LOFAR Array and Visitor Centre Awarded Planning Permission

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We are delighted to announce that Offaly County Council has been awarded planning permission for the LOFAR radio telescope array and visitor centre in Birr Castle Demesne.

The team will now focus their efforts on raising additional funds to make the project happen. To date, the Irish LOFAR team has raised over EUR 200k from Dermot Desmond, Denis O’Brien and has received continuous support from the CTO and Founder of Openet Ltd, Joe Hogan.
“This is an important step for the I-LOFAR project,” according to Prof. Peter Gallagher who leads the I-LOFAR consortium. “We now need to raise about EUR 1 million to purchase a LOFAR radio telescope and install it in Birr. Its an exciting project for Ireland and the midlands, that will bring us into a EUR 150 million international science project.”
The I-LOFAR project will enable Irish scientists to engage in the largest international science project that Ireland has ever engaged in, and in addition, the project will inspire students to study science, engineering and computer science, and bring additional tourists into the Birr area.