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Ancient Burial Chamber that lights up on the morning of the winter solstice.

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Ancient and Mystical

 

Mysterious burial chambers thousands of years old, a screaming stone and multiple interpretations of a symbolic cross give Ireland a mystical aura.

Newgrange

Less than an hour north of Dublin, in the Boyne Valley, the ground rises in an unnatural mound, roughly 250’ in diameter and almost 40’ high. Covering more than an acre of land, Newgrange is a passage tomb constructed in the Neolithic period - over 5,000 years ago (about 3200 B.C.). Older than Stonehenge and the Great Pyramids of Giza, Newgrange is oddly a virtual unknown to many.

 

Newgrange is ranked as the finest example of the type of tomb known as a passage-grave. The burial chamber comprises about one-third of the total structure and is accessed by a long straight tunnel. Marking the entrance are huge boulders etched with mysterious triple spirals. Some believe these to be purely decorative, others contend they have a symbolic purpose; still others suggest aliens are responsible!

 

At dawn on the morning of the winter solstice in December, a beam of sunlight bursts through the opening, or roof box, above Newgrange’s entrance and slices through the passageway to illuminate the chamber within for 17 minutes.

Click on the set of images above for an expanded slide-show view and additional information.

Hill of Tara

A little southwest of Newgrange lies another passage tomb, not quite as old nor nearly as impressive, at the Hill of Tara. The Mound of Hostages dates back to around 2500 BC, and was used as a tomb for 1500 years. After that it housed hostages being exchanged between warring factions. Although somewhat unassuming, the Hill of Tara is nonetheless an important part of Celtic history. It once served as the seat of power in Ireland for more than 140 kings, and was the gathering place for thousands of princes, priests, warriors, athletes and druids. The massive wooden meeting hall is long gone, but the Stone of Destiny, a pillar of rock where new Irish kings were crowned, is still remarkably intact. Legend has it that king wanna-bes had to prove their worthiness through a series of challenges. The Stone of Destiny would, so the syory goes, signal the winner and emit a scream that could be heard throughout the island when the rightful candidate touched it. He could then (if the weather was right) look out and see nearly one-fourth of his kingdom from the hill’s vantage point.

Celtic Cross

Touring the Irish countryside, it’s pretty impossible to miss catching sight of one of Ireland’s more famous symbols – the Celtic Cross, a typically-shaped cross, carved from stone, with the addition of a circle around the intersecting branches. It’s ancient, ubiquitous, and shrouded in mystery. Stories abound to explain its symbolism and origins. Some contend the cross dates back thousands of years; others hold it was introduced in Ireland by St. Patrick in the 5th century. The four points could represent the compass points, or elements of nature (earth, wind, fire, water), or possibly the four components of man (mind, body, soul and heart). The circle is interpreted as a halo, the sun, the moon, undying love, or eternity and the cycle of life. Possibly it’s none of those but rather a handy stabilizer for the structure, or it’s simply pretty to look at. Initially the cross was believed to be laid flat on the ground and later came to be standing upright, often to mark the spot where a priest would be preaching. Some have elaborate designs or decorations embedded; others are quite plain. One thing is for certain – the Celtic Cross is an enduring icon of Irish history.

Continue your trip through Ireland with a visit to the Lush, Colorful and Majestic page or the Cities: Old and New page.

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