2024 Ireland Pilgrimage Itinerary

The Boyne Valley reaches back in time to when earliest farmers came to Ireland and joined the hunter-gatherer societies who lived there. It is rich with neolithic monuments that show it to be a major center for these peoples. The scope and complexity of these sites is the largest known in all of Europe. The Boyne river flows through this valley, and in Celtic lore is said to be created by the Goddess Boann, with the name of the river meaning “white cow”. In legend it is the river where Fionn mac Cumhail captured the Salmon of Knowledge.

These sites were used consecutively by the neolithic farmers, the iron age peoples, the celts, and the Christians right up to medieval times and into the modern era. They embrace some 5000 years of human history.

Newgrange is one of the most important neolithic sites. It has also been restored, so it is a delight to see. The megalithic sites are always oriented to important solar and lunar alignments. At Newgrange this is exquisitely seen because on the dawn of the winter solstice the rays from the rising sun come into the chamber through a window placed above the entryway, and illuminate the center of the chamber.

Four Knocks, a neolithic passage tomb built about 5000 years ago, is another neolithic site in the Boyne Valley. While Newgrange art is full of spirals and circular designs, Four Knocks art is almost entirely diamond and serrated patterns. This passage tomb is much less visited than it’s more prominent cousins, and we hope to do a meditation here. A quote from wikipedia: It was unknown to archaeology until 1949, when a woman making a visit to Newgrange mentioned, "there are mounds like this on my uncle’s farm."

Mellifont Abbey is the first Cistercian monastery in Ireland, established in the 12th century. At the consecration of the church it is said to have banished the High King of Meath, while receiving gifts from other provincial kings. It later served as the headquarters for the victor of the Battle of the Boyne, a battle fought between the existing Protestant ruling class and the Irish displaced Catholics. This battle was important to Ireland, but also in a larger context was part of the conflict between the Papacy and King Louis XIV of France against the Grand Alliance (non-catholic) countries of Europe.

The Hill of Slane, another megalithic site, has a legend that it was the place where St. Patrick defied the ruling High King of Tara by lighting the Paschal fire at Easter. This fire, according to legend, was ritually lit from Tara as the first fire of the year. When St. Patrick appropriated this ritual into a Christian ritual, this seems to have been the focal point of establishing Christianity in Ireland. It became a Franciscan monastery, was dissolved by Henry VIII, was restored and housed Capuchins monks, who were then driven out by Oliver Cromwell. The ruins can still be seen today.