Nature takes centre stage in winter solstice ceremony at Newgrange

He describes the practice as solstice ritual preparation to celebrate the winter solstice in Newgrange. The spectacle occurs on December 21, the shortest day and longest night of the year.

For the nearly 2,500 other people who joined hands around a heartbeat of drummers at the UNESCO heritage site on Saturday, the collective experience was one of euphoria, friendship and renewal as winter’s darkness dissolved into light. Picture: Chani Anderson

It sees the prehistoric 5,000-year-old monument’s passage tomb align with the rising sun for a breathtakingly unique sight.

Such events have become commonplace for Enda Donnellan who has a sharp focus on spiritual and nature-based events.

“I think what happened with religion was that we confined God to a building. That’s not to take away from the power of the church. However, all it did was make people feel like this was the only place to go to find God. Nature is my church and that includes the whole universe.” He described the form his Winter Solstice events take.

“There’s a men’s circle and a women’s circle. The flag we used this year was a swan flag to represent the children of Lir and the children being freed.

"We all want to fly like swans. The Whooper migrates to the Boyne Valley each year and the aerial view from Newgrange reflects the Cygnus constellation which derives its name from the Latinised Greek word for swan.” 

For the nearly 2,500 other people who joined hands around a heartbeat of drummers at the UNESCO heritage site on Saturday, the collective experience was one of euphoria, friendship and renewal as winter’s darkness dissolved into light. Picture: Chani Anderson

In recent years, the interfaith minister has shied away from traditional events.

“I’ve made the decision to stop doing weddings because I felt that for so many people it was a bondage.

"When you look at the history of marriage a lot of it is based on security. The focus is more on commodities and assets. As an interfaith minister my job is not to administer the assets of two people so they can feel secure in the world. As far as I’m concerned that’s the Government’s job. I’ll be marrying my oldest friend in the new year but that will be my last wedding.” 

For the nearly 2,500 other people who joined hands around a heartbeat of drummers at the UNESCO heritage site on Saturday, the collective experience was one of euphoria, friendship and renewal as winter’s darkness dissolved into light. Picture: Chani Anderson

His events aim to bring people back to basics.

“There can be a lot of pageantry in Newgrange. That’s not to take away from what other people are doing but for us it’s more about showing up as you are in your normal clothes and without any masks of any spiritual hierarchy.

"Everyone in the circle is equal and wants to create the energy together. Nobody is placed on a pedestal. The old model was the man preaching from the pulpit and the misconception that one person is closer to God than the rest of us. We now know that this was all about control and power.

"We do have some rules and always stress that this an alcohol-free event. You wouldn’t go into a church drunk and this is just as sacred.”