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Newgrange and Knowth Neolithic passage tombs are both designated UNESCO World Heritage sites that stand as testament to the ingenuity of our ancestors. Dating back over 5,000 years these Neolithic passage tombs are older than Stonehenge and the Great Pyramids of Giza. Newgrange which was built around 3,200 BC is aligned with the winter solstice about the 21st December, the shortest day of the year . At dawn, from December 19th to 23rd, a narrow beam of light penetrates the roof-box and reaches the floor of the chamber, gradually extending to the rear of the passage.

Israel will close its embassy in Dublin in response to what it claims are anti Israel policies by the Irish government. Earlier this year, the Israeli ambassador to Ireland was recalled over the Irish decision to recognise the State of Palestine. Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Simon Harris has described the move as a "deeply regrettable decision" from the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. However, also made it clear that  Ireland is pro-peace, pro-human rights and pro-International law.

Ireland's Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Simon Harris has made clear to Ireland's national broadcaster RTÉ during an interview yesterday that if the Prime Minister of Israel came to Ireland for any reason he would be arrested. This follows the International Criminal Court (ICC) issuing an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged “war crimes”. The Irish Prime Minister said: "Yes absolutely.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged “war crimes”. The court said on Thursday that there were “reasonable grounds” to believe Netanyahu and Gallant “intentionally and knowingly deprived the civilian population in Gaza of objects indispensable to their survival”. Predictably Netanyahu’s office rejected the decision and described the move as “anti-Semitic”.

A remarkably well preserved  2,600-year-old wooden Celtic burial chamber has been uncovered by archaeologists in southern Germany. The wooden burial chamber was revealed within a large burial mound with a diameter of 65 metres and a height of almost six metres dating from the early Celtic period. Its size led archaeologists to identify the entire complex as a mound that the Celts built in southwestern Germany for elite individuals dating between 620 and 450 B.C. The preserved wood will enable archaeologists to use tree-ring dating to determine the exact year of the chamber.

Information from The Archibald Knox Forum:

ISLE OF KNOX – Order and Beauty

We are delighted to announce a momentous celebration of one of the Isle of Man’s most renowned artistic luminaries: Archibald Knox. From April 5, 2025, to March 1, 2026, the Manx Museum will host KNOX: Order and Beauty, the largest and most comprehensive exhibition of Knox's work ever assembled in the world

Archibald Knox: A Pioneer of Modern Design

The Pope has called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon. Pope Francis told people gathered in St. Peter’s Square for his weekly Angelus prayer: “Let us pray for the Lebanese, especially for the people in the south who are forced to leave their villages,” Francis told people gathered in St. Peter’s Square for his weekly Angelus prayer. He added “The Middle East has plunged into increasing suffering, with destructive military actions continuing to affect the Palestinian population.” 

Image: Beirut under attack by Israel image courtesy RTE.

The President of Ireland President Michael D Higgins has said it is “outrageous” of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to threaten the lives of Irish peacekeepers in Lebanon. This comes after Israeli forces invading Lebanon called for United Nations peacekeeping troops to move from areas of military activity for their own protection and safety.

A hoard of 36 Viking age silver coins has been declared a treasure at Douglas Courthouse. A number of the pieces, dating between 1000 and 1065 AD, were discovered in a field by metal detectorists John Crowe and David O'Hare in January, with the remaining retrieved between February and late April. The coins marked the second find to be declared treasure this year on the Isle of Man where, as pointed out by Manx National Heritage curator of archaeology Alison Fox "more Viking Age silver has been discovered per square kilometre than in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales".

Isle of Man Post Office (Manx: Oik Postagh Ellan Vannin) have issued a set of six stamps celebrating corvids and the mythology surrounding them in Manx Celtic folklore. The collection of six stamps features original artworks by local Manx artist Julia Ashby Smyth, depicting a Raven, Jackdaw, Magpie, Chough, Rook and Crow. On each stamp the Manx Gaelic name for each bird is woven into the artwork. As the Post Ofice description points out “Corvids have long been associated with the darker side of events in mythology and are often linked with war and battlefields.