Can the pragmatic 21st-century East range at Trinity College Dublin match the 18th-century splendour of the West Front? James Howley appraises recent developments on the campus
Nothing defines the intellectual pulse of a city more emphatically than its universities and its libraries. In Dublin we are fortunate to have exceptional examples of both and not surprisingly the two institutions are often linked. The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, more commonly known as Trinity College Dublin, or simply Trinity is, together with Oxford, Cambridge, St Andrews, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh, one of the seven oldest universities in Britain and Ireland. While the cities containing the two most ancient universities of Oxford and Cambridge have remained relatively small, the other five cities, including Dublin have grown considerably to become national or regional capitals. Founded on the early medieval, collegiate structure established in what is colloquially known as Oxbridge, the four Scottish colleges and one Irish college were founded during the 15th and 16th centuries. Elizabeth’s Dublin college marked the end of more than a century of educational patronage by the Tudors, bestowed mostly by her father and grandfather.
Brian McAvera sees Colin Davidson wrestle with sexual politics in his new series of Nudes on view this autumn at Oliver Sears Gallery, Dublin.
Behind the bustle and colour of the 2016 graduate shows Gerry Walker finds a wealth of well-researched, accomplished projects.
William Turner de Lond captured two significant political events during his sojourn in Ireland, examined here by Mary Jane Boland.