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Mythical Ireland: New Light on the Ancient Past
Mythical Ireland embodies the search for a soul among Ireland’s ancient ruins, and is an attempt to retrieve something of deeper import from 5,000-year-old
megalithic monuments and their associated myths.
The book represents a fascinating and engaging journey through time, landscape and the human spirit. Dealing with archaeology, interpretive mythography, cosmology and cosmogony, Murphy attempts to grapple with a core meaning, something beyond the functional interpretations of academia.
Along the way, the book delves deeply into the many enthralling aspects of this journey. Just how much knowledge did locals have of the secrets of Newgrange before it was excavated? Who is the Cailleach, the ancient hag goddess whose image is ubiquitous in the ancient landscape? What happened
to make Ireland’s Stonehenge disappear from the landscape? What connects Fourknocks, a tiny passage-tomb, with the stones of Newgrange? What were the indigenous Irish myths about the Milky Way? Did someone try to steal the Tara Brooch? Why are there myths in Ireland about flooded towns and cities?
Lavishly illustrated with exquisite photographs of the Irish landscape and ancient monuments, Mythical Ireland represents a personal and yet universal journey, a quest to reimagine the monuments as empowering and transformative sacred places. Murphy invokes the druids and poets of the Boyne and thus the sídhe of the ancient texts are reawakened for a modern and turbulent world.
About the Author
Anthony Murphy is a journalist, photographer and the author of Island
of the Setting Sun: In Search of Ireland’s Ancient Astronomers (with Richard
Moore), Newgrange: Monument to Immortality, Land of the Ever-Living
Ones and The Cry of the Sebac. He lives in Drogheda and manages the website www.mythicalireland.com.
megalithic monuments and their associated myths.
The book represents a fascinating and engaging journey through time, landscape and the human spirit. Dealing with archaeology, interpretive mythography, cosmology and cosmogony, Murphy attempts to grapple with a core meaning, something beyond the functional interpretations of academia.
Along the way, the book delves deeply into the many enthralling aspects of this journey. Just how much knowledge did locals have of the secrets of Newgrange before it was excavated? Who is the Cailleach, the ancient hag goddess whose image is ubiquitous in the ancient landscape? What happened
to make Ireland’s Stonehenge disappear from the landscape? What connects Fourknocks, a tiny passage-tomb, with the stones of Newgrange? What were the indigenous Irish myths about the Milky Way? Did someone try to steal the Tara Brooch? Why are there myths in Ireland about flooded towns and cities?
Lavishly illustrated with exquisite photographs of the Irish landscape and ancient monuments, Mythical Ireland represents a personal and yet universal journey, a quest to reimagine the monuments as empowering and transformative sacred places. Murphy invokes the druids and poets of the Boyne and thus the sídhe of the ancient texts are reawakened for a modern and turbulent world.
About the Author
Anthony Murphy is a journalist, photographer and the author of Island
of the Setting Sun: In Search of Ireland’s Ancient Astronomers (with Richard
Moore), Newgrange: Monument to Immortality, Land of the Ever-Living
Ones and The Cry of the Sebac. He lives in Drogheda and manages the website www.mythicalireland.com.
- GenresNonfictionHistory
333 pages, Paperback
Published November 10, 2017
6 people are currently reading
103 people want to read
About the author
Anthony Murphy
31 books35 followersI am a journalist, author and photographer living in Drogheda, Ireland, with my wife Ann and our five children. I live four miles from Newgrange, a 5,000-year-old stone monument in the Boyne Valley. My exploration of the valley over the past 19 years has led been a huge influence in my work, both non-fiction and fiction.
I am the author (with artist Richard Moore)of 'Island of the Setting Sun: In Search of Ireland's Ancient Astronomers' (Liffey Press, 2006, 2008). I wrote 'Newgrange: Monument to Immortality' (Liffey Press, 2012). I contributed to 'The Mythology of Venus', an international collaboration edited by Helen Benigni and featuring a foreword by Morgan Llywelyn. My latest work of non-fiction is called 'Mythical Ireland: New Light on the Ancient Past'.
My first work of fiction was a novella, 'Land of the Ever-Living Ones'. My second work of fiction is a short novel called 'The Cry of the Sebac'.
I am the former Editor of the Drogheda Leader newspaper and was also Editor of the Dundalk Democrat newspaper. I currently work as a sub editor and graphic designer for the Irish Farmers Journal and The Irish Field newspapers.
I am the author (with artist Richard Moore)of 'Island of the Setting Sun: In Search of Ireland's Ancient Astronomers' (Liffey Press, 2006, 2008). I wrote 'Newgrange: Monument to Immortality' (Liffey Press, 2012). I contributed to 'The Mythology of Venus', an international collaboration edited by Helen Benigni and featuring a foreword by Morgan Llywelyn. My latest work of non-fiction is called 'Mythical Ireland: New Light on the Ancient Past'.
