Hugely important Birr Castle exhibition officially opened by French Ambassador

A HUGELY important exhibition of historic astronomical drawings, including sketches said to have influenced Vincent van Gogh’s The Starry Night, was officially opened by the French Ambassador to Ireland, Her Excellency Céline Place, on Friday morning.
The Rosse Drawings Exhibition will run in the Castle's Copper Tree Gallery throughout the summer until September 28th.
In the 1840s the spiral nature of Galaxies was revealed for the first time ever by the most powerful telescope in the world at the time. These discoveries were sketched by the 3rd Earl of Rosse and the Birr Castle Observatory astronomers with remarkable precision and published widely. The drawings spent many years in the rooms and corridors of the Castle before going on exhibition in France and the Armagh Observatory. They have now come home to Birr.
The Copper Tree Gallery exhibition showcases these renowned Rosse drawings, these extraordinary depictions of spiral nebulae created in Birr between 1845 and 1866.
The sketches were drawn by the 3rd Earl of Rosse under challenging night-time conditions, and they mark a pivotal moment in astronomy, capturing cosmic structures before the age of astrophotography. The drawings combine science and art, and show how early astronomers had to be accomplished artists as well as accomplished scientists, in the process significantly advancing our understanding of the universe.
The works in the Copper Tree Gallery exhibition are one of the earliest examples of the Astronomical Observatories of Ireland (AOI) partnership, which unites Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies – Dunsink Observatory and the Birr Scientific and Heritage Foundation (BSHF). The initiative highlights Ireland’s historic leadership in astronomy and its continued contributions to science, heritage, and public engagement.
Speaking at the opening, Professor Peter Gallagher, Chair of the BSHF, said “The Birr Scientific and Heritage Foundation is deeply honoured that the exhibition is being launched by Her Excellency Céline Place. This occasion is also an opportunity to highlight the special links between France and Ireland in the area of cultural, heritage and scientific matters.”
Professor Gallagher reminded us that the 3rd Earl of Rosse was a proud recipient of the Légion d'honneur. “This exhibition is a wonderful example of science having no borders,” he remarked, “having travelled from France to the Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, to its original home here at Birr Castle Demesne. We are very grateful to all who have made this possible, including the Heritage Council for the funding for the drawings' conservation and preservation”.
He pointed out that during the 3rd Earl's time "the stars were only pinpricks in the sky. The Great Telescope and Lord Rosse's drawings completely changed that. They represented a profound discovery. The Great Telescope was the largest and most powerful telescope in the world for 72 years, from 1845 to 1917. During that time Birr was the centre of the astronomical world."
Lady Alicia Clements of Birr Castle (who is the Third Earl's Great, Great, Great Grand Daughter) highlighted the artistic and technical brilliance of the drawings: “It is magical to think of my direct ancestor, sketching from a wooden platform beside the Great Telescope, 10 metres high on freezing winter nights, using only a red lantern for light. These drawings are astounding in their precision. I defy anyone who sees them not to marvel at what was achieved back in 1845 and how close these drawings are to reality.”
Her Excellency Céline Place said she wanted to warmly thank Professor Peter Gallagher for the invitation to officially open the exhibition. She said the exhibition is a unique marrying of scientific inquiry and creative expression, reminding us of the methods available to astronomers prior to astrophotography.
She pointed out that both France and Ireland are firmly committed to supporting scientific endeavour and innovation. She looked forward to many more years of fruitful collaboration between the two countries, including students and researchers from both countries collaborating together.
The Ambassador pointed out that the 3rd Earl's drawings had been part of an exhibition featuring Van Gogh's “The Starry Night” in Provence, France. She praised Professor Gallagher for his leadership and expertise.
Professor Gallagher is the Head of the Radio Telescope project, I-LOFAR, in Birr Castle Demesne. The Irish LOFAR site, is part of a pan-European series of radio telescopes, and was launched in July 2017. Its aims include the monitoring of solar activity, light waves from the early history of the universe, and potential signals from intelligent extraterrestrial sources. Professor Gallagher pointed out during Friday's exhibition opening that it's not beyond the bounds of possibility that Birr could be the first place on the planet to make contact with “little green men!”
Visitors can access the Rosse Drawings exhibition free of charge.

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