Click image to download high-res poster for The Boyne Valley Revision conference.

A pioneering Irish-American American author who radically changed how we look at the sophistication of Ireland’s Stone Age monuments is to return to Ireland after a quarter of a century.

A generation ago, Martin Brennan challenged conventional opinion about the function of Newgrange and the passage-mounds of Ireland and presented overwhelming evidence showing that many of these 5,000-year-old monuments were used as complicated astronomical observatories.

His books, The Boyne Valley Vision and The Stones of Time, both published in the early 1980s, continue to hold a fascination with the public and are considered essential reading in relation to the Neolithic monuments. His revelations made headlines all across the world at the time.

Brennan will headline a conference, to be held in the heart of the Boyne Valley at Winter Solstice, to talk about his continuing research into ancient astronomical alignments and how his work in Ireland has resonance in other countries around the world, including Mexico, where he currently resides.

He will be joined by fellow speakers Jack Roberts and Toby Hall, both of whom helped Brennan make his spectacular discoveries in the 1980s, including the Winter Solstice alignment of the southern chamber at Dowth, and the equinox sunrise alignment at Cairn T, Loughcrew, Co. Meath.

Huge controversy was evoked when Brennan’s work was published, and there was a significant rift between the astronomical alignment protagonists and the archaeological establishment, who believed the great monuments of the Boyne Valley to be huge tombs.

The debate continues to rage today. Anthony Murphy, co-author of Island of the Setting Sun – In Search of Ireland’s Ancient Astronomers – is another speaker at the event, and will discuss how Brennan’s work continues to inspire research in the Boyne Valley and beyond to this day. Completing the line-up of speakers is Sig Lonegren, expert on geomancy and earth energies, who has known Martin since 1980.

Martin Brennan is a controversial and sometimes elusive character. Currently ensconced in the Mexican jungle, he lives a modest existence in a hut, from where he explores the ancient monuments of that country. He left Ireland 25 years ago and has not returned here since, despite the enormous popularity of his books and the recognition of his huge contribution to our understanding of Neolithic astronomy and achievement.

He is currently working on a new book, studying the alignments in Mexico and the Mayan calendar, to be published in 2010.

He will be the headline speaker at a conference entitled “The Boyne Valley Revision” which will be held at The Newgrange Lodge on Sunday, December 20th. Tickets for the conference are 65 euro and are available by contacting The Newgrange Lodge on 041-9882478 or by emailing sara@ebc.ie