Does Kells trust Trinity to mind the Book?

Kells · 20 October 2026

Carrick Street in Kells, a row of terraced houses and shops along a curving road, with a woman walking on the footpath; sepia tones — Photo: P L Chadwick, geograph.org.uk via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Carrick Street, Kells). Cropped and colour-toned by Made in Kells.

Every time Kells has asked for its book, the answer from Trinity College Dublin has come back the same way: the Book of Kells is too fragile, and it's safest where it is. Kells has been hearing that for 26 years. So do the people who live here, and the people they elect, actually believe Trinity is minding their book? The public record says no, and it says so in their own words.

2000: "I can't understand why they have said 'no'"

In June 2000 Kells Urban District Council asked to borrow the four volumes for its new £1 million heritage centre. Trinity refused. The Irish Times reported the town was "perplexed and disappointed" (Irish Times, 22 June 2000).

The council's chairman, Brian Reilly, didn't accept Trinity's reasons. "Given that we had said 'yes' to all of Trinity College's requirements and specifications, I can't understand why they have said 'no'," he said. Kells had promised "state-of-the-art environmental protection systems, state-of-the-art intruder systems, state-of-the-art heat detection and fire suppression systems, and a better case or safe than even Trinity College has" (Irish Times).

Noel Dempsey, the Meath TD who was then Minister for the Environment and Local Government, "said he too was disappointed and called on Trinity to think again" (Irish Times).

Trinity's head librarian, Bill Simpson, said the decision was taken "on the grounds of security and environmental concerns" (Irish Times). A university spokesman later said damage to the Book on its trip to Canberra that year was "a reminder of its fragility" (Irish Times). In other words, Trinity cited damage the Book suffered while in Trinity's own care as the reason not to send it 69 km to the town it's named after.

2009: "merely given to Trinity for safe keeping"

With the Kells Heritage Centre closed, Kells Town Councillor Sarah Reilly wrote to the Meath Chronicle asking Trinity "to be noble and just and to return a section of what essentially belongs to Kells". She called the town's heritage "a cash cow for Trinity College" (Meath Chronicle, 9 Sept 2009).

When a Trinity lecturer reportedly called the request "cheeky", she was blunt: "the book was merely given to Trinity for safe keeping. It was never intended to stay at the college. I believe the lecturer had a cheek to call me cheeky!" (Meath Chronicle, 14 Oct 2009).

A few months later, after The Secret of Kells was nominated for an Oscar, UDC chairman Cllr Brian Curran said the film had given a "sense of renewal" to the campaign. He also said he'd put down a motion to reopen negotiations with Trinity (Irish Times, 8 Feb 2010).

2011: the town asks again

In 2011 a petition and a new campaign asked for at least one volume back. Trinity replied that "since the year 2000, it has been the policy of the Board of Trinity College on the grounds of security, environmental and preservation concerns to decline such requests," and that "the preservation of this unique and fragile manuscript must, however, take priority over all other considerations" (RTÉ News, 30 Aug 2011).

Kells councillors argued in public over tactics, but not over the goal. "This council and previous councils fought a mighty fight to bring the Book back here," said Cllr Sean Drew (Meath Chronicle, 28 Sept 2011). Two months later the Meath Chronicle reported that Kells Tourism Forum chairman Aidan Wall wanted it to be standing council policy to get back one or two volumes. The same report said area manager Kevin Stewart told councillors "everyone wanted to see a return of the Book to Kells" (Meath Chronicle, 23 Nov 2011).

2015: "more condition... in your Mercedes car"

Kells campaigner Ronnie McGrane took the argument to Trinity's own student paper. "There is more condition, temperature, humidity and dust control in your Mercedes car than there is around the book," he told The University Times. He went on: "I think we need to talk first about the damage to our book and put it back together as it was" (The University Times, Sept 2015).

Trinity's then Librarian, Helen Shenton, replied in a written statement that "stringent security, conservation and environmental controls are in place to ensure the safety and good condition of the Book of Kells." She added that "proceeds from Old Library income are re-invested in the care, curation and display of the manuscript" (The University Times).

2021: "an extremely safe home"

When Trinity sought €25 million in public money for its Old Library, warning about the risk of a fire like the one at Notre Dame, Mr McGrane answered: "For €25 million, we could provide an extremely safe home for the Book of Kells here in Kells. We want it returned to the town." He also said "Trinity College doesn't advertise the town of Kells or send us visitors to see our high crosses" (Meath Chronicle, 11 Aug 2021).

That April, Meath TD Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Culture in the Dáil whether she had considered proposals "for the return of the Book of Kells from Trinity College Dublin to Kells, County Meath". The written answer said the Department had not engaged with the parties. It said loans of the Book "have been very rare and, increasingly in our times, give rise to conservation concerns" (Dáil written answer, 28 April 2021).

2023: "Does everything have to be in Dublin?"

When protesters blocked access to the Book in September 2023, Kells voices went on national radio. "He didn't ask to bring it for safe keeping, he took it," Mr McGrane told Newstalk, speaking of Bishop Henry Jones. Asked whether Kells still held a grudge, he answered: "Oh yeah, yes is the answer to that - we want our book back and that's it" (Newstalk, 15 Sept 2023).

Kells resident Aidan Wall put it most plainly. "Does everything have to be in Dublin? Surely to God it doesn't," he said. "It was given to Trinity for safe-keeping in the 1650s; but whatever justification there was for that at that time, there is no justification for it now." And on money: "Trinity make a lot of money out of it... there's a moral issue there surely, isn't there?" (Newstalk).

What "minding" has meant

Trinity's case rests on one word: preservation. Its own record undercuts it. Trinity's catalogue says the Book's 340 pages "were severely trimmed, and their edges gilded, in the course of rebinding in the 19th century". A binder in Trinity's care cut away margins and parts of the decoration. Pigment loss was found after the Canberra trip in 2000. None of that happened in Kells, where the Book was kept for about 850 years. Read our full report on the trimming.

So, do the residents and leaders of Kells believe Trinity is minding their book? Over 26 years, councillors, a minister, a TD, campaigners and residents have all said, one way or another, that the Book belongs at home. Trinity has answered each time with the same policy. Kells is asking for more than a loan. It wants the Book back permanently.

All quotations are taken word for word from the sources linked and were checked on 20 October 2026.