The Discovery Series: The Bog Bodies
In this podcast series, we set out on an immersive exploration of some of Ireland’s most enduring mysteries – unfolding the clues by journeying to the places around the country that hold the answers.
Each season, we will focus on a single mystery - exploring what’s hidden in plain sight, waiting to be found by those curious enough to look. Through in-depth investigation, local storytelling and expert insight, we uncover the truth behind these mysteries, one location at a time.
But these aren’t just stories to be heard – they're destinations to be explored. Every episode invites you to step into the landscape yourself and see where mystery, history and the contemporary world still meet.
The Discovery Series: The Bog Bodies
Episode 3: Rituals of Power and Place
Episode 3 takes us to Loughcrew in County Meath, where travel writer Fionn Davenport witnesses the autumn equinox at one of Ireland’s most extraordinary ritual landscapes. It’s a moment when the rising sun meets ancient stone and the beliefs of the ancestors feel very close indeed.
Here, Fionn speaks with archaeologist Dan Maher about Loughcrew’s significance on the celestial calendar and the myths woven into the land. Later, he hears from Eimear Burke, Druid and Chosen Chief of the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids, who explores the power and purpose of these rituals in the lives of the Iron Age Irish.
With every new insight, we edge closer to understanding the belief systems that might explain the brutal deaths of Old Croghan Man and Clonycavan Man and why they were chosen for such a fate.
Explore more of Ireland’s ancient past, from the Neolithic to the early Christian era, at https://www.discoverireland.ie/the-discovery-series