- I have a book called 'The Book Of Kells'. It's full of high quality photos of pages. If you PM me your address I can send it to you. So long as I get it back, of course!

Kev Levell · 11 December, 2009, 08:06:06 PM

Thanks for the replies guys - I really appreciate it.

Actual pages and stuff are available in various places - and I don't need to be that accurate anyway - what I'm after is the location of the book within the building - online, the Trinity College library 'floorplan' shows very little of where things are. You can download a pamphlet, which is next-to no use at all.

I'd still appreciate any esoteric knowledge any of you might have on Trinity College and the location of the Book of Kells.

Again, Mike, Emps, Locusts and Deever - you dudes rock - thanks for your assistance!

Dandontdare · 11 December, 2009, 10:55:40 PM

My vague memories of a visit many years ago were of a fairly standard museum setting with a glass case in the middle under which was ...the book! I don't think there's anything particularly distinctive about the room.

If you're being paid for this work, can't you add a "fact finding trip" to the exes?

Gavin_Leahy_Block · 11 December, 2009, 11:03:12 PM

Right, i saw it about seventeen years ago, but I don't even trust my fading memory so I don't think you should either. It was in a small very dark room where only small amounts of natural light able to enter. The room itself was slightly rectangular, with informational singes on the wall and cardboard stands in the corner, these were illuminated by lights mounted round the room. The book itself is in two sections, both of these books are in the same glass cabinet, one book normally shows a two pages of illustrations, while the other book shows two pages of script. These books are lit from the bottom or the case they are in. The glass cabinet is somewhat near the center of the room, allowing people to walk around it. There are only a small number of people allowed pass through at a time so the room is never packed.

TordelBack · 12 December, 2009, 05:26:34 AM

My recollections roughly match Gavin's, but the last time I saw it was at very good wine reception for some new exhibition about 10 years ago, so these may well be very faulty. When I were a lad it was just in a glass case in the Long Room (copied for the Jedi Archives from Attack of the Clones), and they turned over a new page every day.

However, my old man is a Dublin tour guide and goes there pretty regularly, so once dawn has done its rosy thing I'll go straight to the horse's mouth.

Kev Levell · 12 December, 2009, 12:37:06 PM

Awesome! Thanks for the assistance everyone, you're gents, the lot of you - I LOVE THIS PLACE!!!

Quote from: Dandontdare on 11 December, 2009, 10:55:40 PMIf you're being paid for this work, can't you add a "fact finding trip" to the exes?

Sadly, not for the amount I'm being paid - fees all agreed up front :-(

Gavin, Tordel - That's great - really appreciate it.

If you dudes who've posted here want a sketch - please PM me with your requests!

Kev Levell · 12 December, 2009, 02:19:39 PM

Sorted! Thanks again all!

TordelBack · 12 December, 2009, 04:00:51 PM

FWIW, eventually tracked down and interrogated the old man, and Gavin's description holds true.

I know it's too late, but he added the observations that you turn right into the building (which is the basement/lower ground floor of the Long Room), through a gift shop and a corridor-like exhibition space, then into the viewing room. He notes that there's often one or two other books on display in the same darkened room, such as the Book of Armagh. Passing through you go up to a rotating exhibition in the Long Room itself.

Proudhuff · 12 December, 2009, 04:08:04 PM

See Dr Who was right about the gift shops

Mike Gloady · 12 December, 2009, 06:06:35 PM

Strangely, for about a week, I was considering doing a year abroad of my undergradate at Trinity but I decided against it thanks to finances. Glad you're sorted.

locustsofdeath! · 12 December, 2009, 09:06:28 PM

Hope you find out what you need, Kev.

And no worries about the sketch - much as I'd love one, I don't want to take any time away from your fantastic creations!