Category: Ireland

Sophie Goodall learns about Ireland’s brand-new Púca Festival, set to knock pumpkins off their pedestals.

Source: From mystical tombs to Samhain festivities – why Boyne Valley is the real home of Halloween

Some road trips in Ireland can be done in a day, while others could be the basis for a mini break with lots to stop and see. Have a great time exploring!

Source: 12 Stunning Scenic Drives and Family Road Trips in Ireland

Read more from source

Newgrange discoveries have ‘truly transformed’ our understanding of ancient site…

Source: Immense timber structure found at ‘sacred’ Newgrange site during summer drought

Only a select few people will be able to witness the magic of the winter solstice at Newgrange…

Source: 60 lottery winners to witness Winter Solstice at Newgrange

Explore Ireland’s ancient history on this unique day tour from Dublin. Discover the UNESCO World Heritage Site passage tomb at Newgrange as well as the world famous High Crosses at Monasterboice and gain stunning views from atop the Hill of Tara.

Source: Newgrange, Monasterboice, and Hill of Tara: Full-Day

Take a day tour from Dublin to the scenic Boyne Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. See the ancient Celtic temple at Newgrange, the megalithic site of Knowth, Trim Castle and more. Learn about the area’s history from a knowledgeable local guide.

Source: Boyne Valley: Full-Day Celts and Castles Guided Tour

In honor of the 50th anniversary of the discovery of the world-renowned Eastern Tomb at Knowth, the Royal Irish Academy is publishing six books on the excavation, online, for free.

Source: Secrets of Ireland’s ancient passage tomb Knowth published free online

The recent hot summer unearthed previously hidden or forgotten archaeological treasures as unrelenting, intense sunshine scorched the land.

Source: Heritage sites coming to life after weather scorches land – The Irish World

A drone flyby has revealed a huge Neolithic henge near a passage tomb at Newgrange in Ireland.

Source: In Photos: Ireland’s Newgrange Passage Tomb and Henge

Read more from source

In Ireland, history is everywhere. But in some places, there is an especially strong connection with the past.

Here are IrishCentral’s choices for the top ten historical sites in Ireland.

Newgrange, County Meath

Dating back to 3200 B.C the passage tomb at Newgrange is older than the pyramids in Egypt and is officially a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Newgrange is a large passage mound, spread over an acre and surrounded by 97 uniquely carved kerbstones. The cremated remains of the dead were buried in large stone basins under the mound in a chamber accessible by a narrow passage.

At dawn on December 21, the shortest day of the year, sunlight shines directly into the central chamber of the tomb. It is believed that this was an ancient way of measuring the passage of time, like a calendar for the ancient farmers, or that the light has some religious significance for those in the afterlife.

Newgrange is part of the Brú na Boinne complex, which includes similar tombs at Knowth and Dowth.

Hill of Tara, County Meath

Read more from source: Top sites in Ireland where history comes alive

For the first time ever, people all over the world can watch sunlight creep into Newgrange passage tomb on winter solstice.

Weather-permitting, of course (clouds are forecast).

A live stream organised by the OPW and Fáílte Ireland will broadcast the moment when the 5,000-year-old tomb’s internal chamber is lit up (#Solstice2017).

You can watch it live (below) from 8.30am on Thursday, December 21.

The annual event, which sees sunlight enter the roofbox of the Co. Meath tomb and light up its inner chamber over the course of around 17 minutes, is simulated for all visitors to Newgrange – but only a lucky few get to see the real deal.

Each year, the OPW runs a Winter Solstice Lottery – in 2017, it says, over 33,000 people applied from as far afield as Austria, Italy and the US.

Read more