The Journey

It was just a past 11:00 in the morning when our car pulled into the parking lot. Our crew consisted of my friends Hannah, Maud, and Sean (as well as myself) who all, despite following a rather late celebratory night, were able to rally and make it out on the roads rather early. We had spent the last hour driving past the pastoral landscapes and green fields of the Irish countryside and were now greeted by a rare, bright, sunny sky.

It was a unique day for our excoursion. A large portion of the population was heading into Dublin for the arrival of Papa Frank (Pope Francis), but we, instead, were heading out of the city to see something that predated all Popes and Christianity by several thousand years. We were going to see the 6000 year old mound constructed at Newgrange.

The group of us. Sean wasn't in the picture, so I used my editing "skills"

Visitor's Center

Before going to the site, we arrived at the visitor's center where we had to buy the tickets. From there we were to take a shuttle bus to the site, but since the next open time slot was over two hours away, we had some time to spare beforehand. Most likely, you (the person reading this) will encounter something similar if you decide to go (which you absolutely should), so here are some suggestions on what to do to pass the time.

Check out the Museum. There is a mini museum dedicated to the site in the center. It has a lot of interesting information, shows some of the artifacts that have been excavated, and discusses theories of how and why the mound was constructed.
Go for a walk. The surrounding area has really gorgeous nature that is comprised of a river valley, lush green rolling hills, and numerous cows of varying sizes. I highly recommend it if you want some peaceful time in nature.

Get Food. There is a cafe in the center which is unfortunately a bit pricey, but has pretty good food. If you are hungover and sleep deprived when you get there (as I was), I highly recommend getting a coffee, soup, and toast. It masked the side effects long enough to have a great time and enjoy the site.
ENTER THE 'WINTER SOLSTICE' LOTTERY. The mound at Newgrange is perfectly constructed to align and light up with the sunrise of the winter solstice every year. If you are chosen in the lottery, you get to go there and be inside on December 21st of that year. However, only 20 people are chosen from about 35,000 applicants, so I recommend stuffing the ballot box for better odds.

The Site

After a short 15 minute bus ride we arrived at our destination. However, there was something else that first caught my attention. "Look at all the sheep!" I exclaimed. "There must be thousands!" Hannah then turned my head in the other direction. "Billy," she firmly said, "You're at a site that's older than Stonehenge." Oh yeah, I remembered. (I'm not really sure why, but for some reason I have an affinity for ruminants). I looked over, and atop a wide, rolling hill stood a a large mound, walled with giant rocks and topped with grass. The sheer size was impressive in and of itself, but the engineering was absolutely mind-blowing.

In the front was an entrance-way made out of large stones that jutted inwards. From there we walked through a somewhat narrow passageway that slightly climbed upward. Soon, it eventually opened up into a large chamber. Instantly I was astonished. The ground was comprised of dirt that had been packed down by an uncountable amount of people over millennia, while the walls and ceiling were made of different sized stones that had been wedged together in such a way that the whole structure remained upright and intact (without the use of any modern adhesive like cement) since the initial time of construction. The middle area was a wide open space with smaller alcoves jutting out on the sides. On both the walls and the ceiling there were geometric shapes and spirals. The meaning of which had long since been forgotten. The air was cool and dry.

"The temperature remains 10 degrees (Celsius) at all times, and no water is able to penetrate the structure." Said a woman who works there. I was left in awe. Who were these people? What did they know that is now lost? Why did they dedicate generations of time to bring gigantic stones from hundreds of miles away? I began to imagine. People must have grown up along these structures for thousands of years. It was part of their society, their cultures, and their life. What must that have been like? Dud its use change over the years before it was ultimately abandoned? Again, I wondered who these people were. For now though, wonder was all I could do. The questions remain unanswered.

Return & Slane

By the time we left, the hangover and lack of sleep began to take its hold over the four of us (at least it did for me. I'm making assumptions for the others). However, we did do one thing that I would absolutely recommend whether you're tired and hungover, trying to avoid the Pope, or just want a bite to eat. And that is to stop at Hugo's Cafe in the town of Slane. Their breads and soups are homemade and are quite delicious. And the town looks a bit medieval which is awesome too.

Facts About Newgrange

Newgrange has been carbonated to 6000 years ago, making it 1000 years older than Stonehenge.
It was entirely buried under dirt and earth until 1699 when it was rediscovered.
It is unknown what it was used for and why it was built.
The site gets 200,000 visitors each year
Every Winter Solstice, 20 people are chosen in a lottery system to be inside for the sunrise
No water can penetrate from the ceiling and it is still fully intact from the original architecture