09 Nov Megalithic Ireland…..pre Egyptian !!!
On any tours of Ireland you will see the vast amount of history in Ireland.
Newgrange could be considered as a real hidden gem.
The earliest remains of Irish civilisation date from as far back as pre Egyptian times. There are even tenuous parrallels with the Middle East in that Ireland has its own equivalent of the Valley of the Kings. This is the Boyne Valley. A number of Stone Age chieftans and other important people of the time were interred in this area of County Meath , which lies to the North of Irelands capital city , Dublin.
The best known , and best preserved , example of megalithic construction is ” Newgrange ”
It is a ” passage grave ” built on land overlooking the River Boyne and consisting of nearly a quarter of a million tons of earth and stone. It is in a circular form and stands some 35 feet high. It has a diameter of about 250 feet , and the stonework is decorated with outstanding carvings , believed to be of ” Indian ” origins !!!! But dating from the time it was built , some 4500 years ago.
The precision with which it was designed and aligned is highlighted by the fact that on the Winter Solstice , and only then , should the sun be shining at the right time , the interior is bathed in sunlight for about a quarter of an hour.
It rivals the great Druid temple of Stonehenge as an accurate observatory.
Worth seeing on any Ireland tours. It is even accessible from Belfast.
Our Belfast tours can be extended to take in this wonderful attraction.