Dublin via Brú na Bóinne

Thursday, 5 September 2019

I was up last night until after midnight trying to figure out our lodging situation for the next 5 days.  Before leaving the United States, I had all of Ireland planned out since it was the summer and I was worried about finding lodging without making reservations in advance.  Well, on Friday, we are flying to England and I have no lodging planned yet.  Of course, the first weekend we are there, we will be in the Lake District where locals visit for the weekend.  Now, with this being only 2 days away, I had problems finding lodging.  I slept on it, and this morning I booked a few rooms.

After getting that done, we got ready and went down for breakfast which included some incredible pastries.  We then packed up and left.  Today we are going to Brú na Bóinne, an archeological site consisting of two 5,000- year -old  passage tombs called Knowth and Newgrange.

We first toured Knowth, the larger of the two.  Knowth is surrounded my some minor mounds as well.  Tim got a really good photo of Knowth:

At the entrance of Knowth is a standing stone that casts a perfect shadow into the entrance-way on the lunar equinox.

Standing stone

Around Knowth is also a few different wood-henges.  The wood obviously isn't original, but they are standing in the original post holes that was found.

We were able to enter the passage but weren't able to walk down it.  It was still pretty impressive.

One of the astonishing things at Brú na Bóinne is all the paleolithic rock carvings.  Check out these works of early art:

We then went to see Newgrange.   This mound wasn't as big, but we will be able to go inside.

Newgrange

We weren't able to take photos inside, so Tim caught me coming out.  By the way, inside was a long passage with three small alcoves at the end with carved stones throughout.  The tour guide shut off the light and an artificial "sun" was turned on.  He showed us what it would be like to be here during the lunar equinox.  Pretty cool.

More cool rock carvings.

We left Brú na Bóinne and headed to Dublin.  Next on the agenda is a visit to Kilmainham Gaol, a former jail where many Irish revolutionaries, including the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising, were imprisoned and executed in the prison by the British.  It was originally built in 1796.  Tim got some pretty good photos:

Check out this main cell block area. The ceiling is glass covered bringing in natural light.

Here is the yard where 14 of the Easter Uprising leaders were hung and became martyrs.  The tour guide stated that this to her was the most important area of the jail since it was here and these hangings that brought all of Ireland together and against British rule.  Before they were hung, there were many that did not agree with Irland claiming independence from Great Britain.  After the hangings, people changed their minds.

Another good shot by Tim.  I love the shadows on the walls.

After the prison we dropped off the rental car and walked 1.5 miles to our apartment for the night.  We searched the internet for restaurants to go to tonight and decided on going to the market and buying something there to cook here.  I found a frozen pizza and some pasta and Tim found a rotisserie chicken.

Tomorrow we fly to Liverpool and head north to the Lake District of England.  Until then...