Exploring Ireland's Ancient Monuments and Secrets

Ireland is home to a vast array of historical and cultural attractions. However, the country's newest tourism initiative is Ireland's Ancient East, which aims to cover its ancient monuments.

The country offers its best-known sites, including the Hill of Tara, Kilkenny Castle, Newgrange alongside less-visited local secrets. The site starts at the four peaks of Carnbane East, Carnbane West, Patrickstown and Carrigbrack, located just 80km northwest of Dublin in County Meath. According to Belfast CitySightSeeing, this is the magnificent UNESCO World heritage, which dated 3,200BC. It is also considered as one of the oldest and largest Neolithic burial chambers in Europe predating the Egyptian pyramids.

Visitors to Ireland also pay a visit to the megalithic passage tomb at Newgrange, in County Meath. As claimed by Knowth, it was built around 3200 BC. The historical attraction dates back to before the construction of the pyramids in Egypt. It has also been declared as a UNESCO World Heritage site, welcoming over 200,000 visitors every year.

The design of the passage and chamber means that they light up during the summer and winter solstice. However, experiencing this phenomenon could mean a long wait since a lot of people are booking their visits in this historical place.

Moreover, the three other hills running east to west in a 4km chain that made up what might be Ireland's finest and least-known, is called the Stone Age landscape. Built by the first farmers of Ireland around 5,000 years ago, these megalithic mounds make up one of the largest groupings of cairns in the whole country, with the main concentrations on Carnbane West and Carnbane East, where Cairn T is the centerpiece.

County Meath is also home to the Great Mound and is similar to the passage tomb at Newgrange. It is allegedly deeply incised in the hearts and minds of the Irish, as mentioned by Ireland For Visitors. This monument was built around 5000 years ago and has guided tours running from the Bru na Boinne Visitor Centre, close to the village of Donore.

Another place of interest is Kells, which is home to a round tower that was constructed to protect natives against the invading Vikings and remains today. The original monastery is also present and this is where the famous Book of Kells. The book has since been moved to Trinity College Dublin, where thousands of people go to visit it every year.

From then on, the landscape of Ireland has been adorned by considerably every visitor who experience the ancient monuments. Many of these guests would even testify  that the moment makes them feel transported into another world, one that belonged to a different time and different people.