Prehistoric & Early Christian Ireland
The term "prehistory" can be used to refer to all time since the beginning of the universe, although it is more often used in referring to the period of time since life appeared on Earth, or even more specifically to the time since human-like beings appeared. The date marking the end of prehistory, that is the date when written historical records become a useful academic resource, varies from region to region. For example, in Egypt it is generally accepted that prehistory ended around 3200 BC, whereas in New Guinea the end of the prehistoric era is set much more recently, at around 1900 AD.
This web site features many megalithic, early christian and fortified sites we have visited around Ireland.
The Ceide Fields neolithic site in County Mayo, Ballycastle, Ireland, contains the oldest known stone-walled fields in the world - dating back nearly 6,000 years.
A new portal for Irish archaeology set up by an archaeologist with too much time on their hands.
Gabriel Cannon presents photographs, descriptions and location details of all the known Irish sheelas, with book list, trivia, links and author profile.
This database contains summary accounts of all the archaeological excavations carried out in Ireland - North and South - from 1985 to 1999.
The Megalithic Passage Tombs of Newgrange, Knowth, Dowth, Fourknocks, Loughcrew and Tara are located in the present day County of Meath on the east coast of Ireland. The Boyne Valley Mounds at Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth were built around 3200BC making them older than Stonehenge in England and the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt.
Newgrange was constructed over 5,000 years ago (about 3,200 B.C.), making it older than Stonehenge in England and the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt. Newgrange was built during the Neolithic or New Stone Age by a farming community that prospered on the rich lands of the Boyne Valley. Knowth and Dowth are similar mounds that together with Newgrange have been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
The Group for the Study of Irish Historic Settlement. Founded in 1969, the Group aims to examine the nature and development of Irish settlement, whether from the perspective of the historical geographer, archaeologist, architect or historian.
The Old Library and the Book of Kells Exhibition – a “must see†on the itinerary of all visitors to Dublin. Located in the heart of Dublin City, a walk through the cobbled stones of Trinity College Dublin will bring visitors back to the 18th century, when the magnificent Old Library building was constructed. Inside is housed the Book of Kells - a 9th-century gospel manuscript famous throughout the world.
High Crosses or Celtic Crosses as they are also known, are found throughout Ireland on old monastic sites. Along with the Book of Kells and the Book of Durrow, these High Crosses are Ireland's biggest contribution to Western European Art of the Middle Ages. Some were probably used as meeting points for religious ceremonies and others were used to mark boundaries.
The Ceide Fields of Co. Mayo is an area that is indistinguishable from the miles of bogland that stretch far to the west on the Belmullet peninsula. The Ceide Fields site, in County Mayo, covering more than four square miles of ordinary farmland, comprises the oldest enclosed landscape in Europe. Buried for almost fifty centuries, Ceide Fields is a snapshot of the Irish countryside from five millennia ago. One of the qualities that distinguishes Ceide Fields from other settlements is that, unlike places in Europe that have been under continuous cultivation for centuries, agriculture stopped 5,000 years ago.
Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and many other areas of western Europe, back 25,000 years. How is this spiritual history relevant to our lives today?
Items of Irish interest include bibliographies on Old and Early Christian Irish studies, and the Vikings.
Between the 5th and 8th centuries there was a remarkable flourishing of Celtic Christianity. Monastic Ireland brings to life the stories of the Celtic saints, their vibrant spirit and the places associated with them.
Stonehenge, stone circles, dolmens, ancient standing stones, cairns, barrows, hillforts and archaeology of megalithic Europe.
Including dolmens, court and passage tombs, crannogs stone forts, and standing stones and stone circles.
Megalithomania is a site originally dedicated to Irish megaliths, but now expanded to include all sorts of antiquities that are of importance/interest.
Climate, landscape, and degree of insularity of a place shape the way its inhabitants perceive the world and the possiblities of action on the part of the inhabitants.
This site is dedicated to provide pictures and information about Ancient Irish antiquities visited by the webpage's owners.
Below is an illustrated index of the sacred sites and religious places in Ireland profiled so far on Sacred Destinations, listed in alphabetical order by name.
Between the 5th and 8th centuries there was a remarkable flourishing of Celtic Christianity.
The Irish countryside is unique in Europe in the number of upstanding ancient monuments that survive from past ages. These range from 6,000-year-old megalithic tombs to earthen ringforts, of early medieval date, to castles, churches and other buildings of more recent date.
The Standing Stone features information, pictures and discussion about historical sites in Ireland with a focus on the midland region.
This website is the result of on-going love and passion for Archaeology as well as our devotion to the wonderment of the many Megalithic monuments throughout Ireland. All counties of Ireland are covered, some more extensively than others, and include photos, information & co-ordinates of sites. Continuously being up-dated with some fantastic photos of these extraordinary monuments, which have stood proudly today as a durable testament to their ingenious builders.