The Long Room at Trinity College: A Journey Through History and Restoration

Trinity College Dublin, established in 1592, houses the largest library in Ireland, a treasure trove of knowledge and history. The Library of Trinity College Dublin holds over 6 million printed volumes, extensive collections of journals, manuscripts, maps, and music, reflecting over 400 years of academic development. Among its architectural marvels, the Long Room stands out as an iconic landmark, attracting visitors worldwide with its majestic beauty and historical significance.

A Storied Past: From Flat Ceiling to Vaulted Masterpiece

The Long Room's history is as captivating as its appearance. Constructed between 1712 and 1732 as part of the Old Library, designed by Thomas Burgh, the Long Room initially featured a flat ceiling and shelving only on the lower level, with an open gallery above. The Old Library is one of Thomas Burgh's magnum opus. A large building which took twenty years to complete in its original form, it towered over the university and city after its completion in 1732. Even today, surrounded by similarly scaled buildings, it is imposing and dominates the view of the university from Nassau Street.

However, as the library's collection grew, thanks to the United Kingdom Copyright Act of 1801, which designated Trinity College as a legal deposit library entitled to a copy of every book published in Great Britain and Ireland, expansion became necessary. This act entitled the library to receive a copy of every book published in both Great Britain (i.e., England and Scotland) and Ireland, which from January 1, 1801, formed the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Interestingly, it is still a UK legal deposit library today, despite Ireland not being part of the union, as well as being a legal deposit library for items published in Ireland. and these deposits may become part of the collections of the Library of Congress. In the 1850s, the Long Room underwent a radical reconfiguration, transforming the space by knocking the two floors into one and installing the spectacular barrel-vaulted ceiling that visitors admire today. The architects reused the same oak that frames the shelves, creating a unified harmony between structure and purpose, the very material of the room breathes scholarship. The vaulted barrel ceiling stretches nearly 65 meters, its arches echoing the rhythm of a Gregorian chant.

Architectural and Artistic Treasures

The Long Room is more than just a repository of books; it is a museum of art and history. The room holds over 200,000 of Trinity's oldest books, some dating back to the 15th century, arranged in a deliberate order that maps the evolution of thought. Light filters through tall arched windows, brushing against golden titles and marble busts of philosophers, poets, and scholars who seem to watch over the generations that pass beneath them.

The Busts: A Hall of Fame for Western Thought

Lining the Long Room are 38 marble busts of classical and early-modern figures, as well as prominent individuals associated with Trinity College. These busts, acquired in 1743 following a bequest by Claudius Gilbert, include figures like Homer, Shakespeare, Aristotle, Isaac Newton, and Jonathan Swift, a Trinity alumnus. The marble busts lining the central aisle form a silent hall of fame for Western thought: Aristotle, Shakespeare, Newton, Swift, and even Jonathan Swift, a Trinity alumnus whose sardonic gaze seems to follow you through the stacks. More recently, in November 2020, Trinity College added four marble busts featuring female scholars: Rosalind Franklin, Ada Lovelace, Augusta Gregory, and Mary Wollstonecraft, recognizing their contributions to knowledge and culture.

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The Brian Boru Harp: A National Symbol

One of the room's greatest treasures stands at its far end, the Brian Boru Harp, Ireland's national symbol, carved from willow and strung with brass, believed to date back to the 14th or 15th century. Visitors may also view the Trinity College harp (also known as the "Brian Boru harp") in the Long Room which is the oldest of its kind in Ireland dating back to the 15th century. This iconic instrument served as the model for the coat of arms of Ireland and the Guinness trademark.

The 1916 Proclamation: A Testament to Irish Independence

The Long Room also holds one of the last remaining copies of the 1916 Proclamation of the Irish Republic. During the 19th century, Trinity was granted legal deposit rights, meaning a copy of every book published in Ireland and the United Kingdom had to be sent here, a tradition that helped the Long Room evolve into one of the most significant literary archives in the world. This proclamation was read by Patrick Pearse near the General Post Office on 24 April 1916. Few visitors realize that the Long Room was also a guardian of language: it once held one of the earliest printed copies of the 1916 Proclamation of the Irish Republic, a document that forever altered Ireland's destiny.

