Cllr wants section of Book of Kells returned

The call for Trinity College to return a section of the Book of Kells to the town of Kells has caused quite a stir. Cllr Sarah Reilly made the call recently, saying it would "help boost visitors to the town". The Trinity college paper 'Trinity News' questioned various Trinity professors on the possibility of Trinity being 'noble and just' and returning a section of the book. Trinity News reported that a lecturer from the history department said he found the request for the return of a section of the book 'cheeky' as it has not been in Kells in over 350 years. However, Cllr Reilly pointed out that "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! After all, it is the revenue received from visits to see our Book of Kells that will help Trinity balance its books this year while Kells faces a extremely ugly one". Trinity News also reported that a professor from the history art department commented, when queried on the book, that "it may as well go to Iona, as that's where it was made". Said Cllr Reilly: "I am confused. I was of the impression that the provenenace of the book was unknown and that the only agreed detail was the name 'The Book of Kells', not "The Book of Iona' or 'The Book of Trinity' for that matter. "However, I am not an historian, but I did read law and, as such, I am familiar with what is morally right and wrong, an education I fear the history buffs of Trinity are lacking."