Newgrange: Yes, It's Older than the Pyramids

As a part of the Ireland program, I'm required to go on a number of trips all around the country. This last weekend, we were taken to Newgrange, the Hill of Tara, and Monsterboice. When a friend of mine told her Irish roommates where we were headed they said (and don't get upset mom, this is a direct quote), "Now why would you wanna go there? That place is shite!" What a great way to get pumped for a trip, right?

So Saturday morning at 9 am, a flock of Saint Mary's girls stood outside the Resident's Office waiting for our bus. Once we were on it, I was out. I've come to the realization that any sort of movement that's caused by transportation puts me to sleep instantaneously. Whether it be bus, plane, train, or boat, I am out within seconds, no matter what position I'm in or who I'm sitting next to.

Anywho! I eventually woke up to the impatient taps and eventual shoves of my friends. Newgrange is epic. It's not "shite" like the Irish seem to hold to. In fact, it's fascinating. For something built over 5,000 years ago, it's unbelievable. There's no mortar and it doesn't leak, the stones have been brought in from everywhere and the sun still lights up the inner chamber on the winter solstice. Standing in front of it makes you wonder how people did this and how it's still standing after so long. We were lucky enough to go inside the tomb where they found several bodies. Getting inside can be a little terrifying just because the entrance is so small and you have to duck down to make it, but when you're finally in the chamber, the ceiling is tall and open. 5,000 years ago people stood in that same chamber. Granted they were probably in there for religious purposes instead of tourist ones, but still, they probably stood in awe of the structure the same as we do today. Sadly, they don't allow pictures inside the tomb but I found some on the internet that will hopefully satisfy anyone's appetite to see what it looks like.

Just to put it in perspective: Newgrange predates the Pyramids of Giza by more than 500 years. It was built 1,000 years before Stonehenge. And over 2,500 years before the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.

Next we made our way to Monsterboice which is where the ruins of Mellifont Abbey stand. Founded in 1142, the Abbey was one of the biggest in Ireland and is a historical gem. Although now it's only ruins, you can still imagine what it might looked like. Giant remnants of pillars sit to the sides, leading up to a huge cistern that still stands. We didn't get very long to wander the site but it was nonetheless interesting.

Afterward, Roberta (the lady who runs the program over here and who I prefer to call Bertskis), took us all out to lunch at a fancy place in town. I, of course, got Roast Beef. When we're in a restaurant and someone else is paying I will always get beef, it's a known fact. It was delicious but the lunch was rushed and I didn't get much time to fully enjoy it. It's a shame too because I love roast beef.

After a quick stop at a local cemetery to get a good look at some high crosses, we arrived at Tara. There's a similar structure to Newgrange on the site, except it's a lot smaller, called the Mound of the Hostages. Ironically, they found more bodies there than at Newgrange. It just goes to show the importance of this area. Parallel to the tomb is another hill which has the Seat of the Kings on top of it. Around the hills are huge ditches that were man-made. And when I say huge ditches, I mean huge ditches. Not only are they deep but they seem to go on forever. Tara is said to have been the ancient site where the mythical kings of Ireland took power. Later on, Saint Patrick would use it to his advantage and would convert many of the Irish pagans there. His influence is still noticeable as there's a church to his name neighboring the hills and a giant statue at the entrance.

The Seat of the Kings is a lot like the story The Sword in the Stone. Except, instead of being able to pull a sword from a giant rock, if you sit on the throne and it roars, you're the true king of Ireland. When I first heard the myth I thought, "Oh, no big deal. It's probably just a giant rock that looks like a throne." It's not. It's just a giant rock. No wonder it was a big deal if you were the next king of Ireland; even with a running start it's a exhausting to haul yourself on top of it. I had to get some help, which was slightly embarrassing but nonetheless necessary. And in case you were wondering, no...I'm not the next king of Ireland. Shocker, right?
All in all the trip was fantastic. The company was great and the scenery beautiful. Tomorrow I believe we're going to Clonmanchnoise and the Rock of Cashel but don't quote me on that because I'll be honest and tell you straight up that most of the time I have no idea what's going on around me. It's a good thing I have friends who do. If there's one thing I've learned about Ireland, it's that nothing is ever set in stone.