• Our first stop of the tour was at the Neterville House to see the passage tomb located on the grounds.

• The passage tomb on the grounds of the Neterville House

• Church ruins and a graveyard on the grounds of the Neterville House

• Our tour guide, archaeologist Michael Gibbons, showing us carvings in stones on the periphery of the passage tomb

• Michael prepares to highlight the carvings by rubbing them with grass

• A carved vertical line often identifies the entrance to a passage tomb. This tomb has not been excavated.

• The Newgrange passage tomb. The white stone is a modern interpretation that undoubtedly does not reflect the original appearance of the passage tomb.

• Maeve MacPherson, our guide at Newgrange

• At sunrise on the Winter Solstice, sunlight shines through the opening above the entrance and through the passage, illuminating the central chamber of the passage tomb.

• The triskele, three interwoven swirls, is a commonly seen Celtic symbol.

• A view from Newgrange

• A view from Newgrange

• Stone carvings at Newgrange

• Stone carvings at Newgrange. The stone ledge is a modern addition installed to protect the ancient stone carvings.

• Stone carvings at Newgrange

• Michael Gibbons and stone carvings at Newgrange

• Stone carvings at Newgrange

• Newgrange Farm was our lunch stop

• An ancient breed of Irish cattle at Newgrange Farm

• Newgrange Farm

• According to tradition, the Hill of Tara was the seat of the High King of Ireland.

• The layout of the Hill of Tara

• This model of the Hill of Tara is located in the National Museum: Archaeology in Dublin.

• Key to the features in the model shown in the previous photo

• A large rectangular area with banks on two parallel sides is called the Banqueting Hall and was probably the entrance to Tara.

• Looking toward the Mound of the Hostages, a small passage tomb, from the Banqueting Hall

• lia fáil (Stone of Destiny) atop the Forrad (Royal Seat)

• Lia Fáil, the Stone of Destiny, is reputedly the location of the coronations of the ancient High Kings of Ireland.

• The circular depression surrounded by a berm is called Cormac's House, named for the legendary King of Tara, Cormac Mac Airt.

• Mound of the Hostages

• The Mound of the Hostages gets its name from the custom of Irish kings taking high-ranking enemies as hostages.

• Path to the Hill of Tara Visitor Center

• There is evidence that a church was built on this site as early as 1200 A.D. Christians commonly built their churches on important pre-Christian sites, such as the Hill of Tara. This modern church (1822-23), called St. Patrick's and now a visitor center, sits on the eastern side of the Hill of Tara.

• Visitor center/church

• Stone wall surrounding visitor center/church

• The Hill of Skryne (Skreen) is visible to the east from the Hill of Tara

• The ruin of the 15th century Skreen Church sits atop the Hill of Skreen