BOYNE VALLEY PASSAGE TOMBS

Three huge Neolithic passage tombs, and many smaller satellite tombs are to be found in a bend of the Boyne river. This amazing monumental landscape is Ireland’s major historical site. I visited in the spring of 2006. The visiting is strictly controlled with buses going from a visitors’ centre on the other side of the river. Not far from the Boyne valley are two huge passage grave cemeteries at Loughcrew and the Hill of Tara, Ireland mythological and historical center. The Boyne valley tomb complex and Loughcrew should be visited by all those interested in rock art. After seeing this, we can only marvel at the skill, the creativity, and the patience of Neolithic artists.
County Meath

BOYNE
VALLEY PASSAGE TOMBS
DOWTH, SLANE
NEWGRANGE, SLANE
KNOWTH, SLANE
LOUTHCREW
TARA, NAVAN
DOWTH, SLANE - 0023738 BACK TO TOP

Of the three passage graves this is the least well preserved. Dowth is two to three kilometres from New Grange and can be visited independently without going through the visitors’ centre. The mound has been plundered for its stone for generations. There are two prehistoric passage tombs in the mound, and a Christian souterain. All were railed off at my visit. The largest passage grave, Dowth North, has a cruciform chamber at the end with annexe with two further chambers. The roof is corbelled. There was a huge stone basin. The second chamber, Dowth South, had a circular tomb at the end of the passage. Some of the kerbstones are still visible, one with a particularly lovely circular ornament. The site is deserted and rather melancholy but, in some ways, more of a pleasure to visit than the ever-busy Newgrange.

A nineteenth century engraving (from Handbook of Irish Antiquities by William Wakeman 1891) shows Dowth as it was with a summer house built on the top. In l847 a county engineer "excavated" his way into the mound by making an open cutting into the centre. He found two passage graves (like Knowth) and decorated stones inside and around the curb. The context of the monument - ie what is around it - has not been examined.





NEWGRANGE, SLANE - 0007727 BACK TO TOP

A passage grave built in 3100 BC with an extraordinarily sophicated light arrangement whereby the sunshines through a slit in the tomb falling upon the centre tomb at midwinter day. A thousand years after this tomb was built, a large stone circle was built surrounding it. Remember also, that the Neolithic community was building not just this tomb but two gigantic other ones. There is now a jaw-dropping restored façade of quartz and granite pebbles now set into concrete. From the outside it looks like something from outer space. Read “Newgrange. Archaeology, Art and Legend” by Michael J O’Kelly, the excavator, for his reasons for re-creating it in this way. The only way on to the site is via buses running from the visitor centre – perhaps not so good for visitors but better for site preservation. Stonehenge take note! The passage into the heart of Newgrange is open to visitors, though photos may not be taken from the inside. It is an extraordinary experience not be missed - the rock art in the passage way and tombs, where so few people would have seen it; the high corbelled roof closed with a single capstone, and the way the sun shines through the slit in the roof box on midwinter’s day. This the restoration has got right. Using artificial light this is re-created for the many visitor who will never have a chance of seeing it at midwinter.






KNOWTH, SLANE - N999738 BACK TO TOP

A gigantic grave mound surrounded by 17 smaller satellite tombs. A site which has, I think, been more sensitively restored than New Grange and perhaps interpreted in a different way too. The stones and quartz façade of New Grange, is here interpreted as a scattered pavement outside one of the passage tombs with an upright standing stone. What has also been re-created is a timber circle. This site too has to be visited via tourist bus from the visitor centre. There is much to see – too much for the normal space of time allowed. There are two great passage-tombs, orientated toward the east and the west respectively. Read Knowth and the Passage Tombs of Ireland by George Eogan Thames & Hudson Ltd The glory of Knowth is its decorated kerb stones. However little time you have, make time to see these.

 

CAIRNS S & T
CAIRNS S & T 		LOUTHCREW – CARBANE EAST ~ N585775 BACK TO TOP

There are two hill top Neolithic cemeteries of passage graves. One, Carbane East is easily accessible, though a stiff climb, from the car park below. Few people visit this, so the atmosphere is much more enjoyable than Newgrange.
The biggest cairn, cairn T, has a famous kerb stone known as the Hag’s Chair with Neolithic decorations (now faint) and an inscribed cross possibly made in the eighteenth century when this was a place to hold the forbidden mass. The interior is railed off but has decorated stones visible from outside. There are six satellite tombs, and there is good visible decoration at Cairn U. Several more cairns are lower down the hill.
Many of the decorated stones are left open to wind and rain without proper protection. Ireland still doesn’t value its Neolithic art as it should. Before visiting buy a booklet, Loughcrew, the Cairns, by Jean McMann (After Hours Books). I have taken the labeling of the cairns from this publication. There are several standing stones nearby.

CAIRN T - MAIN ENTRANCE
CAIRN T - MAIN ENTRANCE
CAIRN S
CAIRN S		 CAIRNS U & T
CAIRNS U & T		 CAIRNS V & T
CAIRNS V & T
CAIRN U
CAIRN U
CAIRN U
CAIRN U
HAGS CHAIR
HAGS CHAIR


TARA, NAVAN - N9197659625 BACK TO TOP

The site of Ireland’s ancient kings, the centre of its struggle for independence, and the heart of the country. The information available at the site is poor – lots about Celtic legends and druidery, little about prehistory. There are several ringforts on the site and geophysics has revealed a gigantic oval timber enclosure, now no longer visible.
LIA FAIL - the stone of destiny or coronation stone, issaid to roar three times for the future king. It once stood near the Mound of Hostages.
MOUND OF THE HOSTAGES -a medium sized passage grave with decorated inner stones stands at N920595.
BANQUETING HALL - Aligned to it is the legendary Banqueting Hall where thousands of guests enjoyed entertained. It is a rectangular earthwork of 755x89ft. It looks like a cursus to me,
STANDING STONES - There are two standing stones within the churchyard nearby at 9206359823 – christianised by being built into the graveyard no doubt.