Are the Newgrange tombs in Boyne Valley worth a visit?

[cruisinqt]

We are looking for a tour in Dublin and came across a tour going to Boyne Valley (Bru Na Boinne). Most tours go to Wicklow and Glendalough (along with Sally Gap and Lough Tay) and that area does sound interesting. But now that I’m reading about the tombs in the Boyne Valley area I’m more inclined to do a tour going there. It sounds like such a unique experience and I love historical sites. It includes a visit to Hill of Slane and Hill of Tara and possibly Trim or Slane castle and some Abbey’s too. Can you really go inside of the structure where the tombs are? Is it as interesting as it looks? Or is the Wicklow/Glendalough tour a more interesting area to visit? 

[Joanne G.]

I did tours to both Bru Na Boinne and to the Glendalough/Wicklow area on a land vacation in Dublin last year.  I found the tombs at Bru Na Boinne to be fascinating, definitely a unique experience.   Yes, you can enter one of them, through a passageway so narrow that you have to leave bags and purses in a locker before entering.   While inside, the effect of the sun shining in on the winter solstice is simulated.  

 

Our guide was a retired archeology professor, and his knowledge greatly enhanced the visit.   If you are interested in ancient cultures and mysteries, and you get a good guide to provide background information, the visit will likely be memorable.  The nearby Hill of Tara may initially just look like a big empty field, but a good guide will point out the features and tell the stories about why this was such an important place in Ireland's ancient history.    

 

The ruins of the 10th-12th century St. Kevin's monastery in Glendalough were also interesting. On my tour, the driver gave us background information while on the road, and then we were free to wander the monastery site on our own.  The Wicklow Mountain area that we went through to and from the site was beautiful, though unfortunately we had an overcast, rainy day.  And the rainy weather kept me from taking the walk from the monastery ruins to the two nearby lakes.  Full day Wicklow Mountain tours include other stops that my half-day tour didn't, so I can't comment on those.

 

I would recommend either tour, as long as you are genuinely interested in this type of experience.   An acquaintance said of her visit to Ireland that she got tired of seeing "piles of rocks." That made me laugh, but it made me realize not everyone finds these ancient sites as evocative as I do.  

 

Rick Steves did a show that includes both these sites.   https://www.ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/video/tv-show/dublin 

[cruisinqt]

20 hours ago, Joanne G. said:

Yes, you can enter one of them, through a passageway so narrow that you have to leave bags and purses in a locker before entering

Hmm this worries me because my husband is 6’6” and has a bad back. I watched the video and the inside of the tomb didn’t look near as fabulous as I thought it would. I imagined all of these tunnels, tombs and carvings on the wall. It’s still very cool though. I wonder if my husband could get through there. If you were visiting Dublin again and had to choose only one tour which would you choose to go on?

[VMax1700]

12 hours ago, cruisinqt said:

my husband is 6’6” and has a bad back.

 

12 hours ago, cruisinqt said:

I imagined all of these tunnels, tombs and carvings on the wall.

 

I would go with Glendalough and Wicklow.  If you can get to Enniskerry and Powerscourt House so much the better.

[Joanne G.]

If you had to do only one, I also would go with Glendalough and Wicklow, especially a full day tour that includes more places than the half-day tour I took.  I make this recommendation since you expressed a little disappointment in what Bru Na Boinne is actually like.   The ruins of the monastery, shown very briefly in the Rick Steves video, has more to appreciate visually than the tombs, and depending on the time you have, you could take a hike to one or both of the nearby lakes.  The surrounding countryside is picturesque.  

[cruisinqt]

2 hours ago, Joanne G. said:

I also would go with Glendalough and Wicklow

I guess that’s why most of the tours go there instead of Boyne Valley. I’m glad I researched it ahead of time thanks for your input. 

[cruisinqt]

5 hours ago, VMax1700 said:

If you can get to Enniskerry and Powerscourt House so much the better.

I’m looking at a private tour that’s more personalized so I can request places to go to. I’ll look into those places I appreciate the suggestion. 

[3Shelaghs]

All are great. If he can't crawl inside the tomb, he can take in all the external history, and inside the visitor centre. There are other important tombs nearby, (if you can talk the driver into a quick stop and hop a few fences). I visit the Hill of Tara every time I'm in country. It's very important to me even with all the sheep droppings. All the other listed areas are wonderful.

The Wicklows are lovely to stroll thru, the Monastery unique, the countryside lovely. Which ever one you choose, you can be assured they are all grand and good choices.

[cruisinqt]

5 hours ago, 3Shelaghs said:

There are other important tombs nearby, (if you can talk the driver into a quick stop and hop a few fences).

I’ve had total knee replacement surgery so I doubt I’d be able to hop some fences but my daughters love history and would jump at the chance to do so (pun intended lol.) 😆 Thanks for the info. 

[eileeshb]

Newgrange predates the pyramids so if you’re interested in truly ancient history then the boyne valley area is a good spot. I’m on the west coast of Ireland so have made many visits to a dolmen up in the Burren and there are a few ring forts around my area in addition to Ailwee cave where Stone Age era remains were found.  But there are these types of sites all over the country, check out the archeological website for Ireland.

Reference website for archaeology in Ireland

[cruisinqt]

32 minutes ago, eileeshb said:

check out the archeological website for Ireland.

I’ll do that thanks for the information it helps a lot. 

[irvington]

We really enjoyed Newgrange when we were there last summer. I have a real interest in things Neolithic but my husband and son also thought it was a highlight of the trip.