The Dunsink Observatory is an astronomical observatory
established in 1785 in what was then outside of Dublin by
Trinity College Dublin. The site was selected for its elevated
position and views over the surrounding landscape. At the time,
Dublin was four miles away and Finglas was a small village, a
perfectly dark location, far from the city lights, for star-
watching. The design of Dunsink incorporated a number of novel
ideas. The main telescope was mounted on a granite pier which is
independent of the building that surrounds it. Circulation of
air within the dome was intended to give sharper images of the
stars. The observatory was restored in recent years. The
telescope, then no longer state of the art, was used mainly for
public ‘open nights’.