Our Ring Around Ireland

Brú na Bóinne, which translates as the “Palace of Boyne,” is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that sits in the bend of the River Boyne. This Neolithic site contains some 90 monuments, three of which — Newgrange, Knowth, and Dowth — are megalithic tombs that date back some 5,000 years or so.

With our road trip quickly nearing its end, we had no choice but to visit this popular heritage site on “Free First Wednesday.” This event promised that the site would be more crowded than usual. Two things worked in our favor, however. First, we arrived soon after the site opened at 9:00a and managed to get on the first tour. Second, most of the people already in the queue wanted to visit both Newgrange and Knowth. As a result, we had only 10 people instead of the usual 24 in our group for a “single tomb” tour.

When the shuttle dropped us off at Newgrange, our guide escorted us to the entrance of the tomb, which consists of a cairn surrounded by a white quartz wall girdled by slabs called kerbstones. After she gave us some general information, we entered the very narrow rock passage that leads to a large chamber. Here, our guide talked about how the sun enters the tomb through a door-box above the entrance, travels down the passageway, and lights up the chamber on the three shortest days of the year during the Winter Solstice. A simulation of the event accompanied her words ... a stirring event.

I’m glad we were able to visit Newgrange this year. Apparently, all tours — except for the Winter Solstice ones — will be discontinued after this season due to damage to the tombs from the humidity generated by the breath of visitors.Read more