The Book of Kells: Rethinking and Researching a Great National Treasure

Posted on: 14 September 2015

A conference focusing on the Book of Kells, the world's most famous medieval manuscript, was held in Trinity College Dublin on September 10th and 11th.

Entitled 'The Book of Kells: Rethinking and Researching a Great National Treasure' the conference featured leading manuscript and conservation experts who presented on recent research trends and techniques, and on the challenges faced in displaying great manuscript treasures.

Speakers included those involved in the study and stewardship of the Book of Kells, but also speakers from the British Library, The National Library of Wales, Edinburgh University, and Historic Scotland, who will talk about the display of other great national treasures.

Tomm Moore, co-founder and creative director of Cartoon Saloon, Kilkenny, also spoke at the conference about his experience of bringing the Book of Kells to Hollywood. Cartoon Saloon’s film The Secret of Kells was a Best Animated Feature Nominee in the 2010 Academy Awards.

Dr Bernard Meehan, Keeper of Manuscripts at Trinity College Library said: “The meeting, organised by the Association for Manuscripts and Archives in Research Collections, was hosted by the Library of Trinity College Dublin. It proved again that the study of the Book of Kells is a huge draw; attendees came from all over Ireland, from England, Scotland and Wales, and there were even some who had travelled from France, the Netherlands and Iceland. Talks focused on the background to research on the great manuscript, on its pigments, and on new approaches to its use of colour.”

“There were comparative talks on other great medieval documents, including the 1320 Declaration of Arbroath in Scotland, which, in contrast to the Book of Kells, is seldom displayed, and on Magna Carta in the British Library, where a major exhibition to mark its 800th anniversary has just closed. An unusual highlight was the entertaining talk by Tomm Moore, co-founder and creative director of Cartoon Saloon, Kilkenny entitled ‘Bringing the Book of Kells to Hollywood’ tracing the process of getting the Oscar nominated ‘The Secret of Kells’ to the big screen.”