Connect with us

News

Pope’s astronomer to turn heavenly gaze on Kerry’s skies

Published

on

Nocturnal view during August Perseid looking southwest over McCarthy's Castle and Horse Island Ballinskelligs Beach, the only designated gold-tier International Dark-Sky Reserve in the Northern Hemisphere. PICTURE: DON MACMONAGLE

T

THE Pope’s astronomer, Brother Guy Consolmagno, will visit the Kerry International Dark Sky Reserve on Tuesday, October 17.

The director of the Vatican Observatory, Br Guy is due to deliver two talks – one to secondary school students at Coláiste na Sceilge, Caherciveen, and the second, a public lecture later that evening at 8pm, also at Coláiste na Sceilge, entitled “The Heavens Proclaim: Astronomy and the Vatican”.

He is visiting County Kerry at the invitation of Steve Lynott, chairman, Skellig Coast Dark Skies Committee, which is seeking to popularise South West Kerry and its pristine dark skies for astrotourism. He will be officially welcomed to the county by Councillor John Sheehan, Mayor of Kerry, and Kerry County Council. “It is a great honour for the county to have Br Guy Consolmagno visit. It demonstrates the importance that he and other world astronomers attach to the Kerry International Dark Sky Reserve and our efforts to protect and promote it,” said Mayor Sheahan.

Br Guy is a Jesuit brother and a planetary scientist at the Vatican Observatory, who divides his time between observatories in Rome and in Arizona, USA. His work brings him around the world to dozens of countries and every continent, including a meteorite hunting expedition in 1996 to Antarctica.

He is the author of several books on Astronomy and Science and the Church, including “Turn Left at Orion: Hundreds of Night Sky Objects to See in a Home Telescope – and How to Find Them” which he co-wrote with Dan Davis. This book is used by many amateur astronomers as their guide to the night skies.

Br Guy, who holds doctorates in Lunar and Planetary Science from the University of Arizona, Harvard University and MIT, joined the Jesuit Order in 1989. He believes in the need for science and religion to work alongside one another rather than as competing ideologies.

 


 
A nocturnal view during August Perseid over Ballinskelligs Beach, the only designated gold-tier International Dark-Sky Reserve in the Northern Hemisphere.
Pic: Don MacMonagle

Advertisement

News

Chamber pays tribute to late Dick Henggeler

Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce has expressed condolences following the death of Dick Henggeler, the well-known owner of The Rose Hotel in Tralee. Mr Henggeler passed away peacefully at […]

Published

on

Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce has expressed condolences following the death of Dick Henggeler, the well-known owner of The Rose Hotel in Tralee.

Mr Henggeler passed away peacefully at his home in Baltimore, USA surrounded by his Aghadoe-born wife Eibhlin (née Moriarty), their son Franz, and other family members.
Dick and Eibhlin purchased The Rose Hotel in 2015 in tribute to their late daughter Dorothy, who represented Washington DC in the 2011 Rose of Tralee Festival.
The Chamber said Mr Henggeler would be remembered for his warmth, good nature and positive approach, as well as for being a forward-thinking and knowledgeable businessman.
“He knew how to run a good hotel and that was and still is very obvious at The Rose Hotel, which is a great success story,” the Chamber said.
It added that continuity of ownership will remain in place, with Eibhlin, Franz, daughter-in-law Amber, and grandchildren Conrad and Rowan continuing to honour Dick’s legacy and vision for the hotel.
“Dick took enormous personal pride in Tralee and all of Kerry and he was always available to generously support any community initiative or endeavour undertaken in Killarney,” the Chamber said.
“He will be greatly missed by all that knew him but he leaves a wonderful legacy.”

He will repose at O’Shea’s Funeral Home, Killarney, on Friday (October 17), from 4:00pm to 6:00pm. The funeral will arrive at St Mary’s Cathedral on Saturday morning at 10:00am for Requiem Mass at 10:30am, with burial afterwards in Aghadoe Cemetery. The Requiem Mass will be live streamed at https://www.churchservices.tv/killarneycathedral.

Continue Reading

News

Beaufort Film Night returns with French drama-comedy

Beaufort Film Night will return on Friday (October 17) at Cullina National School, with a screening of the French drama-comedy The Marching Band. The film tells the story of Thibaut, […]

Published

on

Beaufort Film Night will return on Friday (October 17) at Cullina National School, with a screening of the French drama-comedy The Marching Band.

The film tells the story of Thibaut, a successful conductor recently diagnosed with leukaemia. A search for a bone marrow donor reveals that he was adopted and has a brother, Jimmy, a cafeteria worker.
The two meet, discover a shared love of music, and form a strong bond through an unexpected collaboration with Jimmy’s workplace band.
The Marching Band (French title En Fanfare) will screen at 8.30pm. Admission is €7, cash only, and will cover the motion picture licence fee.
The film has a 12A rating and is in French with English subtitles.
Beaufort Film Night is a non-profit community group that screens cultural English and international films that usually do not receive general release in Kerry.
The event is supported by Kerry County Council Arts Office and Access Cinema. Cullina National School is providing the venue.
Further details are available on Beaufort Film Night’s Facebook page @BeaufortFilmNight.

Continue Reading

Last News

Sport