After sleeping for almost 11 hours last night, I woke up to the sun reflecting directly into my face off the wall mirror in my hotel room this morning.  It was time to get up and explore Dublin some more!  My first stop of the day was Trinity College.  My walking tour was slightly delayed, as we had to wait for John Boehner’s entourage to clear out.  The tour

was fascinating.  Would you believe that for a €3,000 registration fee per year, a student from any country in the European Union can attend Trinity College?  Another interesting thing I learned was about the scholarship program.  At the end of their freshman year, students can choose to sit for an examination. Those who score first honors (70% or higher) become Trinity College Scholars.  This includes free tuition, room, board, etc. for the duration of their bachelor’s degrees, plus an additional 5 years to complete a Ph.D. if they choose.  Only about 65 to 70 scholarships are awarded per year (out of 17,000 students).  The library at Trinity College is most known for holding the Book of Kells.  While this was interesting to see, the mobs of people surrounding it made it nearly impossible to get a close look.  The library is also a legal deposit library for Ireland and the U.K., meaning that Trinity College has a copy of every book published in Britain, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland (a total of about 4.5 million books!).  My photos don’t do the Long Room justice, but this 360 degree panorama certainly gives an idea of the space.

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