Nevertheless, long before Romulus and Remus were said to have founded Rome, or the Greek city states spread their influence around the Aegean Sea or indeed centuries before the pyramids of Egypt were raised from the then lush pastures along the River Nile, Ireland was populated by a complex and sophisticated civilisation.

We know this from the impressive remains of the huge burial chambers in the Boyne Valley notably Dowth, Knowth and Newgrange. The famous passage grave at the latter location, 40km north of present-day Dublin, was built c.3200BC by a people who had the organisation not only to muster hundreds of labourers to transport and raise gigantic building stones but who had a detailed knowledge of the movements of the sun if not also of the moon and the stars.

On each midwinter day (21 December) a remarkable event has taken place without fail for over 5,200 years (unless, of course, the sky is overcast). On that day the rising sun penetrates a narrow roof shaft for a precious few minutes and bathes the interior of the monument with sunlight.

This was perhaps a signal to the people that the bleakness of winter was turning and that the days were lengthening again. Inexplicably this civilisation faded away and millennia would pass before any more significant building would appear on the Irish landscape.

Fords & Black Pools

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