The Secret of Kells is a 2009 animated fantasy drama film directed by Tomm Moore and Nora Twomey, produced by Paul Young, Didier Brunner and Viviane Vanfleteren, and written by Fabrice Ziolkowski. An Irish-French-Belgian co-production, led by the animation studio Cartoon Saloon, the film is about the making of the Book of Kells, an illuminated manuscript from the 9th century. It stars Evan McGuire, Brendan Gleeson, Christen Mooney, Mick Lally (in his final film role), Michael McGrath, Liam Hourican, Paul Tylak and Paul Young.

Plot

In early 9th-century Ireland, 12-year-old Brendan lives in the Abbey of Kells, where his uncle Cellach is the abbot. Cellach forbids Brendan to leave the monastery, which is surrounded by a mysterious forest, and is obsessed with building a high impregnable wall encircling his abbey to prevent Viking attacks. One day, Brendan hears the monks discussing the abbey on the island of Iona, its founder St. Colmcille and master Aidan, the renowned book illustrator. Aidan arrives at the monastery with his cat Pangur Bán. The Vikings captured Iona and destroyed the monastery, but Aidan managed to save the main treasure - the incomplete Book of Iona, an illuminated manuscript said to be illustrated so beautifully that its pages emit light that blinds the unworthy.