A series of lectures was organised on Ancient Egypt by Trinity College running from January to March 2003 was a great success. The following lectures took place:

Dr. Zahi Hawass, the Director General of the Giza Plateau visited Ireland on Monday 15th October. As part of his visit the Egyptian Embassy hosted a reception in the National Museum that evening. The reception included a short lecture by Dr. Hawass on "The Valley of the Golden Mummies". Dr. Hawass also gave a public lecture on Wednesday 17th October at 7.00 p.m. on "Recent Discoveries at the Giza Pyramid". The venue was Lecture Theatre O, John Henry Newman Building, University College Dublin. Belfield Campus. Both lectures attracted many people interested in his ongoing work. (See Links Page his web site)

Dr. Zahi Hawass is a very eminent Egyptologist and appears frequently in the media in relation to his many discoveries in Northern and Western Egypt. He has worked on major excavations at the Giza Plateau and Bawit in the Bahariya Oasis. He has undertaken extensive excavation and conservation work around the Third Pyramid of Menkaure, the Mortuary temple and grave monuments. Since the late 1980's his discoveries include tombs of the workers who built the pyramids of the Fourth Dynasties, as well as double statues of Rameses II.
Dr. Hawass is very popular throughout the world particularly in Europe and America and has written many books on Ancient Egypt as well as appearing in many documentaries and news reports.

Chester Beatty Library

Winner of the Gulbenkian Foundation/Heritage Council Irish Museum of the Year Award 2000

Situated in the heart of the city centre, the CBL Galleries at the Chester Beatty Library open a window on the artistic treasures of the great cultures and religions of the world. The Library's rich collection of manuscripts, prints, icons, miniature paintings, early printed books and objets d'art from countries across Asia, the Middle East, North Africa and Europe offers visitors a visual feast - all the collecting activities of one man.

Egyptian papyrus texts, beautifully illuminated copies of the Qur'an, the Bible, European medieval and renaissance manuscripts are among the highlights of the collection. Turkish and Persian miniatures and striking Buddhist paintings are also on display, as are Chinese dragon robes and Japanese woodblock prints. In its diversity, the collection captures much of the richness of human creative expression from about 2700 BC to the present day.

Admission is free

Opening Hours:

Mon-Fri 10am-5pm (May to September)

Tues-Fri 10am-5pm (October-April)

Saturdays 11am-5pm (all year)

Sundays 1pm-5pm (all year)

Closed Bank Holiday Mondays, Good Friday, 24th, 25th and 26th December, 1^st Jan

Free public tours are available on Wednesdays at 1pm and on Sundays at 3pm and 4pm. Other times by prior arrangement.

In addition to the items on display from its permanent collection, the Library mounts special temporary exhibitions. It also runs an event-filled public programme, which includes lectures, workshops and demonstrations.

Facilities include: Restaurant, Gift and Book Shop, Audio-visual presentations, Roof Garden, wheelchair access, baby-changing facilities.

Off Dame St, behind City Hall, ten minutes walk from Trinity College en route to Christ Church Cathedral.

Bus routes: 54 (Burgh Quay), 50, 50A, 56A, 77, 77A, 77B (Aston Quay)

For further information:

Chester Beatty Library

Dublin Castle

Dublin 2

Tel +353 1 4070750

Fax +353 1 4070760

Email: info@cbl.ie