Trinity college dublin has announced that one of irelands most important and ancient manuscripts, the book of durrow, is to go on loan to the british library for a landmark international. Book of durrow directors choice uncut trinity college dublin. The book of durrow is a medieval illuminated manuscript gospel book in the insular script style. Reading books in early medieval ireland early irish manuscripts. Trinity college also offers accommodation during the summer months from mid june to september.
A medieval masterpiece at trinity college dublin, authorb. The book of durrow trinity college dublin ms 57 contains a latin copy of the four gospels, in a version close to the vulgate text completed by st jerome in 384 ad. Further materials are held in storage in stacks, either in closed access within college or at a book depository in the dublin suburb of santry. The book of durrow and the question of programme anglo. The library of trinity college dublin dublin, ireland. Trinity college is the sole constituent college of the university of dublin, a research university in ireland. In the period 1661 to 1682 it was given to the library at trinity college, together with the book of kells, by henry jones while he was bishop of meath. Housed in the library of trinity college dublin, it is regarded as second only to the book of kells. A medieval masterpiece at trinity college dublin meehan, bernard on. Pigment analysis of the book of durrow at the library of. Objects are rotated in and out and sometimes pulled for analysis by the preservation and conservation department of the trinity college library. It is believed to have been written and designed in one of the churches or monasteries associated with saint columba, and was certainly in existence by circa ad 900. Book of durrow is on its way to the british library the irish times. Durrow, like clonard, derry, and most other monasteries in the area, was frequently ravaged by the vikings, but was not completely destroyed until the norman invasion.
In a recent study of the iconographic character of the crosscarpet page lv opening the book of durrow dublin, trinity college a. Evangeliorum quattor codex durmachensis, facsimile of the book of durrow 2 vol. The book of durrow was probably at durrow abbey by 916. The new virtual trinity library will conserve, catalog, curate, digitize and research its unique collections of national. In 1661, henry jones presented it with the book of kells, its most famous manuscript. In 17th century the codex was kept near durrow by a man who used it to cure sick cattle by putting on the book some water which the cattle would then drink. Explore museums and play with art transfer, pocket galleries, art. The book of durrow, or the codex usserianus i trinity collage ms a. It is one of eight buildings on the 40acre site that collectively hold over 4 million books one copy of every irish or british book published since 1801. The book of durrow, which predates the book of kells by around 100 years, is to be loaned by trinity college to the british library for an anglosaxon exhibition.
In it there is no bird theme on any of the seven carpet pages and the animal theme occurs but once. The 1,300yearold text, widely regarded as a medieval masterpiece, will go on display in london for a landmark exhibition next month. Trinity college dublin, the university of dublin college green dublin 2, ireland. In any case, the book of durrow is clearly earlier than the lichfield gospels book of lichfield c. Trinity colleges 1,300yearold book of durrow to go on. Here it was kept from the eleventh century if not before until the seventeenth century, when, after the dissolution of the monastery as we know from an entry in the martyrology of donegal and from. This richly decorated introductory guide explores the manuscripts distinctive artwork and tells the extraordinary story of its preservation in the irish monastery at durrow first as sacred text then as relic and its acquisition in the seventeenth century by the library of trinity college dublin. Other special collections include the ussher collection acquired in 1661 and the fagel collection of 1802. The book of kells, the book of durrow and the book of armagh are among irelands greatest treasures but these iconic manuscripts are only part of the librarys richly diverse holdings. The book of durrow rarely leaves trinity college dublins library, its home for the past 450 years.
It currently resides in trinity college dublin, and the author is the keeper of manuscripts there. The book of durrow, one of the earliest surviving fully. Housed in the library of trinity college, dublin, it is regarded as second. The library began with the founding of trinity college in 1592. The pages of the book of durrow are no longer collated in their original folios. The book of durrow is among the earliest surviving decorated manuscripts in northwestern europe, dating to the late seventh century. Ad650700 and is one of the earliest intact gospel books to survive in western europe. The book of durrow trinity college dublin ms 57 contains a latin copy of the four gospels, in a version close to the vulgate text completed by. Reading books in early medieval ireland early irish. The five pound note of the series b irish banknotes contained an image from the book. Kells is only forty miles from durrow, and the texts of the book of kells are close to those of durrow. The book of durrow paperback trinity college library. It was created in a columban monastery in either scotland, england, or ireland and. This caused considerable damage, leading to the book s later breakdown into single leaves.
