Keynote Speakers and Events
Department of Physics, Oxford University
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Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies
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School of Archaeology and Ancient History, University of Leicester
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Sunday, 8 June, 6:00-9:00 pm
Welcome Reception at the Rotunda of Belfast City Hall
Delegates will have the chance to explore Belfast's rich history through a private, guided tour of this iconic building. The tour includes exclusive access to areas usually off-limits to the public, such as The Council Chamber and the Robing Room, where the civic chains and official jewels are showcased.
Monday, 9 June, 6:00-7:30pm, Location TBC
Organ Concert - Professor Maestro Gianluca Petagna
The Astral Assonances between J.S. Bach and M. Reger: The Contrapuntal Multiplicities of their Compositions
Professor Maestro Gianluca Petagna is a distinguished organist and teacher of Historical Keyboards, Organ, and Compositional Analysis. He collaborates with Monsignor Pablo Colino, Prefect of Music at the Vatican. Petagna has performed extensively in Italy and abroad, including concerts with the Orchestre de Chambre Vivaldi of Paris and collaborations with the Ensemble of artists of the Chorus of the Teatro alla Scala in Milan. His performances have been broadcast by RAI (National Italian Radio and Television) and Vatican Radio, showcasing his expertise in both ancient and modern instruments.
Monferrato Classic Academy profile
Tuesday, 10 June, 11:00 am-1:00 pm
Tour of Belfast
Enjoy a sightseeing tour of Belfast city aboard a distinctive double-decker bus. An expert tour guide will lead you on a journey to uncover the city's history, showcasing its most important monuments and its vibrant, colorful murals.
Thursday, 12 June, from 7:00 pm
Conference Dinner at Belfast Castle
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This iconic mansion, situated in Cave Hill Country Park, stands 400 feet above sea level, offering breathtaking views over the City of Belfast and Belfast Lough. With its stunning location, Belfast Castle provides the perfect backdrop for a stellar banquet and an unforgettable, astronomical conference dinner.
Friday, 13 June
Armagh Observatory and Planetarium
The conference will take place in the Copernicus Hall at Armagh Observatory and will feature a tour of the Observatory. Bus transportation to and from Queen's University Belfast to Armagh Observatory has been arranged for attendees.
Saturday, 14 June
Optional trip to some of Ireland's most breathtaking archaeoastronomical sites
Organised bus transport provided.
The Megalithic Passage Tombs of Newgrange, Knowth, and Dowth in County Meath date back to around 3,200 BC, predating Stonehenge and the Pyramids of Giza. These ancient structures, part of the Boyne Valley Mounds, are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Newgrange is famous for its winter solstice sunrise alignment, which illuminates its passage and chamber.
Knowth has two passages and is surrounded by seventeen satellite cairns.
Dowth, the Fairy Mound of Darkness, is similar in size and age to the other tombs. A damaging excavation in 1847 revealed two tombs, Dowth North and Dowth South. Dowth South aligns with the setting sun of the winter solstice, illuminating its passage and chamber.
These sites, rich in history and megalithic art, are subjects of debate regarding their original purpose, whether as burial tombs, sacred temples, or astronomical observatories.
