Newgrange
The Stone Age passage tomb at Newgrange is illuminated spectacularly each year at winter solstice. According to Irish mythology, Newgrange was one of the fairy mounds where the Tuatha Dé Danann lived. Some versions of the Cúchulainn story say he was conceived there.
© Richard Gallagher.© Richard Gallagher.
Newgrange
The Stone Age passage tomb at Newgrange is illuminated spectacularly each year at winter solstice. According to Irish mythology, Newgrange was one of the fairy mounds where the Tuatha Dé Danann lived. Some versions of the Cúchulainn story say he was conceived there.
© Richard Gallagher.Newgrange is an extremely important Stone Age monument in Co. Meath. It was originally a passage tomb and is at least 5,000 years old. This makes it even older than the pyramids of Egypt.
The tomb was hidden for over 4,000 years under a mound of earth. It was re-discovered in 1699 by men looking for road building materials. The mound at Newgrange covers an area of over an acre, and its 97 kerbstones are well decorated with megalithic art.
The passage and chamber at Newgrange are illuminated by the sunrise at the winter solstice. A shaft of sunlight shines through the roof box and penetrates the passage, lighting up the chamber. This amazing event lasts for 17 minutes at dawn from the 19 to 23 December each year. Therefore, Newgrange is an incredibly sophisticated feat of engineering, given the time in which it was built.
In folklore and mythology, Newgrange is reputed to have been the dwelling place of the ancient Irish god of love, Oenghus. However, ancient mounds like Newgrange entered into Irish mythology as fairy mounds. The structure was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and attracts many visitors annually.