Armagh Observatory aims to be registered as a World Heritage Site

The Irish government’s funding could be the “start of a long journey” for Armagh Observatory towards UNESCO World Heritage status, the observatory’s director has said.

On Tuesday, it was announced that €800m (£685m) would be pumped into cross-border projects.

This included funding for Irish Observatories, including Armagh, Buildings in County Offaly and Dunsink in Dublin.

The group said it wanted to “start now” towards achieving UNESCO registration.

UNESCO is run by the United Nations to preserve cultural and natural heritage.

Giant’s Causeway is the only site in Northern Ireland to be listed as a World Heritage Site.

The exact amount of funding for the observatory has not yet been officially confirmed.

However, in announcing the funding, the Irish Government said it would work with the Observatory of Ireland to see how the heritage and tourism value of the three sites – Dunsink, Armagh and Barr – could be leveraged.

Professor Michael Barton, director of the Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, which was founded in the 1790s, said he hoped the funding would help the site be placed on UNESCO’s “tentative list” of World Heritage Sites.

The financial support will allow the team to complete the application and do the necessary research and planning.

“Countries can put sites on the provisional list,” Professor Barton told BBC News NI.

“This will be an Irish-led application, but it will be a cross-border recommendation as there is UK involvement from the Armagh side.

“There is a lot of work to be done, and this first award will help us get over that line.”

Professor Barton added that it could take another 10 years for it to be listed by UNESCO.

“We must have a complete plan in front of us. The provisional list is the first step. It is a recognition that the government deems us worthy of starting that journey.”

The three observatories have a strong heritage of telescope collections, but also serve as active research centres.

Additionally, it serves as a hub for communicating science to the public and explaining it to students.

The funding will support development proposals at the three sites.

In Armagh, for example, there are plans for a new planetarium, a public center where visitors can travel through space.

“We all have ambitious plans, and so do our colleagues at Dunsink and Barr,” Professor Barton said.

“We’re trying to properly define those plans and not just ideas on paper. This funding will help professionalize the plans so we can take them to the next stage.”

Professor Burton added that the “very exciting project” would also strengthen collaboration between the three centres.

“This is an all-Ireland project and has nothing to do with one side or the other side of politics,” he said.

“It’s in line with the shared island ethos and is for all of us.

“Ultimately, it’s about public communication of science and the importance of science to society.”