The Boyne Valley

Ancient Temples or Tombs?
The Boyne Valley, Birthplace of Ireland’s Ancient East, is a place steeped in ancient Neolithic history. Combined with its lush green landscape and deep winding rivers are stories of an ancient past.
Newgrange is a Stone Age (Neolithic) monument in the Boyne Valley, County Meath, it is a superb relic of Ireland's Ancient East. Newgrange was believed to have been constructed about 5,200 years ago (3,200 B.C.) which makes it older than Stonehenge and the Great Pyramids of Giza. The mound is ringed by 97 large kerbstones, some of which are engraved with symbols called megalithic art; the most striking is the entrance stone ( see photos!)
I was lucky enough to have a personal private tour of both Newgrange and Knowth as Bernie had worked on the archaeological dig some 30 years ago. Both places have been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

The amount of time and labour obvious in the construction of Newgrange and Knowth indicates there existed a well-organised society with extraordinary ability to move large monoliths and tools to decorate them.

These monuments are built along a bend of the River Boyne known collectively as Brú na Bóinne. Their history and excavation are fascinating.Read more