After all the excitement of the morning, small crowds huddle together around the great passage tomb to discuss the mornings events, and recall the triumphs and let-downs of past solstice mornings.

Frost on the grass outside the entrance to the southern chamber of Dowth Passage Tomb.

Later that evening, a small crowd gathers in the south chamber of Dowth, the unexcavated and least well known of the three great passage tombs on the Boyne, the others being Knowth and Newgrange.

Dowth South is orientated so that the sun will shine into its chamber on the sunset around the winter solstice, the same day the sun also penetrates Newgrange.

Despite the growth of trees which has hampered this event from being witnessed in recent years, on the 21st December 2006 the few inside were treated to a fantastic show of light as the evening sun cast an orange glow across the floor and onto the rear stone of the chamber.

The beam of light inside Dowth's southern chamber is much larger and longer lasting than that at Newgrange, due to the shorter passage and the angle of light. It forms a large rectangular patch that moves across the ground and climbs up the stones at the rear of the chamber as the sun sinks lower. Unfortunately the trees outside the entrance block the light before it is ideally positioned to light up the carvings in the side recess, which is usually in total darkness.

At its strongest, the light makes is possible to see clearly the faces of those standing around inside the chamber.

The light in previous years was of such strength that it reflected off these back stones and into the chambers only recess which is normally pitch black. A warm glow can be seen illuminating the carved motifs on the large sidestone inside.

Some flash was added in this photograph to give an idea of the interior of the chamber.

Just as the beam reaches its strongest illumination, the swaying shadows of the trees outside the entrance loom larger and larger, eventually blocking out the light completely. For the small group inside it is still a moving experience.

On top of the mound of Dowth, the remaing crowd stand to watch the setting of the solstice sun.

Author of the new book 'Island of the Setting Sun' and owner of the http://www.mythicalireland.com website, Anthony Murphy appropriately enough grasps the setting sun in the palm of his hand. Some minutes later the sun sank into a low hazy cloud and was gone.

Newgrange in the mist, viewed from the top of Dowth Passage Tomb.

A wide angle photo of the side recess in Dowth south, the large stone on the right is inscribed with spirals, circles and strange designs which are easily missed in the gloom.