Minutes before dawn, a solitary figure watches the horizon from the top of Mound A, a satellite passage tomb of Newgrange that sits down in the valley floor, near the river Boyne.

A few minutes before 9am, the sun at last begins to peek above the ridge across the valley.

A large cheer from the crowd seems to encourage the sun as it begins to climb higher, in just minutes sunlight will shine directly into the passage and then the chamber of Newgrange.

The atmosphere is electric as a perfect dawn ensures that the first live webcast of the event is sure to be spectacular.

A live commentary of the mornings events is broadcast over loudspeakers, as well as the crowd assembled outside, over 300,000 people logged on to watch the event on the web.

This year the number of visitors has swelled to over 200 people, many long time solstice watchers, and many more experiencing the event for the first time.

As the sun clears the horizon, all eyes turn to the big screen broadcasting the event from inside the chamber and passage. For the first time since Newgrange was built, almost 6,000 years ago, those watching the dawn outside the mound will also be able to witness the beam of light entering the chamber as it happens, via video link.

The sunlight has now reached the chamber and the strong beam cast along the floor is displayed on a large screen, much to the delight of the crowds.

Misty fog in the valley floor adds a mystical atmosphere to the proceedings.

More than one person paused to wonder what the gatherings of neolithic farming communities would have been like here at Newgrange 5,000 years ago and would the media event of 2007 compare?