PHILANTHROPISTS BACK RADIO TELESCOPE

Dermot Desmond, the Irish financier and philanthropist, has become the first person to become a Founding Member of I-LOFAR. He was quickly followed by generous donations from Denis O’Brien and Joe Hogan.

“This is a great start for the project” according to Dr. Peter Gallagher, who is leading the Irish LOFAR consortium. “We can now begin to make firm plans to install a LOFAR radio telescope in Birr Castle Demesne, and link Ireland into a €150 million European network of radio telescopes.” The project would be one of the largest international science project that Ireland has ever participated in.

“We are now seeking about another 10 Founding Members and a Lead Donor to make this exciting project happen” says Gallagher.  “This is an great prospect for Ireland, which will have direct benefits for Irish research, education, and indeed rural development.”

See the news items on these I-LOFAR investments in the Irish Times and Silicon Republic.