Explore Ireland: Dublin and Ancient Sites

Welcome to the blog today — I'm glad you could join me on a bit of exploration! Over the years we've taken a number of vacations that we enjoyed immensely. I have always intended to share them with you and I've decided that now is as good a time as any to start! (I have however shared vacation photos in several posts where they were the inspiration for styling tablescapes.) 

 

One of the trips we enjoyed the most was to Ireland. I had wanted to go there for a long time, since both Greg and I can trace our ancestry there. So off we flew, landing in Dublin. From there we headed north to the Boyne Valley in County Meath to explore Newgrange and the Hill of Slane.  

 

the River Boyne

  

 

Newgrange 

 

I was especially excited to visit Newgrange, a prehistoric monument located on a rise overlooking the meandering River Boyne. An exceptionally grand passage tomb, construction began during the Neolithic Period around 3100 BCE, making it older than Stonehenge and the Egyptian pyramids. Newgrange is the main component of the Brú na Bóinne complex, a World Heritage Site that also includes other passage tombs, remnants of stone and wood henges, mounds and standing stones. 

                  

          

I was utterly fascinated by the construction of Newgrange. It consists of a large circular mound that covers 1.1 acres, with an inner 60' stone passageway leading about 1/3 of the way into the center and four chambers. Built of alternating layers of earth and stones, it has a striking façade made with white quartz cobblestones and it is ringed by kerbstones, many of which are carved with symbols. 

 

       

Newgrange is believed to have been a place of religious significance with a system of beliefs, practices, and rituals. The passage is aligned so that the rising sun on the winter solstice shines through a "roofbox" above the entrance and floods the inner chamber. Several other passage tombs in Ireland are also aligned with solstices or equinoxes. Various items were discovered within the chambers.

 

The entrance to the passageway in Newgrange

Unfortunately I did not take any photos of the interior passageway or chambers. This is a closeup of the carved entrance stone which is 10' long and 4' high.  

 

          

Around the perimeter of the mound is a circle of standing stones; twelve standing-stones survive out of a possible original thirty-eight.

 

Carvings on one of the kerbstones on the mound.

      

A small stone structure located down the hill from the mound.

 

I was entranced by the many shades of green in the countryside of County Meath.

 

Hill of Slane

We next visited the Hill of Slane, with ruins thousands of years younger than Newgrange. They are positioned on the top of a hill that rises to 525', with commanding views across the landscape of County Meath. This elevated position has long given the Hill of Slane strategic importance. Monuments and ruins dating from the Bronze Age to the late-medieval period are still found on the summit  According to Irish mythology, this was the burial place of King Sláine mac Dela.

 

The church appears to have been largely constructed in the 13th century, and continued to serve as the village of Slane’s parish church until the early 18th century. 

 

 

A prehistoric mound also sits on the Hill of Slane, not far from the ruins shown above,

 

   

 

Dublin  

 

We spent several days in Dublin, shopping for gorgeous knit sweaters, touring several churches, sampling spirits at Teeling Whiskey Distillery (spoiler alert — I am not fond of whiskey but tried to appreciate their offerings), and experiencing Guinness' St. James Gate brewery founded in 1759. No longer a working brewery, it provided an overview of the company history and brewing in general, and of course branded merchandise and beer. I took no pictures of any of this! In my defense our time there was chilly and rainy. 

 

We also visited Trinity College Dublin where I did take photos. Daughter J was in college here in GA at the time and was very interested in walking the campus and viewing the various buildings. 

 

          

 

The college library was astounding, as you can see from the architecture and stacks of books. 

 

          

The Book of Kells, an illustrated manuscript and Celtic gospel in Latin, is housed there. Created c. 800 CE it is regarded as a masterwork of Western calligraphy and the decorating of pages with intricate patterning. (Taking photos of the Book of Kells was not permitted.) 

 

 

Our taxi drivers gladly pointed out interesting places and suggested things to do as they drove us throughout Dublin when we tired of walking. One stopped long enough for me to take a quick photo of Dublin City wall and gates built in 1240 CE. 

 

I thought I'd leave you with the beautiful cemetery and church grounds located in a village near Dublin.

 

 

I hope you enjoyed this initial exploration of Ireland!

 

I invite you to see what we discovered in some of our other travels: Falls Park on the Reedy in South Carolina,  A Tea Room, a Botanical Garden and an Emergency in New Mexico, and the recent Destination: England — A Travel Adventure.        

                                 

     

Shared with these fun parties

Talking About It Tuesdays   

Tuesday Turn About    

Huisvlijt party    

Hearth and Soul    

Happy Now

Vintage Charm    

Whimsy Home Wednesday    

Grandmas House Wednesday         

Wednesdays in Studio     

Share Your Style               

Thursday Favorite Things    

Funtastic Friday     

Home Matters     

Crazy Little Lovebirds     

Saturday Sparks    

Sundays on Silverado    

Love Your Creativity     

Metamorphosis Monday         

Inspire Me Tuesday     

Farmhouse Friday