Courses / Module

The Boyne Valley is one of the most significant cultural landscapes in Ireland and its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site underlines its justifiable international status. This module provides a multi-disciplinary examination of the rich history, literature and archaeology of the Brú na Bóinne Complex including Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth. In addition to the three great Neolithic passage tombs and the late Neolithic and Chalcolithic (Copper Age) ceremonial complexes this area was the focal point for the Uí Neill kingdom of North Brega and features in the tales, history and genealogies of this and other important early medieval families and tribes. The presence of heroes, like Cú Chulainn and Finn mac Cumaill, in stories set in the area will also be considered. An exception feature of the Boyne Valley is how successive generations built on and borrowed from past histories to re-create the landscape. The way in which this wealth of heritage is interpreted and presented to visitors as well as the strategies of conservation, and occasionally re-construction will also be explored.

Note: Students cannot take ID003X if they have already completed ID003 in the first semester.