So geeked! I was able to spend a day at Newgrange, a place I’ve been feeling called to go to for many years. And we went on a guided tour by an author I’ve been following for a long time as well - Anthony Murphy of Mythical Ireland.

I chose two books to take with me on this European pilgrimage and his book on Irish mythology was one of them. While we were in France, I saw in his email newsletter that he was leading a rare, guided tour in Newgrange during the time we would be there, and I booked it immediately! The tour was fascinating. And of course, I got him to sign the book I brought.

Here are some notes about Newgrange:

~ The old Irish word for Newgrange is Brú na Bóinne, and can be translated as ‘Womb of the Moon'. Thought to be the womb of Boann, the mythological Irish goddess of the river Boyne (the river you can see in the photos).
~ There are two satellite tombs close by thought to be her breasts.
~ The entrance to Newgrange is aligned with the winter solstice, where the rays of the sun “impregnate the womb” consecrating the union of heaven and earth, where the days start to get longer and the sun is reborn.
~ When you walk through the entrance passage chamber in Newgrange to the center of the mound, it’s very long & narrow - resembling a birth canal.
~ While being inside it, it felt like every cell of my body was lighting up as if I was inside a giant crystal (unfortunately, I wasn’t allowed to take photos inside it, but I did sneak one! ).
~ Newgrange was once covered in quartz with one side of it restored to its quartz-y luster.

I am infused with fascination from the abundance of holy places sprinkled all over Ireland with its sacred geometry, myths, her/history, mystery, the warm loving people, and local lore combined with a deep dive into the mystical land of my ancestors. Feeling so much gratitude.