Trinity College, Dublin (must see)

The Trinity College of Dublin, formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth, was founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I. It is the only constituent college of the University of Dublin, which is Ireland's oldest educational institution.

For much of its history, it served mostly the Protestants, and it wasn't until 1970 that the Catholic Church of Ireland allowed its adherents to attend. As for women, they were first admitted in 1904.

Over the years, the university has educated some of Ireland's most famous poets, playwrights and authors, such as Oscar Wilde, Jonathan Swift, Bram Stoker, Nobel Laureates Samuel Beckett, Ernest Walton and William Cecil Campbell, former Presidents of Ireland Mary McAleese, Douglas Hyde and Mary Robinson, philosophers George Berkeley and Edmund Burke, and many other notable personalities. Given its long history, the university also finds mention in many novels, fables and urban legends.

Its biggest tourist attraction, however, is the enormous Library. As a legal deposit library for Ireland and Great Britain it contains nearly 7 million printed volumes, including manuscripts, maps, and printed music. The oldest part of it, the so-called Old Library, is an architectural masterpiece created by Thomas Burgh. Here, in the Long Room, among other rarities you will find a copy of the 1916 Proclamation of the Irish Republic and the Brian Boru – a 15th-century wooden Gaelic harp, a national symbol of Ireland. Also, the Old Library is a home to the Book of Kells, which was brought here in 1661 for safekeeping after the Cromwellian raids on religious institutions.

Why You Should Visit:
Great place to go to in a sunny afternoon, with numerous places to sit and relax like the cricket pitch or the steps of the Pavilion Bar.
You can see an exhibition at the Douglas Hyde Gallery, attend lectures, performances, or buy a book at the shop.
You can also buy tickets to view the Book of Kells (admission) as well as the spectacular Long Room library.
The spacious college campus is beautiful to walk around and take in as well.

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 9am-5pm