Newgrange Solstice

The solstice is nearly upon us. We would like to thank John from Lookaroundireland for sending us a virtual tour that he took outside Newgrange on the morning of the winter solstice last year.

Unfortunately there are only a lucky few allowed to be in the actual tomb on the morning of December 21st to witness the spectacular illumination. Applications must be made years in advance with final places depending on the luck of the draw. If you cannot get to Newgrange personally then check out some of the virtual tours that John has on his site.

The Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre is the starting point for tours of the megalithic passage tombs of Newgrange and Knowth. These monuments along with another tomb at nearby Dowth were built over 5000 years ago and are older than the pyramids No one knows the exact reason for their construction but most theories suggest an association with ancient religious and funeral ceremonies. Newgrange is famous for the illumination of its inner chamber that takes place briefly on the Winter solstice (the shortest day of the year). UNESCO designated the Brú na Bóinne complex as a World Heritage site in 1993 and describes it as “Europe's largest and most important concentration of prehistoric megalithic art” .The Brú na Bóinne Visitor centre attracts in excess of 230,000 visitors annually. It is best to try and visit early in the mornings and avoid weekends if possible as the site gets busy during the main holiday season.