Possible UNESCO bid for Birr telescope

Offaly County Council has lent its support to the initiative to have Birr’s Great Leviathan Telescope designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

At a special meeting on Monday of this week, councillors strongly supported a recommendation from the council’s chief executive, Anna-Marie Delaney, that the objective of attaining UNESCO status be included in the Draft Local Area Plan for Birr.

The recommendation was made on foot of a submission received by the Council from The Birr Scientific and Heritage Foundation on October 27 last, seeking support for the initiative to have the Great Leviathan Telescope designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site, in collaboration with the Dunsink and Armagh observatories.

The submission outlined the steps which have already been taken in this regard, including meetings between Cllr John Carroll, the Council’s Director of Services, Stephane Duclot and Heritage Officer, Amanda Pedlow; a visit from Chief Archaeologist, Michael McDonagh and John Knightly from the World Heritage team of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to brief them on the proposal and a number of in-depth meetings with Fingal County Council.

The submission stated that it “would be beneficial “ to have the bid for UNESCO status included as an objective in the Birr Local Area Plan under the heading of economic development policies/tourism.

The Birr Scientific and Heritage Foundation also pointed out that any development within 500m of the Great Leviathan Telescope “should adhere to best practice in dark-sky lighting” as defined by the International Dark Sky Association and Dark Sky Ireland recommendations for local authorities.

In her report, the chief executive stated that the promotion of the unique scientific and heritage values associated with Birr Telescope is noted as “a high priority” in the further development of Birr town “and in encouraging longer dwell times” within the county of Offaly.

Therefore she proposed to add the new policy of supporting the Birr Scientific and Heritage Foundation in the initiative to have the Great Leviathan Telescope designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in collaboration with the Dunsink and Armagh Observatories into the Draft Local Area Plan for Birr.

The proposal was unanimously accepted by the meeting.

A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, scientific or other form of significance. The Leviathan Telescope would come under the scientific banner.

In order for a site to be considered for UNESCO status, it must first be placed on the State’s Tentative List for 12 months, but inclusion on this list does not guarantee that the site will be deemed worthy of a World Heritage designation.

So far only two locations in Ireland have achieved World Heritage status - Sceilig Mhichíl in Kerry and the three main prehistoric sites of the Brú na Bóinne Complex in county Meath.