Winter Solstice at Newgrange - A poem by Mary Mills


Newgrange Sostice Winter Solstice at Newgrange

Dark retreats before
the calculated caress
of sun's brightness.

Winter's hand pulls back
from a small ancient chamber;
light intensifies.

For a few minutes,
brilliance scatters kisses
before light recedes.

The night must return,
and we can draw light into
dark times if we try.

Poem by Mary Mills.

Written in Dr. Sylvia Baer's online Creative Writing:
Poetry class Gloucester County College, New Jersey.

Admission to the chamber of Newgrange for the Winter Solstice sunrise is by lottery. There is no on-line application system, however the obliging Staff at the Visitor Centre will fill out a form on your behalf. All are welcome to gather outside the entrance to the Newgrange mound on each of the mornings from December 18th to December 23rd inclusive, Sunrise is at 8.58am.

Winter Solstice Sunrise
Winter Solstice Sunrise - December 22nd 2010

Sunbeam from the Roofbox illuminates the chamber
Winter Solstice in the Newgrange passage - December 22nd 2009

Winter Solstice 2006
A glorious Winter Solstice Illumination from the 21st December 2006

Setting Sun Alignments

The Winter Solstice Setting Sun illuminates the chamber at the nearby Dowth mound and at the cairn on Slieve Gullion in Co. Armagh.

Boyne Valley Private Day Tour

Boyne Valley Tours Immerse yourself in the rich heritage and culture of the Boyne Valley with our full-day private tours. Visit Newgrange World Heritage site, explore the Hill of Slane, where Saint Patrick famously lit the Paschal fire. Discover the Hill of Tara, the ancient seat of power for the High Kings of Ireland. Book Now