How Cork got a science centre and space observatory in a 16th-century castle 

The Blackrock Castle telescope gives astronomers and visitors alike a window on other worlds, exploring the possibility of life on other planets, but was only set up after a chance phonecall from the US in 2002, says Jonathan deBurca Butler

Alan Gilinan at the dome that houses the telescope. Pictures: Larry Cummins

Last month, the small team at Blackrock Castle Observatory was abuzz. Their phones were hopping with requests from news outlets.

For one or two days, the world transferred its gaze from a big orange blob in the White House to a little-known planet 124 light years from our own that might, just might, contain life.