The Book of Kells: An Illuminated Masterpiece

While the Book of Kells is not housed within the Long Room itself, it is an integral part of the Trinity College Library experience. The Book of Kells is located in the Old Library, along with the Book of Durrow, the Garland of Howth and other ancient texts. This illuminated manuscript, containing the four Gospels of the Christian New Testament, dates to around 800 and is celebrated for its intricate decoration, replete with color and symbolism. The manuscript was gifted to Trinity College by Henry Jones, the bishop of Meath, in 1661. It’s displayed in a glass case in a darkened room whose light, humidity and temperature are carefully monitored to ensure the volume’s preservation. The first part of my visit was Trinity Trails, an historical walking tour of the campus led by a very enthusiastic Trinity student. In addition to learning about the school’s history and some of the famous people who have studied there, we stopped by a few significant buildings on campus. The only one we actually got to enter, though, is the so-called Museum Building that houses Trinity’s geology department. Built in the 19th century, it’s particularly interesting because it combines a Byzantine and Mediterranean-Romanesque inspired architectural design with hand-carved representations of native Irish plants throughout the interior and exterior. First, there was a really wonderful exhibition that introduced the early medieval Irish manuscript tradition. It discussed related manuscripts, scribes, the materials and techniques of manuscript making, and the significance and symbolism of the book’s imagery. Although there were few actual objects on display, the exhibition was filled with informative text panels, videos, and images, including huge enlargements of the book’s most iconic pages. I thought this exhibition was great for a few reasons. First of all, it was a perfect way to give visitors the context they need to appreciate and understand the manuscript. I think that more museums hosting world-famous artworks should do something like this. Secondly, all the additional images help make up for the fact that only one opening (two pages) of the actual book can be shown at a time. Thirdly, browsing this exhibition was a great way to put aside everything else and mentally prepare myself to see the Book of Kells. Since you can’t photograph the actual Book of Kells, here’s a photo of people lining up to see it. As one of the most popular attractions in the city, I would book in advance as time slots sell out. It also means you won’t have to queue up on the day. It’s very easy to approach Trinity College on foot as it’s in the heart of the city. The entrance for the Book of Kells can be found in Fellows Square.

Redevelopment Project: Preserving History for Future Generations

Completed nearly 300 years ago, the Old Library and its collections are not impervious to the effects of time and environmental factors. In 2022, Trinity College embarked on an ambitious redevelopment project to safeguard the library and its priceless collections. Trinity staff escalated their efforts to properly safeguard the library and its priceless collections in the aftermath of a 2019 fire that devastated Paris’ Notre-Dame Cathedral. The Old Library Redevelopment Project kicked off in 2022 and will begin its restoration and construction phase in 2027, with work estimated to be completed in 2030, according to the library’s chief manuscript conservator, John Gillis. Beginning in 2022, the Long Room has undergone a €90m restoration project, utilizing €25m of government funding. The project is said to have "taken on a degree of urgency following the catastrophic fire which destroyed Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral in 2019." Accordingly, the project prioritizes the modernization of environmental control and fire protection measures.

The project involves moving nearly 200,000 books from the Long Room to allow for cleaning, conservation, and modernization of the library's infrastructure. It has taken a team of some 75 people around two years to remove the majority of the books from the Long Room’s shelves. This is the first time in nearly 300 years that they’ve been barren. Wearing gloves, protective jackets and dust masks, staff carefully removed and cleaned each volume. Removing all of the books from a single bay took up to one month each time. Because the volumes are so old, every step of the delicate task has prioritized conservation. Each book has been gently vacuumed. “The suction level was reduced so it wasn’t too aggressive,” says Gillis. Even the dust-many of the books had not left the library for hundreds of years-was the subject of a scholarly study. The books are stored off-site in special fireproof and waterproof archival boxes. Despite the fact that approximately 30,000 boxes are stacked in the warehouse, every tome remains available for research during the redevelopment project.

The library’s most prized object, the Book of Kells, is currently housed below the Long Room in the Treasury, though it will be moved to the refurbished Printing House when conservation work begins in 2027.

Conservation Efforts: A Blend of Tradition and Technology

The conservation efforts employ a combination of traditional methods and cutting-edge technology. Repairing and conserving damaged manuscripts is a big part of Gillis’ job. He also works to prevent damage to some of the collection’s earliest items. While the lab is full of modern scientific equipment like conditioning chambers, humidifiers, fume hoods and freezers, sometimes traditional methods work best. “As we develop our conservation methods and approaches, they are typically based on the medieval practice, because they understood the quality of materials,” says Gillis. Trinity’s conservation work makes use of the latest scientific developments, too. A tool that is yielding new information about the manuscripts is DNA analysis, which can reveal the age, sex and species of animal that vellum and parchment are made from and, most importantly, where the skins came from. Medieval books transferred hands so often, it can be hard to trace their place of origin. While the DNA testing technique is still in early stages, Gillis says that it can “answer a lot of questions we have.” Already, the team has found that male calves weren’t the only members of their species whose skin was turned into vellum, as was previously thought.

Enhancing the Visitor Experience

In addition to conserving the Old Library’s holdings, the ongoing project opens up new ways of experiencing them. After seeing the Book of Kells, visitors can enjoy an immersive digital experience that shows what’s in the library’s collections and tells the manuscript’s background story in an engaging way. Trinity staff are also digitizing many of the library’s collections, making them freely available online to audiences outside of academia.

Visiting the Long Room: A Timeless Experience

Despite the ongoing restoration, the Long Room remains open to visitors, offering a glimpse into its rich history and architectural grandeur. As one of the most popular attractions in the city, I would book in advance as time slots sell out. It also means you won’t have to queue up on the day. It’s very easy to approach Trinity College on foot as it’s in the heart of the city. The entrance for the Book of Kells can be found in Fellows Square. The Long Room is currently undergoing a redevelopment project. So, the books have been removed until 2027-30.

Tips for Visitors

Book tickets in advance: This is one of the most popular attractions in Dublin, especially on a rainy day.
Prepare to queue: You may have to queue up to see the displays like the Book of Kells.
Allow ample time: There is much to see and experience within the Long Room and the surrounding library complex.
Respect the space: Maintain a quiet demeanor and avoid using flash photography.

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