Sligo

Email: Survey Officer

Astronomers

Cooper, Edward Henry (1827-1902), born Dublin, followed a career in the British army and becoming a Conservative politician.  Aged 36 he inherited the Markree Castle estate on the death of his uncle E. J. Cooper.  He maintained the Markree Observatory, employing Doberck, Marth and Henkel as directors though his real scientific interests lay in meteorology (Obit., MNRAS, 63 (1903), 197-8).

Cooper, Edward Joshua (1798–1863), born Dublin, and educated in Armagh, Eton College, Windsor, and Christ College, Oxford.  After  inheriting family estates at Markree, Collooney, co. Sligo, he set about pursuing his interests in astronomy by establishing an observatory (ODNB).

Doberck, Anna Nielsin (1878-1950), born Copenhagen, Denmark.  Sister of Dr W. Doberck who worked as his assistant at Martree Observatory, Ireland from 1874-82 (Stroobant 1931; MacKeowen 2007; see Surrey).

Doberck, William [Dr; FRAS] (1852-1941), born Copenhagen and educated in the city.  Appointed observer at Markree Observatory in 1872 by  Edward Henry Cooper (see Surrey).

Henkel, Frederick William (1869-1913), his early life is unclear, though his father encouraged a business career.  Through his lifelong interest in astronomy  he obtained a position as second assistant at the Oxford University  in 1897. Next year he succeeded Albert Marth as director of the Markree Observatory until its dissolution in 1902 with the death of its owner (Obit., MNRAS, 74 (1914), 274-5; Obit., JBAA, 23 (1913), 393; Stroobant 1907, 131).

Marth, Albert (1828-1897), born Kolberg, Pomerania, educated  at Berlin University he then joined Konigsberg Observatory .  Later he moved to Markree Observatory in Ireland for the remainder of his career (ODNB; Obit., MNRAS, (1898), 139-42; see County of London; Durham).

Observatories

Markree Observatory (1831-1902), Markree Castle, Collooney, established by Edward Joshua Cooper at his home.  The primary instrument being a 13-inch refracting telescope with a lens by Cauchoix, Paris and mount by Thomas Grubb (1834).  Later after Cooper’s death in 1872 his nephew took over the observatory, appointing Dr William Doberck in succession to Andrew Graham the first observer.  Later the director was Albert Marth succeeding Doberck followed by Frederick William Henkel. Observations of minor planets and a catalogue of ecliptic stars were undertaken.  In 1927 the telescope was sold to a Jesuit seminary in Hong Kong.  Damaged  during the Second World War, the telescope lens is preserved at Manila observatory (‘Reports of the Council’, MNRAS, 11, 1851, 104-5; Howse 1986; Hoskins 1982, 149-51)