Winter Solstice Lottery Draw takes place at Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre, Co. Meath

The Office of Public Works is delighted to announce the winners of the coveted Winter Solstice tickets. The lucky winners will have the opportunity to access the Newgrange Chamber at Brú na Bóinne, Co. Meath over the winter solstice period.

The annual lottery draw took place at the Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre. Children from three local primary schools, Donore, Knockcommon and Slane National Schools, had the important task of selecting the thirty eight lucky winners who will have access to the Newgrange Chamber this December.

This year, for the first time, those interested in applying could do so online. Over 16,000 entries were received from Ireland and locations around the globe. Some of the winners hailed from Belfast, Cork, Limerick and Meath and as far as California, France, the Netherlands, New York and Taiwan. The winners, along with a guest, will have access to the Chamber on one of the days between 19 and 23 December 2025.

Minister of State with responsibility for the OPW, Kevin “Boxer” Moran said: “The Winter Solstice at Newgrange is a unique event that attracts visitors from around the world as indicated by the various locations of this year's winners. The Winter Solstice lottery draw brings great excitement in the local community with children from three local national schools drawing the lucky winners. I have no doubt that each winner will be delighted with their good fortune and will appreciate this unique event. I want to thank all the children and teachers who took part in the lottery draw and to all the staff in Brú na Boinne Visitor Centre.”

A live streaming of the Winter Solstice will take place on Sunday, 21 December and will be streamed on OPW platforms for those not as lucky to win an entry to the chamber. More information on the livestream will follow in the coming weeks.

For more information please go to - Newgrange Winter Solstice Lottery 2025 | Heritage Ireland.

For further information please contact pressoffice@opw.ie.

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The Winter Solstice is an astronomical phenomenon which marks the shortest day and the longest night of the year. In the Northern Hemisphere, the Winter Solstice occurs on December 21 or 22, when the sun shines directly over the tropic of Capricorn. At Sunrise on the shortest day of the year, for 17 minutes, direct sunlight can enter the Newgrange monument, not through the doorway, but through the specially contrived small opening above the entrance known as the ‘roof box’, to illuminate the Chamber.

The site at the Newgrange Monument is only open to visitors through Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre, which is open daily. For further information and online booking please visit heritageireland.ie.

Recordings of the livestreaming events in 2020, 2021, 2023 and 2024 are available on the OPW's YouTube channel.