Newgrange is a prehistoric passage tomb located in Meath. If you’re Irish you’ll probably recognise it from two different places— the influx of media that it attracts during the Winter Solstice and the leaving cert art curriculum. 

When I was younger, Newgrange was a lot less professional than it is now. There wasn’t a visitor centre and it was far less maintained. However, with a bit of investment and interest in protecting the cultural heritage sites, it is now being given the treatment it deserves.

Newgrange was built roughly around 3200BC. It predates both the Egyptian pyramids and Stonehenge and is believed to have some religious significance to the pagan people that constructed it. It consists of a circular mound with a cross shaped passage on the inside. The standing stones which encircle it are believed to have been added at a later date than the initial time of building. 

Around Newgrange there are also ‘kerbstones’— large slabs of stone. Many of these feature some of Ireland’s most important parts of Neolithic art. 

 

Kerbstone 1 

This is one that will definitely be remembered by those who studied leaving certificate art. Kerbstone one, or the entrance stone as it is more commonly known, features motifs of triple spirals, spirals and lozenges. While these designs appear simplistic, they are impressive for the tools of the time. 

Kerbstone 52 

This kerbstone is located at the back of the mound and is one of the more heavily decorated stones at Newgrange. There is a natural groove in the slab and the artist has designed the stone with lozenges and spirals on the left side and oblong shapes with incisions on the right.

Obviously, Newgrange’s most notable function is its roof box that allows in light that illuminates the passage on the Winter Solstice. The much anticipated event is difficult to get tickets for and I’ve never attended, but it is supposed to be spectacular (weather-dependent, of course).