One of the eight sacred days in Ireland’s Celtic tradition, the summer solstice, falling this year on June 20, is associated with fertility, nature and new beginnings.
It’s the perfect time to visit some of the island’s key archaeological sites where the solstice is celebrated in gatherings that recall ancient traditions.
The Hill of Tara is the ancient seat of the high kings of Ireland and for centuries was considered to be the island’s most sacred place. Once believed to be the entrance to the otherworld, it is steeped in mythology. The Lia Fáil or Stone of Destiny, which was used to choose the king, still stands there. For millennia, crowds have gathered on the Hill of Tara to witness the dawn of the solstice, usually around 4am, many believing that there is a special energy there and a connection with the past. As the sun rises it is greeted with informal music and storytelling performances.
A number of Irish Neolithic tombs appear to have celestial alignments that are evident at the summer and winter solstices. The most famous is Newgrange, one of Ireland’s most important archaeological sites, which is part of Brú na Bóinne, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Over 5,000 years old, Newgrange predates the great pyramid of Giza in Egypt and Stonehenge in Great Britain. Famous for the illumination of the tomb at dawn on the winter solstice, Newgrange is now thought to have archaeoastronomical significance at sunset on the summer solstice. A visit to the tomb is only possible on a guided tour but from a distance you can watch the setting sun skimming the edge of the tomb on the summer solstice.