Beyond the Pale
Photo Gallery - Ireland 2016
Upon our arrival at the Bothar Alainn House B&B in Navan, we made ourselves comfortable in the sitting room, where Roberta could elevate her foot for a spell. This was her 93rd birthday, and we celebrated all day!
At the Teach na Teamhrach (Tara House) Restaurant in Navan, the waiter told Mom she is "brilliant!" and sang happy birthday to her. From left, clockwise: Annis, Sara, Martha, Molly and Roberta -- celebrating Mother's 93rd birthday.
On Saturday morning, we made a visit to neolithic site of Bru na Boinne. The site includes several ancient mounds constructed with enormous stones haulded from a great distance without benefit of wheels or horsepower. This exhibit in the Visitor's Center suggests the methods that were used.
The mural at the Visitor's Center at Newgrange (Bru na Boinne) make my back hurt!
The Newgrange mound at Bru na Boinne is a passage mound, with a basin stone in a center chamber. Researchers believe that the ancient people placed cremated remains of their important people in the basin.
Roberta, on the pedestrian bridge over the River Boyne at the Bru na Boinne historic site.
Roberta and Martha on the path to the bus meeting point at Bru na Boinne. The River Boyne is in the background.
Three large mounds are included in the Bru na Boinne megalithic site -- visitors are allowed to see two of them (Knowth and Newgrange.)
A photo from the exhibit in the Visitor's Center, showing how Knowth was fully excavated and later restored.
Our guide at Knowth was fabulous! She gave a lively and interesting presentation of "5,000 years of history in 15 minutes"
The site at Knowth includes several smaller mounds. Each is ringed by stone and covered by soil. The mounds were generally used as tombs.
The larger mound at Knowth contains two passages, oriented east-west. Their entrance aligns with the rising or setting sun of the equinox.
We were allowed to go inside the passage at Knowth
A concrete entrance and staircase is added to the entrance at Knowth to allow visitors to go inside.
Roberta, climbing up the steps to exit the passage at Knowth.
Looking down one of the central passages in the Knowth mound. Photo by Martha Clark.
The quartz stone at the site was also transported to the area from a distance by neolithic people. Researchers could not agree on whether the stone was scattered around the entrance on the ground, as shown here, or applied on the outer vertical walls of the mound, as shown at Newgrange.
Roberta, on the path at Knowth. We enjoyed the view from this location.
Roberta, at the neolitic site of Knowth. We enjoyed the view from this location.
Steps leading to the top of the mound at Knowth
Visitors are also allowed to go on top of the mound at Knowth. The view of the Valley of the Boyne is spectacular.
Sara and Annis, walking along the path on the top of the mound at Knowth
View of the Valley of the Boyne from the top of the mound at Knowth
The stones ringing the mounds at Knowth, kerbstones, are etched with carvings done by people more than 5,000 years ago. For most of the stones, the meaning is not clear, but some include symbols which could be interpreted as markings of the moon, a river, or patterns of swirls. Some of the symbols are unique to Bru na Boinne, and some are found in similar motifs at other sites of ancient Celtic people in Breton (France) or Iberia (Spain/Portugal.)
Some of the smaller mounds were later used as shelter from invaders or storage for food.
The vertical post at the entrance to Knowth casts a shadow on the lozenge-shaped stone, serving as a solar timepiece. When the shadow aligns with a vertical marking on the lozenge stone, this coincides with the equinox.
The mound at Knowth has been fully restored. Kerbstones were replaced beneath a supporting (modern) concrete shelf, and in some cases, missing stones were replaced with similar stones but very clearly marked as "new" stones.
An example of a "new" stone that was placed on the site at Knowth by the Office of Public Works. Stones that were introduced to the site by modern efforts are so marked and dated so their placement is not misrepresented as a work of ancient people.
The Newgrange mound at Bru na Boinne is the largest mound of more than 37 funeral mounds on the site. It was built over a period of hundreds of years and dates to a period of around 3000 B.C.
The entrance stone at Newgrange is etched with triskeles, triple spirals.
The area above the doorway, the lentil, allows sunlight to penetrate the central passage and fall directly on the basin stone in the middle of the mound. But this happens only one time each year, on the winter soltice, and lasts only a minute or two.
Sara, enjoying the pastoral scene at Newgrange.
Sheep in the pasture at Newgrange
One of the kerbstones at Newgrange
One of he kerbstones at Newgrange
Megalithic art on one of the kerbstones at Newgrange. Photo by Annis Householder.
Molly Daniel, Martha Clark, Annis Householder and Roberta Clark (front) at Newgrange mound at Bru na Boinne. Photo by Martha Clark.
Molly Daniel, Martha Clark, Sara Burrus and Roberta Clark (front) at Newgrange mound at Bru na Boinne. Photo by Annis Householder.
Newgrange funeral mound
Newgrange mound at Bru na Boinne near Slane, Co Meath