Howlett, the colophon in the book of durrow, hermathena, 168 2000, 7175. Book of durrow is on its way to the british library. The shrine and medieval original cover were lost to military occupation in 1688. Jan 09, 2015 they include the book of armagh, a 9thcentury copy of the new testament and the book of durrow, a 7thcentury gospel book from county offaly. One of trinity college dublins most important and ancient manuscripts, the book of durrow, is going on loan to the british library. The library of trinity college dublin exhibitions the book of durrow. A medieval manuscript at trinity college dublin on. It came to the ownership of henry jones, bishop of meath, who gave it to trinity college in the midseventeenth century. A 1,300 year old masterpiece in the library of trinity college dublin. The text consists of several prefatory pages and the vulgate version of the gospels but presented in the prevulgate order of matthew, john, luke. The book of durrow is sometimes part of the exhibition of the book of kells and related objects called turning darkness into light. Book of durrow project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. Today it is in the library of trinity college dublin tcd ms 57. Henry jones, bishop of meath 16611682 and vicechancellor of trinity college dublin, presented the codex to.
The most famous of its manuscripts, the book of kells and the book of durrow, were presented by henry jones, bishop of meath and former vicechancellor of the university, in the 1660s. Here manuscript keeper meehan examines the masterpiece, using forty color reproductions to aid in the interpretation of the books. Dated primarily on palaeographic and artistic grounds to between ad650 and 700, it is almost certainly the work of a single scribe who belonged to one of the. The college was founded in 1592 and is irelands oldest university. The book of durrow contains the four gospels, each of which is preceded by carpet. Predated only by the cathach of st columba, the book of durrow is a gospel manuscript named after the monastery of durrow, a foundation of saint columba near tullamore in central ireland. Media in category book of durrow the following 23 files are in this category, out of 23 total. Mar 31, 2021 the beginning of the gospel of mark from the book of durrow. Also incorporating the long room, the old library is one of irelands biggest tourist attractions and holds thousands of rare, and in many cases very early, volumes. We continue to add to our collections, building on existing strengths and advancing into new areas of scholarship. Rachel moss is associate professor of the history of art at trinity college dublin, where the book of durrow is held. At durrow, the book was considered to be a relic and it was placed in a shrine by flann sinna mac mael sechnaill, king of ireland 879916. Cut, the life of stuff, bondagers, julie allardyce, mark fisher, ian brown, mike cullen. The book of kells is located in the old library, along with the book of durrow, the book of howth and other ancient texts.
Here manuscript keeper meehan examines the masterpiece, using forty color reproductions to aid in the interpretation of the books pictures and meaning. Although the scale and intricacy of these two magnificent gospel books differ significantly, their shared artistic lineage is clear. The book of durrow, which derives its name from the irish columban monastery of durrow, county offaly, is an early medieval gospel book decorated with carpet pages and framed symbols of the evangelists. Trinity colleges 1,300yearold book of durrow to go on loan. This volume provides a guided tour of the masterpiece by the keeper of manuscripts at trinity college library in dublin, with some 40 color reproductions taken specifically for this book, accompanied by interpretation of the pictures and symbols within and surrounding. It is in the trinity college library that was built in 1712. The library of trinity college dublin, dublin, ireland. Henry jones, bishop of meath 16611682 and vicechancellor of trinity college dublin, presented the codex to the college. Apr 14, 2020 the book of durrow dublin, trinity college library, ms 57 is a 7th century illuminated gospel book. The book of durrow is an early medieval gospel book decorated with carpet pages and framed symbols of the evangelists. According to bernard meehan the book of durrow is the earliest surviving fully decorated insular gospel manuscript, meehan, 9. The book of durrow is an example of an illuminated latin new testament. Book of durrow directors choice uncut trinity college.
The shrine and cover was lost during the occupation by troops in 1689. Pigment analysis of the book of durrow at the library of trinity college dublin. The book of kells is a medieval manuscript created by monks in the ninth century. Trinity college dublin, the university of dublin trinity search your query search collection the library of trinity college dublin all trinity undergraduate courses postgraduate courses staff az of trinity areas trinity maps research expertise library stella catalogue library classic catalogue tara research archive news events. Written by monks in early christian ireland, the book of durrow is the earliest surviving fullydecorated insular gospel book. A more general reference, and one you have a chance of actually finding, is. The book of durrow is an early medieval gospel book from the seventh century housed in the trinity college library. The book of durrow the library of trinity college dublin. The famous illuminated manuscript book of durrow, now at trinity college, dublin, was at the abbey by 916 at the latest, although it was probably made elsewhere. Art history, book of dimma, book of durrow, book of kells, book of mulling, devotional practices, reading reading books in early medieval ireland july, 2016 the library of trinity college dublin. Durrow church, rachel moss, 2017, from the collection of. The book of durrow the library of trinity college dublin trinity. Book of kells the famous 9th century illuminated manuscript of the gospels written by monks.
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