The Book of Kells

The Book of Kells (Trinity College Dublin MS 58) is celebrated for its lavish decoration. The manuscript contains the four Gospels in Latin based on a Vulgate text, written on vellum (prepared calfskin), in a bold and expert version of the script known as "insular majuscule".

The place of origin of the Book of Kells is generally attributed to the scriptorium of the monastery founded around 561 by St Colum Cille on Iona, an island off the west coast of Scotland. In 806, following a Viking raid on the island which left 68 of the community dead, the Columban monks took refuge in a new monastery at Kells, County Meath. It must have been close to the year 800 that the Book of Kells was written, although there is no way of knowing if the book was produced wholly at Iona or at Kells, or partially at each location.

It has been on display in the Old Library at Trinity College Dublin from the mid 19th century, and attracts over 500,000 visitors a year. Since 1953 it has been bound in four volumes. Two volumes are on public view, one opened to display a major decorated page, and one to show two pages of script. The volumes are changed at regular intervals.

Manuscripts Currently on Display

Book of Kells (Gospel book, c. 800)

Decorated opening

Gospel of St Luke: the Temptation of Jesus (folio 202v) and ornamental treatment of the first words of the account of the Temptation (folio 203r) “and Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost”.

Text opening

Gospel of St John: (folio 313v & 314r) “Many of the people believe in Jesus...”

The Book of Armagh

Gospel manuscript dating from 807: (folio 159v & 160r) Introduction to Revelation (Apocalypse) and the opening of Apocalypse.

Codex Usserianus Primus

Four Gospels in Latin, written in half-uncial script at the beginning of the 7th century or as early as the 5th century (folio 149v-150r): “Xp” Monogram.