Newgrange Tomb, burial place of our Neolithic ancestors, has been a place of pilgrimage for thousands of years. It is especially favoured at this time of the year, the darkest time of the year, as the tomb was designed to embrace the first rays of solstice sunlight as they reach over the Boyne Valley.
I trooped up there today with other pilgrims,to witness this ancient rite. Newgrange tomb, though vast on the outside, holds a narrow passage tomb. It was in this tomb that the ancients placed the cremated remains of their dead, some five thousand years ago. The entrance was built to align with the sun at the time of solstice, the ancients having calculated that the rays would reach through the roofbox above the tomb entrance, and illuminate the inner chamber.
Perhaps they believed the sun imparted a certain magic as it progressed around the inner chamber. And, indeed, perhaps it did. The real magic for me, however, lies in the engineering skills and craftsmanship of our ancestors. And also on how heavily invested they were in a spiritual aspect to life. It is reckoned, after all that it took three generations to construct the tomb – a major investment for a subsistence economy.
Around three hundred people gathered together to bear witness to the rising sun at Newgrange today. Also known as Brú na Boinne, the Palace of the Boyne, it`s façade is sheeted in white quartz stone and so is visible for miles around. It was here the crowd assembled in the sodden gloom of a wet winter`s morning and in the hope clearer skies.
There is always a lightness about the Newgrange assembly. Laughter, and chat abounds as tourists pose for photographs in front of the entrance, and regular visitors hug each other warmly to cries of “Happy Solstice”.
A lone runner laps the mound several times in some personal ritual, while a trio of young people face east and close their eyes in solemn meditation.
Soon, merry troupes of travellers are decanted from buses, bearing bodhráns, an animal horn and flags. The buttery smear in the horizon has pushed its way upward now, as clouds transmute from warm cream to lighter pinks and purply blues. Arms reach out to form two circles and, as the bodhráns sound out, the circle grows.
Then, all eyes scan the horizon and wait for the first glimpse of the rising sun.
Our ancient ancestors farmed the rich land of the Boyne. They also hunted among its forests and fields and fished its streams and rivers. They knew all of this wealth depended on the sun. As the earth moves further from the sun, it appeared to them that the sun itself might disappear altogether over the horizon, taking with it, its gifts of heat and light.
The crowd is silent as we wait. Clouds drift over a waning moon, as the skies brighten. Then, suddenly, the first rays pierce the horizon. The frantic beating of bodhráns and the eerie sound of a horn welcome the bright light. Many embrace, others applaud, and a sense of delight and relief filters through the crowd.
This is the season of endings and beginings, of hope and renewal, of the triumph of light over darkness. Today, in Newgrange,we witnessed the end of darker days,the start of a new year, and moving forward with optimism, hope and joy.
And that`s enough magic for me.
Happy Solstice everyone!
I am captivated by your first-hand description of what this experience was like. Love the photo montage too – especially the one of the group hugging – very powerful image.
Glad you enjoyed!Newgrange is fascinating on so many different levels.
Ah, thank you! I`ve enjoyed this for years and love the positive atmosphere among the people who gather there.
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I am mesmerized! Enchanting photos and intriguing article. I’m going to read again when I can pay attention in less of a rush.
Thank you for following my blog.
Even if you don`t get a chance to get back to this post, Sharon, try to get time to read this article in the Irish Times about this years winter solstice in Newgrange. There`s a one minute time lapse video there too that will give you a sense of what it was like there. Yes, it truly is mesmerising.
Thank you so much for dropping by!
Wow. Sounds totally amazing. It must have been really important to those people all those years ago and amazing how it still draws people today.
Wouldn`t you love to get inside the heads of the people who constructed it? There`s so much mystery about the place, so many unanswered questions.
It would be great but then all the mystery would disappear too.
What a captivating experience. I see why you’ve been going back every year.
It`s my anti commercial Christmas experience!
Amazing, and I’m pleased the sun appeared. What else is under our feet I wonder? Newgrange was only rediscovered in comparatively recent times.
I am not sure what`s the most wonderful part of this. But getting a sense of delight and wonder when the sun appears made me understand why the Neolithic people worshipped the sun. They probably did see it as a good portent for the coming year. I bet there are Neolithic sites in Jersey.
Yes, La Hougue Bie is pretty impressive and has a light box setup, but Newgrange is the Daddy.
Lovely post. I like the idea of welcoming the new year now as the days gradually, gradually begin to lengthen.
I like that its not in the least commercial. No money changes hands to have this solstice experience. Gardaí(our police) look after the crowd and traffic end, the Office of Public Works lay on free buses from the visitor centre to the site, and entrance around the tomb is free for the morning.
Didn’t realise you are a pagan!
Newgrange is on my list of places I should see during one of my visits to your fair country (an ever increasing list I may add). So thanks for this report and your atmospheric pictures. Looks like it was a fun day – and decent weather too (even if it is snowing all over your blog page!!)
I didn`t know I was a pagan, either!
Didn’t mean that in a nasty way 😦
Oh, I took it entirely in jest & my response was intended in the same vein. Having said that, each to their own in matters of spiritual belief & very many of us change our points of view as life progresses.Happy Christmas/Holidays/solstice or whatever you celebrate yourself!
I felt like I was there, thanks Red Hen. Loved the photos too. Love your writing very much!
Thank you very much, Sporty Woman!If I didn`t blog this I would have disappeared into a two second hazy memory. Gotta love blogging, right?
Ooh, that gave me the shivers! I’d love to have been there to see the sun rise, especially with the bodhrans and horn. Thank you so much for sharing the atmosphere. 🙂
It really was magical there this morning. I`ve been every year for the past few years and this has been, in my opinion anyway, the best year yet. Totally unexpected, as it had been so dark and wet this morning. And so dark and wet for the rest of the day too!
Thank you for stopping by!