Five Megalithic sites not to miss on a trip to Ireland Co. Meath

Submitted by allaroundtheworld on Wednesday, 29 November 2017 Page Views: 3987

Country: Ireland (Republic of) County: Co. Meath
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**Knowth** submitted by Runemage : Passageway into Knowth. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Ireland, and County Meath in particular is an excellent place to visit if you are keen to see lots of megalithic sites in a short space of time. There are so many places where you can get a sense of our prehistoric ancestors as they planned these amazing monuments. Here are five sites in Ireland you won’t want to miss on your trip.

Newgrange

We have to start with Newgrange, not least because to enter here, or nearby Knowth or Dowth you need to be on a tour booked from the Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre there. Newgrange has 97 stones erected in a circle around it but the central mound is most spectacular. During Winter Solstice the passageway is aligned to light up the inner chamber, and only a lucky few people get to experience this each year - and then only if the sun shines of course. However getting to enter Newgrange at other times is usually possible, visitor numbers permitting. In the summer months we recommend getting there early or booking in advance.

Knowth

Is a large Neolithic mound covering two passage tombs back to back with kerbstones around the exterior and a corbelled roof in the eastern tomb ascending to a height of almost 6m.

It is close to Newgrange and Dowth and like these you can only enter on an organised tour from the Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre at Newgrange. The tour to Knowth takes about one hour. The site is surrounded by 19 other mounds and there is evidence of a timber circle which has been reconstructed in its original location. It's worth researching the site before you go so you can be ready to see the important points. Inside there are over three hundred decorated stones making for the greatest concentration of megalithic art in Western Europe. Recurring motifs include circles, serpentine forms and spirals. Some researchers have suggested these represent entoptic visual experiences induced by altered states of consciousness - in other words some form of ancient shamanism. It does feel a deeply spiritual place to visit.

Hill of Tara

This iconic hill has been the source of many Irish myths. Atop the hill stands a stone pillar that was the Irish Lia Fáil (Stone of Destiny) on which the High Kings of Ireland were crowned; legends suggest that the stone was required to roar three times if the chosen one was a true king. There are a number of different mounds to explore, and some amazing views as well.

Dowth

This tomb is - in all senses - less developed than the neighbouring tourist-attractions of Newgrange and Knowth, partly because the chamber is much lower, and partly because the decoration is not quite so impressive. It has had less interference from reconstruction so is more naturalistic. The chamber is lintelled rather than corbelled, and on the floor stands a single stone basin – somewhat the worse for wear after 5,000 years.

It is floored with a 2.4 metre long flagstone containing an oval bullaun (artificial depression). Several of the upright stones of passage and chamber are decorated with spirals, chevrons, lozenges and rayed circles. Rayed circles or suns can also be seen on one of the decorated kerbstones of the tumulus.

1km to the East is Dowth Henge, a huge earth embanked enclosure - in fact one of the largest henges in Ireland with banks reaching to 5 metres in height and the whole thing 165 metres across.

Loughcrew

For a true megalithic wonderland, you can’t get better than Loughcrew. This is about 45km from Newgrange so Knowth you'll need a car or hire yourself an RV / camper van.

Cairn T is the best known of the Loughcrew sites, perfectly aligned so that the rising sun on the equinox illuminates some pretty fascinating carvings on the backstone of the rear chamber. A sunny early-morning summer visit is recommended to see the engravings well. The hills themselves surrounding the site are also gorgeous, during the spring in particular when they light up in the verdant green color that Ireland is famous for.

This is just a quick introduction, there are many hundreds more megalithic sites of all sorts to see, and other fantastic historic places, making for a very rewarding trip. Check out the nearby sites lists from any of our pages or our search pages for a a guide to many more. Article kindly supported by Campanda.

Contributor Bio for allaroundtheworld: Based in East Norwich, contributing since 2017. Favourite site: Luxor. Occupation: Writer.

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