This week, the Office of Public Works announced the cancellation of the annual Winter Solstice Lottery Draw for 2021. The decision comes as the chamber at the Neolithic Passage Tomb of Newgrange remains closed to the public.
The Lottery Draw is the usual process that chooses the successful participants who are entitled to be in the Chamber during sunrise for each of the Solstice mornings.
Due to its success last year, the Solstice Sunrise event will once more be live-streamed from within the chamber. This will enable everyone to experience the phenomenon from the comfort of their homes.
While the tomb remains closed to the public, research will be carried out by the National Monuments Service of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. This research will track, measure and monitor the movement of the winter sunlight coming into the passage and chamber.
Further details of the live-stream event from within the chamber on the solstice mornings in December will be revealed in the coming weeks.