Filled with history, beauty and warm friendly people, what Ireland lacks in size it more than makes up for in heart! Easily traversed in one day, the Republic of Ireland isn’t a big country, but there is no shortage of worthwhile things to see and do which makes deciding where to stop along the way no easy task. The fact that it was our last day in this amazing place didn’t help matters.
Along the way from Galway to Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
Athlone Castle – Athlone, Ireland
86 km from Galway
Athlone’s moto is “At the heart of it!” a fitting moto since it’s right in the middle of the country! Both Athlone and Trim looked were lovely places and we would have liked to spend more time in each, however neither time nor weather were on our side, so after a quick walk to stretch our legs we grabbed snacks and off we went…
Trim Castle – Trim, Ireland
92 km from Athlone
Newgrange Visitor Center – County Meath, Ireland
126 km from Trim
- This is a very popular tourist destination especially during the winter solstice as this is the only time that light fills the tomb.
- You can’t get to the tomb without joining a tour
- The tours are only offered through the official visitor center
- Reservations cannot be made in advance and the tours do fill up
Upon arriving at the monument the guide will briefly explain the history and then split the group into two. While one group goes inside the passage tomb, the other explores the outside and then about 15 minutes later you switch. It’s tight inside, so you’ll be glad they split the group up!
While inside you’ll see a demonstration of what it would be like on the winter solstice when the sun shines into the tomb! No photography is allowed inside the passage tomb. I was amazed at how moved I was by the experience. The idea of standing in a place that had been in existence for thousands and thousands of years was very powerful. Afterwards while it was our turn to explore the outside I spent my time taking photos! The entire experience is about an hour long.
It was a long but incredibly fascinating day and a lovely way to end our visit to the Republic of Ireland!
Next stop:
Belfast, Northern Ireland
124 km from the Newgrange Visitor Center
Photo Gallery
Amazing craftsmanship!
5000 year old carvings!
No wonder this place was hidden for multiple millennia.
The countryside was beautiful.
Yes, the grass was wet!