When my friends and I were in Dublin, we visited Trinity college. And another miracle happened in my life while I was there. When we were walking around the Trinity College, we went into a gift shop. You could also see the Book of Kells exhibition inside. But we didn’t feel like paying 9 euros each. While I was looking at things, I saw a picture of this huge, beautiful library. The one that you see online or in the movies. Whenever I see the picture of that library, I would always think ‘I will go there one day’. I really wanted to go there. And when I really want something, I would say ‘I will’ not ‘I want’, and it usually happens 🙂
So I didn’t even know where this library was. Probably couldn’t figure out how to find it at the time. So when I saw the picture of it, I was shocked. I asked ‘is this library here?’ Apparently we had to see the exhibition first to get to the ‘long room’. So I paid 9 euros without even thinking for a second. Now we were in the exhibition of Book of Kells. I’m sure that some people would really appreciate this exhibition which displays the “illuminated manuscript Gospel book in Latin, containing the Gospel of the New Testament together with various prefatory texts and tables”. But I was just too excited to see the library. I couldn’t even go through with it. Well I didn’t really understand even when I tried to pay attention. My mind was already in the library waiting for me to get there. So I couldn’t resist anymore. I went upstairs and my dreams came true. There I was looking at this gorgeous, amazing library. All I could say was ‘wow!’. Taking photos were not allowed but of course I took a picture as my Turkish genes urged me to. (I needed a proof that I actually went there lol) However it didn’t turn out so well because of my shitty phone. I wasn’t brave enough to take out my camera. But I was sure that I could find its pictures online, so I just let it go.
Now I wanna give you some information about the library. The Library of Trinity College is the largest research library in Ireland. Since 1801 it has had the right to claim a free copy of all British and Irısh publications and has a stock of nearly 3 million volumes housed in a total of 8 buildings. Old Library was built between 1712 and 1732 to the design of Thomas Burgh. The main chamber of the Old Library, the Long Room, is nearly 65 metres in lenght and have around 200,000 of the Library’s oldest books. Books are arranged from largest to smallest. It also houses the oldest harp, a national symbol of Ireland, to survive from Ireland and it dates from 15 century. It is the same harp which appears on the Irish coins. The harp is also known as Brian Boru’s Harp.
-B.
