View from outside the passage tomb at Newgrange on Sunday, December 20. Brú na Bóinne Twitter
Sunlight flooded the Neolithic passage tomb at Newgrange on Sunday to mark the winter solstice.
The Office of Public Works (OPW) is live-streaming the spectacular phenomenon over a three-day period stretching from Sunday to Tuesday, allowing thousands of people to watch as a narrow beam of light penetrated the tomb's roof box and gradually illuminated the burial chamber.
The event was live-streamed again on Monday, but there was no sun due to cloudy conditions and the chamber remained in darkness.
The winter solstice will be live-streamed from within the chamber once more on Tuesday at 8:45 a.m. GMT.
You can watch the final event of the Newgrange winter solstice here. In the meantime, check out some of the best shots of the spectacular event on Sunday.
View looking into the passage tomb at Newgrange on December 20. Brú na Bóinne Twitter
Good Morning and Happy Solstice to you all. This morning the weather is not as favourable as yesterday. That will not dampen our spirits. We will be streaming live at 08.45 UTC https://t.co/Kxoa6ERxOu pic.twitter.com/Rjoo5fv88p
— Brú na Bóinne - Newgrange and Knowth (@newgrangeknowth) December 21, 2020
Such a wonderful experience, well done to Clare, Frank and all at @newgrangeknowth! ?
You can hear more from Clare and her 30+ years experience at #Newgrange on today's episode of our Newgrange and the Winter Solstice podcast miniseries for #AmplifyArchaeology #wintersolstice pic.twitter.com/w3uniZOZC2
— Neil Jackman (@JackmanNeil) December 20, 2020
In normal circumstances, the OPW allows a small number of people to enter the passage tomb to witness the winter solstice, but the organization has moved the event online in light of the coronavirus pandemic.
Last year, more than 30,000 people applied for the event in a lottery.
The Newgrange passage tomb is Ireland's best-known Neolithic structures and draws tourists from all over the world.
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Dating back to around 3200 BC, Newgrange is about 500 years older than the pyramids in Egypt and at least 1,000 years older than Stonehenge in England.
It is the most prominent site at the Brú na Bóinne Complex in Meath, which also includes similar passage tombs at Knowth and Dowth. The Brú na Bóinne Complex has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.