William Davenport

Armagh Planetarium and Observatory

(1772–1823, in office 1815–1823)

Son of a Dublin solicitor Edmund Davenport, and his wife Eliza, Rev. Dr William Davenport entered Trinity College Dublin in 1787, becoming its Fellow in 1795, and the Erasmus Smith’s Professor of Natural and Experimental Philosophy in 1807. He was also the Arcbishop King’s Lecturer (a divinity post) in 1815. He also held key offices at the Royal Irish Academy. Davenport headed the Observatory and was the incumbent of Clonfeacle from 1815 until his untimely death in 1823, when he took his own life in the study.

Due to only a small number of observations done by his hand – most of the observing was done by late Hamilton’s long-time Assistant Astronomer, Robert Hogg (in office 1799–1830) – and a lack of astronomical publications, many chroniclers regard his directorship as unsuccessful. He did, however, have to contend with a dearth of funding in Armagh, and simultaneously held the Professorship of Natural Philosophy at Trinity College until 1822, so he spent a significant amount of time in Dublin, lecturing new generations of academics.

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Opening Hours

Open Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00am – 5:00pm
Closed on Mondays (Open Bank Holiday Mondays)