Jun 29, 2025

Apples and Atoms Dublin

Or silver balls

""Apples and Atoms" -or 'silver balls!- in Dublin is a sculpture in Trinity College that very few people, even knowledgeable locals, know the story behind."

Probably everyone who was looking at the Dublin city centre map has seen quite a big territory of the Trinity College, one of the most prestigious high education institutions in Europe, and many have already experienced the legendary Book of Kells and the old Library right in the heart of Trinity. But I am pretty sure that not many Dublin visitors managed to discover all the secrets of this traditional university.

Wandering through the territory one day I was the lucky one to discover the sculpture "Apples and Atoms" almost at the east end, close to the Science Gallery. This is an amazing piece of art that caught my attention and I stopped there for a few minutes to read the description and to learn more about the history of science in Ireland. I have realised that veterans of college call this little monument "Silver balls" not even knowing what is behind it.

The information card next to the sculpture told me that this sculpture, created in 2013, was a celebration of life and work of the only scientific Irish Nobel Laureate Ernest Walter (physics).

Why apples and atoms? If you have spare time while strolling through Trinity College territory, I recommend you discover this sculpture yourself and find out what this name actually means!

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