Boyne Valley Northern Lights

Boyne Valley Northern Lights

Boyne Valley Northern Lights filled the sky on the night of May 11, 2024. A strong solar storm had just hit Earth. It was the most potent in over twenty years. Then the aurora, also called the Aurora Borealis, lit monuments across the Boyne Valley. Charged particles hit gases in the upper air. Because of that, color washed over Newgrange, Knowth, Dowth and other heritage sites.

Boyne Valley Northern Lights at Newgrange | Photo by Anthony Murphy

Boyne Valley Northern Lights at Newgrange

Newgrange stands in the Boyne Valley and dates to about 3200 BCE. It is a large circular mound with a stone passage and a chamber. On the winter solstice, sunlight can reach that inner room. So the builders left a clear mark of their sky-watching skill. On a standard OPW tour, visitors do enter the passage and chamber.

Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) at Newgrange | Photo by Ken Williams

Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) at Newgrange | Photo by Anthony Murphy

Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) at Newgrange | Photo by Corey Davenport

Boyne Valley Northern Lights at Knowth

Knowth sits close by and dates to about 3200 BCE. The main mound has two passages and chambers. Large kerbstones ring the base. In addition, many of them carry carved designs. That art is a record of the Neolithic people who built the mound. Visitors see the mound and the kerb. However, they do not enter either passage.

Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) at Knowth | Photo by Ken Williams

Dowth Passage Tomb

Dowth is the third great passage tomb in the Boyne Valley. Builders raised it around 3200 BCE. Like Newgrange and Knowth, it has a large circular mound with passages and chambers. It is less famous than the other two. Still, it holds megalithic art. It also lines up with a solar event, as Newgrange does.

Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) at Dowth | Photo by Ken Williams

Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) at Dowth | Photo by Anthony Murphy

Loughcrew Cairns

Loughcrew is a group of passage tombs in County Meath. The cairns date to around 3300 BCE. Several stone mounds hold burial chambers with Neolithic art. In addition, some tombs line up with celestial events. That again shows how closely these builders watched the sky.

Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) at Loughcrew | Photo by Anthony Lynch Photography

Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) at Loughcrew | Photo by Loughcrew Megalithic Center

Bective Abbey

The Cistercian Order founded Bective Abbey in 1147. The limestone ruins sit in the Boyne Valley by the river. Cloisters and arches still stand. The site later appeared in the film Braveheart. For that reason, many visitors know the ruins from the screen as well as from the ground.

Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) at Bective Abbey | Photo by Andrew Yeates

Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) at Bective Abbey | Photo by Andrew Yeates

Monasterboice

Saint Buithe founded Monasterboice in the 5th century. The monastery became a center of faith, learning and art. Muiredach’s Cross is the best known of its carved high crosses. A round tower also marks the site. Today people still come to walk the grounds and pause.

Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) at Monasterboice | Photo by Richard Hatch Photography

Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) at Muiredach’s Cross, Monasterboice | Photo by Richard Hatch Photography

Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) at Monasterboice | Photo by Richard Hatch Photography

Spire of Lloyd

Henry Aaron Baker designed this inland lighthouse near Kells in 1791. Thomas Taylour, the First Earl of Bective, paid for the work. The tower also gave jobs during a local famine. Joseph Beck and Owen Mc Cabe were among the craftsmen. A plaque records the build and shows the Headfort coat of arms. In the 19th century, people used it to watch horse racing and hunting. Inside, 164 steps climb to a wide view of the countryside.

Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) at the Spire of Lloyd | Photo by Ray Kelly

Hill of Skreen

The Hill of Skreen, also called Skryne, sits a short way east of the Hill of Tara. In 875, monks brought the shrine and relics of St. Colmcille here for safe keeping. Its older name was Achall. Today’s name comes from that shrine. Builders raised the present church and tower in the 15th century. In the 12th century, Hugh de Lacy granted the Barony of Skryne to Adam de Feipo, his finest knight.

Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) on the Hill of Skreen | Photo by Catherine Clinton

Seeing the lights from Ireland

People usually link the aurora to the Arctic Circle. However, Ireland can see it when a strong solar storm and a dark, clear night line up. Then green, purple and red light can wash the northern sky.

Ireland does not sit in the auroral oval. Even so, a geomagnetic storm can push the display farther south. For example, the May 2024 storm did that. So photographers caught the glow over the Boyne Valley. These Boyne Valley Northern Lights photos show how far south the aurora reached.

Patience helps if you want to try again. Check aurora forecasts. Also pick a dark site with a clear view north. Coastal spots and open fields work better than lit towns.

Boyne Valley Northern Lights remain a rare sight. They still draw people back to these old mounds after dark.

Visit the Boyne Valley with Boyne Valley Tours

Enjoy a private day tour from Dublin to the Boyne Valley. We tailor the itinerary to your interests and handle the driving and logistics. The OPW-guided visit from the Brú na Bóinne Visitor Center includes Newgrange and Knowth. Afterwards, continue to the Hill of Slane and the Hill of Tara. Because this is a private tour, you can choose other sites instead.

Book online now! Inquire now!