My first work of fiction was a novella, 'Land of the Ever-Living Ones'. My second work of fiction is a short novel called 'The Cry of the Sebac'.
I am the former Editor of the Drogheda Leader newspaper and was also Editor of the Dundalk Democrat newspaper. I currently work as a sub editor and graphic designer for the Irish Farmers Journal and The Irish Field newspapers.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 4, 2018
Absolutely gorgeous. A perfect merging of ancient myth and contemporary reflection. Murphy hands us his heart through these pages and I want to hand mine right back. Well done.
July 12, 2020
I bought this book at the Museum of Archaeology in Dublin, Ireland. I did find it interesting. It has some really amazing photography and it delves into some of the legends of Irish prehistory. While it did have some information about archaeological sites such as Newgrange, it was really more of a meditation, almost New Age, on the region and how it might have been perceived by these ancient people. Again, a nice read, but I would have liked a bit more archaeology.
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August 21, 2018Loved it!
November 19, 2025
Finish: 10.03.2024
Title: Mythical Ireland (A. Murphy)
Genre: Nonfiction (332 pg)
Trivia: #ReadingIrelandMonth24
Rating: C
Conclusion:
I suggest you read the Wikipedia page about several passage tombs: Newgrange, Knowth, Dwoth, Fourknocks, Rathcoran, Loughcrew before starting the book. It will give you an idea what these mouments are…built around 3200 BC.
The strongest point in the book is the stunning photography by A. Murphy at differen times of the year and day. Murphy uses these photo's to support the strong connection between these burial mounds and the moon and sun.
Joseph Campbell (1904-1987) professor of literature at Sarah Lawrence College and worked in comparative mythology...once said: Myth is much more important and true than our history. Myth offers a window into our spirit, our true core." Once the myths have been told a few times... the focus turns mainly to the photographs of sun- and moonlight alignments with the passage tombs, rivers in the area and the Irish coastline.
I must be honest I found the ramblings about waking at the crack of dawn, dragging cameras equipment up the hills and setting up the photo shoot a bit boring. I skimmed somes pages of text.
In short, the photography is stunning,....but if you want to learn about the history Ireland (...including some popular myths) I would reccommend Neil Hegarty's "Story of Ireland" (2011).
Title: Mythical Ireland (A. Murphy)
Genre: Nonfiction (332 pg)
Trivia: #ReadingIrelandMonth24
Rating: C
Conclusion:
I suggest you read the Wikipedia page about several passage tombs: Newgrange, Knowth, Dwoth, Fourknocks, Rathcoran, Loughcrew before starting the book. It will give you an idea what these mouments are…built around 3200 BC.
The strongest point in the book is the stunning photography by A. Murphy at differen times of the year and day. Murphy uses these photo's to support the strong connection between these burial mounds and the moon and sun.
Joseph Campbell (1904-1987) professor of literature at Sarah Lawrence College and worked in comparative mythology...once said: Myth is much more important and true than our history. Myth offers a window into our spirit, our true core." Once the myths have been told a few times... the focus turns mainly to the photographs of sun- and moonlight alignments with the passage tombs, rivers in the area and the Irish coastline.
I must be honest I found the ramblings about waking at the crack of dawn, dragging cameras equipment up the hills and setting up the photo shoot a bit boring. I skimmed somes pages of text.
In short, the photography is stunning,....but if you want to learn about the history Ireland (...including some popular myths) I would reccommend Neil Hegarty's "Story of Ireland" (2011).
February 17, 2024
A gorgeous exploration of how the Irish landscape and ancient monuments tie in with Irish folklore and legend, and how modern Irish people think of then today. Anthony Murphy also examines the names of places and how they change over time due to both the natural evolution of language and the impact of colonialism. And he reflects, poetically and emotionally, on his own relationship with the land. The writing and photos are just beautiful, and there's so much food for future research. Amazing.
November 20, 2025
Bought this on my trip to Ireland after visiting Newgrange. It was so interesting and enriching to read about the same site, among others, having been there. Really enjoyed the author’s research and how he presented the material. Very very enjoyable!!
April 9, 2019
history, myth, evocative prose. anyone looking to really ‘see’ the reality of the landscape must read this!
June 13, 2021
Stunning photos along with an interesting and poetic meditation on some stunning historic sites in the Boyne Valley. Highly recommended.
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July 15, 2025DNF. The book was about the mythology of ancient sites such as New Grange, I was looking for something more historical
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews