Travel Talk with Ed Finn

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Saturday, 26 July 2025 - 13 minutes

I recently woke up in one of the most central rooms in Dublin. My view from the Rubrics building revealed a bustling student campus. Staying here is to rest inside a living chapter of Irish history. The Old Library, home of the Book of Kells and the Long Room, is just a short walk away—anchor points for both - Dublin’s literary heritage and Trinity’s architectural grandeur  @visit_trinity

In short my window looked out onto centuries of scholarship framed by lush greenery and Georgian rooftops—trees swaying gently over temperate lawns, stone arches and silent steps where history once walked. Breakfast in the Buttery was substantial and homely and this mature student felt very welcome indeed. Trinity College Dublin, founded in 1592, is a highlight of Dublin, known for its stunning architecture, historical significance, and world-renowned library. Key attractions include the Book of Kells, the Old Library's Long Room, and the overall campus atmosphere. I highly recommend a stay here, after all who doesn't want to say that they had a little stint at Trinity College 🤣

The Rubrics

This was the building where Ed stayed recently.  Built between 1699 and 1705, the Rubrics is the oldest building on campus and Ireland's oldest surviving purpose-built residential building. It's design has been attributed to Thomas Burgh who designed the Old Library.

It took 4 years to restore and conserve this magnificent and historical building. Fronting onto Library Square and with New Square to the rear, the Rubrics Building is at the heart of our historic campus.

Over the last 320 years, this building has gone through a number of transformations. The Rubrics formed part of the original quadrangle of red – bricked residential buildings around Library Square, which included the Old Library to the south. After the 1850s, the other buildings of the quadrangle were gradually demolished to leave the free-standing Rubrics Buildings. The 3rd floor was added in 1894.

As Ireland's oldest surviving purpose-built residential building, it has continually been used as residential accommodation for the University. With the conservation efforts of all involved it will continue to do so far into the future. The building will now be home to new staff while they ‘find their feet’ in Dublin, as well as short-term accommodation for visiting scholars, student accommodation and a new reading room with facilities to enable retired academic colleagues to continue to participate in academic projects.

Both the Rubrics and Chief Steward’s House have been substantially completed on time and within budget.

Conservation

The retrofit need was driven by the University's brief to achieve modern performance standards in a historical building while respecting the heritage and continuing its use as accommodation. Working with Passive Building Energy Consultants, a series of in situ, lab-based and desk-based measurements and analyses were undertaken to obtain a thorough understanding of the existing building physics before work began. The project will be a pathfinder for future projects involving our heritage estates as The Rubrics demonstrates the opportunities around the adaptability of our heritage assets when traditional building crafts are married up with innovative and sustainable technologies.

Famous alumni include:

Oscar Wilde – Samuel Beckett – Mary Robinson – Douglas Hyde – (first President of Ireland) and Bram Stoker – author of Dracula 

To book a stay at Trinity - www.visittrinity.ie

‘Trinity Trails’ campus walking tours

The 45 minute tours are led by student and alumni guides and provide insights into the college's rich history and culture. There's also a self-guided option using the Visit Trinity app. 

• Content:

  Highlights include the Campanile, the Graduate Memorial Building (featured in Netflix's "Wednesday"), the Museum Building (featured in Disney's "Disenchanted"), and the Old Library (featured in "The Pope's Exorcist"). 

• Alumni Focus:

  The tours also delve into the lives of famous Trinity alumni like Oscar Wilde, Bram Stoker, Samuel Beckett, and Sally Rooney, and discuss the college's role in the decriminalization of homosexuality in Ireland. 

• Book of Kells:

  While the tour doesn't include access to the Book of Kells and Old Library, visitors can opt to add on a visit to the exhibition at the end of the tour.

Other Notable Points:

• Accessibility:

  Trinity College is located in the city center and is easily accessible to visitors. 

• Campus Exploration:

  Visitors can roam and explore the campus at their own pace, with no fee to enter. 

• LGBTQ+ History Tour:

  Trinity Trails also offers a tour focused on the university's involvement in LGBTQ+ history and the decriminalisation of homosexuality in Ireland. 

• Irish Sign Language Tour:

  There's a dedicated tour in Irish Sign Language (ISL) available on Culture Night. 

• Trinity Trails tickets can be booked via www.tcd.ie/visitors/trinitytrails and Self-Guided Tours can be accessed by downloading the Visit Trinity App available on the Apple and Google store. Rooms are available from €93 per night at www.tcd.ie/summeraccommodation. Proceeds generated by Trinity Trails and Summer Accommodation are reinvested back into the College to support the academic mission of the university and fund development projects and conservation programmes.

Top 10 most asked questions about the Book of Kells & Old Library

To book a stay at Trinity - www.visittrinity.ie

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