BEAUTIFUL SUNRISE MARKS WINTER SOLSTICE 2008 AT BALTRAY
While 400 people were disappointed at Newgrange to see no sunrise, and countless thousands of others who waited to watch the Winter Solstice phenomenon live on the internet also missed out, a small gathering of 20 people had a spectacular dawn at Baltray standing stones, at the mouth of the Boyne just a few miles downstream from Newgrange. With 98% cloud cover, there was a tiny strip of sky visible just in the direction of sunrise, and at precisely 8.38am the sun did its duty and peered up from beneath the Irish Sea. Click here to see the full gallery from the event.
Island of the Setting Sun 2nd Edition The revised and expanded 2nd edition of acclaimed book available now
Ireland is home to some of the world’s oldest astronomically-aligned structures, giant stone monuments erected over 5,000 years ago. Despite their apparent simplicity, these megalithic edifices were crafted by a scientifically knowledgeable community of farmers who endeavoured to enshrine their beliefs in a stellar afterlife within the very fabric of their cleverly-designed stone temples.
The cover of the revised and expanded second edition of Island of the Setting Sun.
In this updated and revised edition of their best-selling book, Anthony Murphy and Richard Moore present evidence suggesting the builders of monuments such as Newgrange and its Boyne Valley counterparts were adept astronomers, cunning engineers and capable surveyors. Their huge monuments are memorials in stone and earth, commemorating their creators’ perceived unity with the cosmos and enshrining a belief system which resulted from a crossover between science and spirituality.
As investigation of this awe-inspiring civilisation of people continues on many levels, evidence is emerging that significant archaeological sites dating from deep in prehistory are linked – not just through mythology, archaeology and cosmology – but through an arrangement of complex, and in some cases astonishing, alignments. Some of these alignments of ancient sites stretch from one side of Ireland to another.
While the accounts of the lives of some prominent Irish saints appear to be steeped in folklore and mystery, it seems from new interpretations of the literature that the cosmic world view which existed in Neolithic Ireland experienced a continuity right into the Early Christian period.
Join us on this fascinating exploration of stones, stars and stories. Island of the Setting Sun was launched in December 2006 and was sold out 13 months later in January 2008. The second edition is revised and expanded, with new images and more fascinating insights into ancient Ireland. It will be officially launched in Dublin Castle on Thursday, September 25th. We'd love to see you there.
See more about Island of the Setting Sun on this page | See photos from the launch night here
Critical acclaim for Island of the Setting Sun
“A fascinating insight into Ireland’s ancient burial sites” – Irish Independent
“A monument” – Drogheda Independent
“The sheer amount of information contained within the book is mind-boggling. It is well thought out and structured . . . The more you read the evidence the more convinced you become.” – Astronomy & Space
“The authors . . . reach interesting and challenging conclusions about the significance of ancient astronomical knowledge. The book is jammed with colour illustrations, maps and photographs. A thoroughly interesting read!” – Archaeology Ireland
"An essential book that demonstrates just how much the beliefs and practices of our ancestors were influenced by the movement of the stars. . . . A must have tome for all those passionate about what remains of our fast disappearing ritual monuments of the prehistoric age." - Andrew Collins, author of The Cygnus Mystery
“A recent, beautifully written and illustrated publication, Island of the Setting Sun offers a thought-provoking merger of the studies of archaeology, astronomy and folklore, to explain Newgrange's significance.” Geraldine and Matthew Stout, authors of Newgrange
Latest video - Astro Expo, Trinity College
New video: Astro Expo
Mythical Ireland has expanded with a new section devoted to giving you a taste of Ireland in audio visual. Our new video section will feature short movies which will add a new dimension to the whole Mythical Ireland experience. While we strive to give you a good flavour of ancient Ireland and its myths in words and pictures, we would like to allow you to see in moving imagery the sights that Ireland has to offer.
The latest video is a news bulletin from the annual Astro Expo event, this year held at Trinity College Dublin, at which Mythical Ireland was an exhibitor. Our new video page can be found by clicking this link. Older news bulletins are on our news page. We do hope you enjoy this new experience!
Mythical Ireland Tours
Explore the mythical landscapes and hear the ancient stories and monuments decoded in our new tours of ancient Ireland. Visit the Boyne Valley or tour the High Man's mystic landscape. Click here to read more and for booking information.
"Peace
mounts to the heavens, the heavens descend to earth, earth lies under
the heavens,
everyone is strong . . ." Victory song of the Morrigan,
Book of Fermoy
"In the old time the people used to be looking at the moon and at the sun and the rest of the stars, travelling and ever-travelling, through the day, and at the flowing and ever-flowing of the world's wells and rivers, and at the sadness of the earth and the trance and the sleep of it with the coming of winter, and the rising of the world again with the coming of the summer." Great Wonders of the Olden Time, from Lady Gregory's Saints and Wonders
Island of the Setting Sun 2nd Edition 
Latest video - Astro Expo, Trinity College 
