Book of Kells

We returned from Ireland last evening. For the past forty years we have traveled with my best friend from college and his wife. Even while we lived overseas, we had family vacations together when we were temporarily back in the states. Sherry does all the planning for our trips, and Denny does all the driving. That’s a good deal, and we love them for those services.

Although we have traveled in many countries, and we even lived in London for three years, this was our first visit to Ireland. All our expectations were met as we traveled from Dublin to Galway to the southernmost tip of the island and back to Dublin.

From the stunning views on the Cliffs of Moher 700 feet above the North Atlantic to the quaint hamlets like Dingle, Waterville and Cobh, the vividly green and tranquil fields were laced with stone and hedgerow walls and dotted with hundreds of sheep and Friesian dairy cows—which we call Holstein and our children and grandchildren call “Chick-fil-A cows!”

A treasure on a small road off the Ring of Kerry is Staigue Fort, a 2,500-year-old stone fort built to protect one of the local lords or kings. Its 20 feet tall walls are circular and 6 feet in depth. I enjoyed observing the countryside while walking on top of the walls. I was at the foot of granite hills and could see the ocean from my perch.

I particularly liked spending time at this ancient stronghold because like the hundreds of pyramids in northern Sudan, you can actually climb on the walls and pick up relics. The fort is in the middle of a farmer’s pasture, so tourists are on the honor system to deposit one Euro into a metal box that amounts to a “trespassing fee” to enter his pasture.

Three favorite memories from this trip were the picturesque views of the rugged southwestern coastline along The Ring of Kerry, staying on a dairy farm for four nights, and the Book of Kells.

Trinity College, also known for administrative purposes as the University of Dublin, dates from the 14th century. The university has educated many of Ireland’s most successful people, but it is most famous for housing the Book of Kells since 1661.

The Book of Kells is a ninth century manuscript of the four gospels of the New Testament. It is famous for the intricacy, detail, and grandeur of the illustrations. In most of the illuminated manuscripts of the Bible the text was written first and then the illustrations and illumination were added afterwards. However, the monks who created the Book of Kells focused on the impression their work would have visually, so the artwork was the heart of the masterpiece.

It is believed to be illustrated primarily by talented young monks only 18-20 years old. There are stories of these young monks writing in the margins of the calf skin pages some phases and sentences like these: I am so sleepy. When are we ever going to finish this work? I am hungry. The monks assumed that all the pages would be trimmed to cut out all their personal remarks, but alas, some of them live on today in the Book of Kells.

Made me wonder---over the years I have written a lot of things in the margins of my Bibles not thinking that someday someone might read them. Well, I am not going to read through all those notes in Bibles to find out, but I am sure I never wrote notes about my appetite.