Irish passage tombs tend to occur in clusters traditionally described as a Necropolis or cemetery. The Boyne cluster includes Newgrange, Knowth, Dowth and Townleyhall. The other great clusters in County Meath are on the hills around Loughcrew.

The ancient Boyne Valley passage tomb mounds at Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth have been designated World Heritage Site status by UNESCO and attract 200,000 visitors per year.

Knowth has two passages and is surrounded by seventeen satellite cairns. The site is open to the public; however there is no public access to the interior passages and chambers. Tours of Knowth also start at the Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre.

Judging from the splendour and magnificence of Newgrange and Knowth it is likely that these temples of the ancestors were places of astrological, spiritual, religious and ceremonial importance, much as present day cathedrals are places of worship where dignitaries may be laid to rest.

There is a lively debate about whether these wonderful megalithic structures were built primarily as burial tombs, sacred temples or astronomical observatories. While passage tomb is the traditional description for Newgrange and similar structures, chambered cairn or passage mound are the descriptions favoured by those who consider the passage tomb description too narrow.

The large stones surrounding and inside the Passage Tombs are decorated with Megalithic Art such as spirals, concentric circles, triangles, zigzags and images which have been interpreted as the sun, moon and the human face.

Dowth the Fairy Mound of Darkness is about the same size as Newgrange and Knowth and was built in the same period over 5000 years ago.

The mound was subjected to a very unprofessional excavation in 1847, two passage tombs were discovered but the mound was severely damaged in the process. The passages tombs are much less spectacular than Newgrange or Knowth with shorter passages and lower roofs.

Both are on the western side of the mound, they are referred to as Dowth North and Dowth South. The Dowth North passage is 14 metres in length; the chamber is cruciform in shape with an annex off the right hand recess, the chamber roof is corbelled and is 3 metres high. .

The Dowth South passage is only 3.5 metres in length with a simple circular chamber and a single recess to the right; the original roof collapsed long ago and has been replaced by a concrete roof. Dowth South is aligned to the setting sun of the winter solstice; the setting sun illuminates the passage and chamber from about 2pm to 4pm on the days around the winter solstice.

For more information see our Newgrange page here... or the Bru Na Boinne Centre here...

Located 15 minutes drive from CityNorth Hotel