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Newgrange Winter Solstice Lottery Draw

Newgrange Lottery ApplicationNewgrange is best known for the illumination of its passage and chamber by the winter solstice sun. At dawn, from December 18th to 23rd, a narrow beam of light penetrates the roof-box and reaches the floor of the chamber. As the sun rises higher, the beam widens within the chamber so that the whole room becomes dramatically illuminated.

Admission to the chamber of Newgrange for the Winter Solstice sunrise is by lottery. Application forms are available at the reception desk in the Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre, where there is a special post box for completed application forms. There were 31,531 applications submitted for the 2011 Winter Solstice Draw. Application forms are now available for the 2012 Solstice Lottery Draw which will take place on September 28th 2012.

Applications by email

There is no on-line application system, however the obliging Staff at the Visitor Centre will fill out a form on your behalf. Email the following information to
  • Your Name
  • Address
  • Country
  • Telephone Number (including international code)
  • Email address
At the end of September each year, 50 names are drawn by local school children, 10 names for each morning the chamber is illuminated, 2 places in the chamber are awarded to each of the lottery winners. A reserve list is also drawn, the reserve list is there in case someone whose name is drawn for the initial list is not contactable or else finds it impossible to travel to Newgrange on the date they have been assigned. Places allocated by lottery are non-transferable. Lottery winners cannot offer their place in the chamber to someone else.


Sunrise at Newgrange