Important meeting about UNESCO bid held in Offaly Castle

Some of the attendees at the important meeting, including (front row l. to r.) Lady and Lord Rosse and Archbishops John McDowell and Eamon Martin.

placeholder image — Some of the attendees at the important meeting, including (front row l. to r.) Lady and Lord Rosse and Archbishops John McDowell and Eamon Martin.

Birr Demesne hosts Astronomical Observatories of Ireland meeting

BIRR Castle Demesne hosted the Strategic Oversight Board of the Astronomical Observatories of Ireland on 11th September for their annual general meeting.

Among those attending were the Most Revd John McDowell, Archbishop of Armagh, and the Most Revd Eamon Martin, Archbishop of Armagh, who led an Ecumenical Prayer Service set against the inspiring backdrop of the Great Telescope, known as the Leviathan, which was designed and built by the Third Earl of Rosse in 1845.

The gathering celebrated the shared heritage of the AOI’s historic sites, Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, Birr Castle Demesne, and Dunsink Observatory, and strengthened their united effort in the pursuit of UNESCO World Heritage status.

The partnership was formally recognised as a Shared Island initiative by the Republic of Ireland Government on 20 February 2024.