Newgrange Day

Yesterday was a great day of our two day field trip.  It was such a treat to start exploring the Irish countryside, as well as continue to meet new people in the program!

We began the day by leaving UCC at 8 in the morning and driving straight to Trim Castle in County Meath.  This was about a four and a half hour ride, which was a great time to catch up on sleep!  Trim Castle is the largest Anglo-Norman castle in all of Ireland.  It was a very beautiful structure, and luckily we had a great day to visit it!  The entire Archaeology class went on a tour of Trim Castle all the way to the very top.  There were lots of spiral stairs to navigate, which for someone who is clumsy, like myself, can be tricky!  At the top of the castle, there were never-ending views of the Irish countryside that were breathtaking.  I felt as if I needed someone to pinch me, it was so magnificent.

After Trim Castle, we drove to Newgrange in Boyne Valley.  Newgrange is a Passage Tomb from the Megalithic period (around 3200 BC).  This passage tomb is most famous for the entrance of the light on the Winter Solstice.  We were able to go on a tour of the tomb, and a demonstration of the solstice was provided.  It was such a short moment of light entering the tomb, but it was really beautiful and very one of a kind.

On our way to the hostel at the end of the day, we drove to Monasterboice, which holds the tallest high cross in Ireland, known as Muiredach's Cross.  There was also a very tall bell tower at the sight, known as the Round Tower.  It was later in the evening and very serene at this site.

From Monasterboice, we then drove to dinner in Slane, Co. Meath, which was where we were staying for the night.  We had a great dinner in Slane, and then went to a pub, Boyle's, with our professor.  He told us that in Ireland, it is rude not to order something at a pub!  Definitely not something I am used to hearing from professors back home.  The owners of Boyle's Pub were playing live music for a while when we got there, and were so friendly and welcoming to the large pack of Americans.  It was such a fun night!

We then headed to the hostel at the end of the night.  This was on a farm (which was evident by the smell), and my first time staying in a hostel!  It is definitely something I will have to get used to!

Be back tomorrow with the next leg of the trip!!

XO,

Caitlin

Trim Castle

Trim

Front: Heather from USD, Jane, Nichola from USD

Middle: Molly from USD, me, Katy from USD

Back: Chelsea, Nicole

Newgrange

Passage of Newgrange

Famous carved stone at Newgrange

Chelsea, Jane, me, Nicole, Molly, Heather at Newgrange

Me!

Tallest High Cross in Ireland.

The High Cross and Round Tower

Boyle's band