The Winter Solstice at Newgrange, County Meath. Roisin Fitzpatrick

It was lights on at Newgrange for the Winter Solstice as what's possibly the oldest clock in the world, is captured in a spectacular new light.

The Winter Solstice at Newgrange in the UNESCO World Heritage site of Brú na Bóinne is a phenomenon of epic proportions. In an act of incredible ancient engineering, the passage tomb was built so that every year during the Winter Solstice, on a clear day, the rising sun would illuminate the burial chamber of this over 5,000-year-old passage tomb.

This ingenious design was constructed approximately 1,000 years before Stonehenge and 500 years before the great pyramids of Giza in Egypt.

Five millennia later, it hasn’t lost any of its wonder but it’s rare that more than a select few can see how it all works without the assistance of CGI… Even those attending on the key days who get the opportunity to be inside the chamber often have to contend with low lying clouds that block the dawn light. 

That’s all about to change, though, thanks to internationally acclaimed Irish artist and best-selling author, Roisin Fitzpatrick, who has recorded the sunlight beautifully illuminating the megalithic chamber in flawless 4K UHD for the first time. So sit back, and enjoy this ancient light-show… 

The video of Newgrange is the first of a wider range of 4K UHD videos created by Roisin Fitzpatrick highlighting the solar illumination experiences at various megalithic sites on the island of Ireland.

The purpose of these videos is to share Ireland’s unique cultural heritage both in Ireland and around the world. The video vignette is 16 seconds long with a soundtrack by Moya Brennan, the First Lady of Celtic Music. It serves as a sample of a longer piece, which will be shown alongside the full exhibition about light and ancient Ireland entitled, inLIGHTin Ireland, which will be launched in 2020.

Speaking about capturing the footage, Fitzpatrick said: "It’s been a joy to capture the Winter Solstice at Newgrange so that everyone can have the opportunity to witness the spectacular solar phenomenon.

“To give voice and vision, through the use of modern technology, to the ingenuity of our ancestors who built Newgrange over five millennia ago is a dream come true and has been my greatest joy as an artist."