Historic sights in Ireland
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Newgrange
From the surface, Newgrange is a somewhat disappointing flattened, grass-covered mound, about 80m in diameter and 13m high. Underneath, however, lies the finest Stone Age passage tomb in Ireland and one of the most remarkable prehistoric sites in Europe. It dates from around 3200 BC, predating the great pyramids of Egypt by some six centuries. The purpose for which it was constructed remains uncertain. It may have been a burial place for kings or a centre for ritual – although the alignment with the sun at the time of the winter solstice also suggests it was designed to act as a calendar. The name Newgrange derives from ‘new granary’ (the tomb did in fact serve as a…
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Unitarian Church & Royal College of Surgeons
Across the road from the western side of St Stephen’s Green is the 1863 Unitarian Church and the Royal College of Surgeons, with a fine facade. During the 1916 Easter Rising, the building was occupied by the colourful Countess Markievicz (1868–1927), an Irish Nationalist married to a supposed Polish count. The columns still bear bullet marks.
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Royal College of Surgeons
The early-19th-century Royal College of Surgeons has one of the finest façades on St Stephen’s Green. During the 1916 Easter Rising, the building was occupied by rebel forces led by Countess Markievicz (1868–1927). The columns are scarred from the bullet holes.
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