Some sad news for those hoping to witness the Winter Solstice.

The Office of Public Works (OPW) live-streamed the Winter Solstice at Newgrange in 2020 and 2021 due to coronavirus restrictions. This was a great initiative as it gave many people the chance to witness the spectacular event who normally would never get to.

According to the Irish Examiner, the Winter Solstice will not be streamed by the OPW this year. They report that a spokesperson for the OPW said this of their decision to stream previous years:

“As the chamber was vacant, it offered viewers a unique and unparalleled opportunity to witness the rays of light from the rising sun as they entered the chamber.”

As they’re able to invite visitors back to the site this year, the OPW decided against the live-stream. However, the Irish Examiner also reported that the OPW hasn’t ruled out streaming the event in the future again.

Given the site’s popularity, and the phenomenon of the Winter Solstice, tickets for the event are divided up by a lottery system every year to remain fair.

Header image via Shutterstock

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