We left Dublin behind, which was just fine with Summer, who craved the countryside. We headed for Newgrange, a fascinating megalithic tomb from 3,200 B.C.
A tour guide led us down a narrow, low-ceilinged passageway to a chamber with carvings and altars. The corbeled roof of this chamber has remained watertight for 5,000 years.
Each year on the winter solstice, the dawn's first rays penetrate a gap in the stones and shine a shaft of light into the chamber for 17 minutes. Scientists estimate it would have taken a workforce of 300 people 20 years to build this thing. You can enter a lottery to be in there on the solstice day.
Here is a picture of a famous tri-spiral carving at Newgrange. It's kind of a symbol of Ireland.
So very cool.
Then we struck out for the west, towards our village home of Oughterard outside of Galway. Just outside of Newgrange we stopped to snap this pic, which our friends outside the computer might especially appreciate.
We stopped at Clonmacnois, a sixth-century monastic ruin on a pretty spot by a river, where there are some high crosses. Here, Summer was our tour guide.
As you can see, Clonmacnois is popular with the tourists.
We drove on to Galway, where I loaded up a grocery cart with Jaffa Cakes, tea, milk, sugar, and Jaffa Cakes. We stopped in Moycullen for dinner at The Forge and then finally turned in at our rented house in Oughterard, which now, on our fourth trip there in 13 years, feels like home away from home. Cousins Kevin and Betty had procured a pack-n-play for Oscar and there was even a new TV.
A shaft of light on the winter solstice? Very Outlander. Don't do it, Jill! You must stay here with us! There's no email in the 16th century!
Posted by: Paula | October 05, 2009 at 09:35 AM
Newtown Stud! Got to frame and hang that one!
Posted by: Paula | October 05, 2009 at 09:36 AM
Taking photos with funny signs - my very favorite vacation activity!
Posted by: Heather | October 07, 2009 at 08:58 AM