Ireland was covered in glaciers up until about 15,000 years ago. As the ice melted and sea levels rose, the land bridge connecting it to Britain was flooded completely about 12,000 years ago. As a result, no new land mammal species have made their way into Ireland since that time without human assistance. Humans first arrived during the Mesolithic Era about 9,000 years ago. They were hunter-gatherers who left only small settlements, stone tools, and pottery in the archaeological record. Neolithic settlers brought farming to Ireland about 6,000 years ago. With their new agricultural lifestyle they brought cultural changes. These are the people who left iconic megalithic monuments scattered across Europe. Most, like Newgrange are tombs, but some are not. The function of tomb is most likely only half of what these monuments meant to the people of Neolithic Ireland. People spend their careers trying to guess at the significance and symbolism of stone circles, passage tombs, and dolmens; we have yet to receive confirmation from their creators. Our conclusions probably reveal more about our own culture than that of Neolithic farmers, but you can't deny the appeal of the ruin and you can't help but wonder. We revisit the prehistoric record because it is "good to think" as a famous anthropologist once said.
Newgrange, Neolithic passage tomb, Co. Meath.
Entrance to Newgrange. Note the carvings on the central stone. The opening above the doorway allows sunlight to illuminate the chamber inside on the morning of the Winter Solstice (weather permitting).
Poulnabrone Dolmen, Neolithic, Co. Clare. The remains of about thirty individuals and grave goods were interred here over a long period of time.
Browne's Hill Dolmen, Co. Carlow. The cap stone weighs over 1000 tons and is the largest in Europe. The site has never been excavated.
Uragh Stone Circle, Beara Peninsula, with Inchaquin Waterfall in the background.
Glebe Stone Circle, Cong. The largest and most complete stone circle I have seen so far; added bonus of grazing sheep.
Derreenataggart Stone Circle, Beara Peninsula.
The Paps of Anu, Co. Kerry. It's hard to see in the photo, but there is a cairn on each mountain tit, I mean top. I haven't seen too much info on this monument other than that Anu was an ancient fertility goddesss. This is one of my favorites because it shows how predictable people are-- think of the guys who named the Grand Tetons. I had seen these mountains in a book and was thrilled when we happened drive right past them on the highway.
