WALK THROUGH A STONE AGE WORLD HERITAGE SITE
Newgrange rises from the Boyne Valley. This Neolithic monument predates Stonehenge and Egypt’s pyramids, and its engineering remains incredibly impressive, even by today’s standards.
The construction defies belief. It used an estimated 200,000 tonnes of material. Stones hauled from distant quarries. A roof so perfectly built it remains waterproof after 5 millennia.
The massive circular mound stretches 85 metres across (nearly 300 feet), covered in grass and ringed by enormous kerbstones. These are carved with spiral patterns and geometric designs – the meaning of which is still unclear.
But Newgrange holds a secret revealed only once a year. A narrow passage leads 19 metres (62 ft) into the heart of the mound, ending in a cruciform chamber.
During the winter solstice, as the sun rises, a beam of light penetrates a precisely positioned roof-box above the entrance. It travels down the passage and illuminates the inner chamber for just 17 minutes.
A simulated solstice demonstrates the light phenomenon for those who can’t witness the real event on the day (a lottery determines those lucky few).
Access is through the Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre, with guided tours into the chamber itself. You’ll need to pre-book those tickets, so you don’t miss out on the experience.
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