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Loughcrew Equinox, March 2008

Staff from the Office of Public Works were at Cairn T on Carnbane East, Loughcrew for the equinox illumination on the mornings of 20, 21 and 22 March 2008.

Bright equinox sunrise breaking through a dark cloud bank over silhouetted hills at Loughcrew. Equinox sunrise at Loughcrew, March 2008.

Unfortunately for the people who gathered on 20 March the sunrise was totally obscured. On the 21st the rising sun occasionally broke through the clouds.

The best morning was the 22nd, which was a near perfect sunrise. When the sun rose above a little low cloud, Cairn T was brilliantly illuminated, rewarding the hardy souls who braved the arctic winds and below-freezing temperatures.

Crowd gathered at the gated entrance of Loughcrew Cairn T on a clear equinox morning, with the stone cairn rising behind. Visitors waiting at Cairn T during the March 2008 equinox illumination.

The chamber in Cairn T is quite small, so only five or six people can be inside at a time. The rest of the crowd waited patiently outside, making sure not to spoil the illumination inside by obstructing the sun at the entrance of the cairn.

People in winter coats around the gated entrance of Cairn T in low golden sunlight, with the stone cairn behind. Sunlight at the entrance and passage of Cairn T.
Equinox sunbeam lighting a flower-like carving on the Cairn T backstone inside the dark chamber. The equinox sunrise illuminating the chamber of Loughcrew Cairn T.
Cairn T backstone still glowing with reflected sunlight after the direct beam has retreated, photo from Mythical Ireland. After the sun has retreated from the chamber, this photo from MythicalIreland.com shows the afterglow in which significant reflected sunlight still reaches the rear stone.
Loughcrew Cairn T after sunrise with visitors standing on the grass before the gated entrance. By 7:20am the sun had retreated from the passage and chamber.

By 7:20am the sun had retreated from the passage and chamber and I was about to join my fellow enthusiasts for an organic breakfast at the nearby Loughcrew Gardens.

Book cover: Light Years Ago by Tim O'Brien, with a golden flower-like sun carving on dark stone. Light Years Ago: A Study of the Cairns of Newgrange and Cairn T Loughcrew, Co. Meath, Ireland by Tim O'Brien shows that the symbols of the sun engraved on the backstone of Cairn T at Loughcrew are precisely positioned to measure solar movement. A beam of light from the rising sun around the time of the March and September equinoxes is mapped on the backstone.

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Loughcrew Video: Spring Equinox 2005

The progress of the sunbeam on the backstone inside Cairn T at Loughcrew was video recorded at sunrise on the morning of 23 March 2005. The 50 minute video has been compressed to 1 minute 46 seconds and included in the following YouTube video.

Spring Equinox sunrise at Loughcrew Cairn T, March 2005.

Gossan Stones Equinox Sunrise Alignment

Equinox sunrise framed between two standing stones at the Gossan Stones in the Wicklow Mountains. The equinox sunrise is framed by the Gossan Stones in the Wicklow Mountains.
Tall view of equinox sunlight illuminating sun symbols, zigzags and ladder motifs on the Cairn T backstone at Loughcrew. Equinox sunlight on the backstone in Cairn T.

Loughcrew Equinox Archive

See also the main Loughcrew Equinox page and Boyne Valley Tours Equinox.

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