The first group of 100 people chosen to witness Ireland's oldest calendar "clock" in operation were allowed into the chamber of a giant burial mound at Newgrange today.
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Dawn from inside the burial mound
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Starting today and lasting for six days, small groups will be allowed into the 20 metre-long Newgrange tomb to see the sun's rays beaming deep into the centre of the burial mound.
The phenomenon only lasts 17 minutes, but demand to see it has been soaring.
This year 5,500 people were left disappointed after losing out in a lottery to see the effects of the midwinter solstice sunrise on the Newgrange tomb in Co Meath.
Interest grew exponentially in the late 1980s and applicants had to queue for future years. But the waiting list grew so long that it became unmanageable, and people were facing decades-long delays before they had a chance of getting in. Now an annual draw picks 50 names from amongst the year's applicants.
The lucky ones are rewarded with a place for themselves and a friend. "We were astonished. We got over 5,500 national and international applications for this year," a spokesman said. However, the winners of the draw then face another lottery - the weather. If it is bad and clouded over, the sun cannot work its wonders.
AFP