Trinity College Library, Dublin

My blog has been left idle for quite a while as I took time off for a short vacation to Dublin, Ireland and a short stop over in Aberdeen, Scotland.   So, for a change, I’d like to share with you some pictures of my recent trip and food tasted along the way.  The first stopover is ~ Dublin.

Trinity College Dublin is internationally recognised as Ireland’s premier university and is one of the world’s leading research-intensive universities.  Founded in 1592 it is the oldest university in Ireland and one of the older universities in Western Europe.

The Library in Trinity College is the largest single chamber library in the world.  The 65 metre long main chamber of the Old Libary, the Long Room was built between 1712 and 1732 and houses 200,000 of the Library’s oldest books.
When built, it had a flat plaster ceiling, with shelves for books on the lower level only, and an open gallery.  By the 1850′s these shelves were completely full and so in 1960, the roof was raised to allow the construction of the present barrel-vaulted ceiling and gallery bookcases.  Marble busts of famous philosophers and writers are placed down either side of the room, created by sculptor Peter Schemakers beginning in 1743.
Each year, the Library employs a number of student shelvers who work 10-12 hours per week at the Libraries on Campus and in the Trinity Centre at St James Hospital.  Their job is to sort  books and return them to the shelves each morning before the Library opens.

No-Frills Recipes