Trinity College Dublin: 400 years of history If asked what Jonathan Swift, Oscar Wilde and Samuel Beckett have in common, most people would correctly reply that they are 1)..... (fame) writers. But did you know that they all graduated from the oldest and most 2) (prestige) university in Ireland? Trinity College at the University of Dublin has an interesting history. The university was founded in 1592 in the heart of Dublin, the capital of Ireland. At first, everything went well and the university grew slowly. Then, in the middle of the 17th century, life at the university became difficult because of two wars in the country. Fortunately, the university survived and from then on many wealthy families began to send their sons there for a good 3) ..... (educate). Today, Trinity College is among the top 40 universities in the world for arts and humanities and it attracts students from all five continents. It is also one of Ireland's leading 4) ..... (history) sites. It has a uniquely beautiful library which contains 4.25 million books, including the Book of Kells, one of the most precious medieval books in 5) (exist). Over half a million 6) (visit) come to see this book and the library every year. It is truly a great university.