Ireland’s Ancient East: Ancient Sites Steeped in Folklore and Story

The oldest stories in Ireland are written into stone and earth. You feel them in the cool air that whips around you when you’re standing beside passage tombs and stone circles. In Ireland’s Ancient East, the legends and myths of old still reach out and touch us.

Together, let’s wander through the region’s most storied staircases, where folklore and history mingle with every shift of light. And, if you feel a little tug on your sleeve, don’t worry too much. It’s only the fairies having their fun.

Newgrange

Newgrange is where many Irish legends begin. The winter solstice light that filters into its passage is said to be a gift from Aengus, the god of love and poetry.

One story tells of how he fell for Caer, a woman who became a swan each year, and how he transformed into a swan himself so they could fly together over the Boyne.

When you step inside the passage, you’ll feel the deep pulse of time. The walls will tighten around you as you move toward the central chamber. And, when the sun strikes in midwinter, the entire passage brightens with a warm glow.

Outside, the hills rise clean against the sky, holding a quiet presence that’s lasted for thousands of years.

Loughcrew Cairns

North of Newgrange, Loughcrew’s hilltops carry their own stories of creation. The cairns are said to be formed by a giantess who dropped stones from her apron as she leapt from summit to summit. The myths vary, but each one holds a sense of reverence for the hills and the skies above.

When you reach the summit, all you’ll hear is wide, open silence. Watch as the land stretches out in soft folds toward the horizon and the air grows cooler.

If you’re lucky enough to stand beside Cairn T, a large Neolithic passage tomb, you’ll see sunlight spill across the carved stone basin in the center. As if by magic (or, perhaps, expert engineering), only on equinox mornings will sunlight fill the entire chamber with a bright, narrow beam.

The Brownshill Dolmen

In County Carlow, the Brownshill Dolmen rests in a green field like a fallen giant. Local lore suggests that supernatural forces lifted the capstone into place, since its mass would have been nearly impossible to move by human strength alone.

Some say it’s a portal between worlds or a marker of a long-lost ruler.

The structure is simple but striking. Its enormous capstone balances over the entrance, casting a long shadow across the grass. When you walk around it, you’ll notice how it holds its place in the landscape with quiet certainty.

The farmland around it is utterly peaceful, dappled with hedgerows and small, winding lanes.

The Hill of Uisneach

The Hill of Uisneach sits quietly in the heart of Westmeath, yet its stories reach back to the earliest layers of myth. Often called the navel of Ireland, it’s said to be the birthplace of Ériu, the goddess from whom the island takes its name, Éire, now Ireland.

Legend describes it as the meeting point of the old provinces and the place where ancient fires once signaled the turning of the seasons. Many believed it was a gateway to the Otherworld, and you don’t have to go far to find others who still hold onto that hope.

When you wander over the slopes today, you’ll notice the land feels open yet watchful. The Catstone rises in gentle curves, a keeper of the many secrets that linger in the air. When you reach the summit, you’ll quickly sense why this place carries such power.