Ireland and LOFAR Presented by Denise Gabuzda (University College Cork)

 Meeting of astronomers and physicists from 6 universities and institutes across island of Ireland in Dublin in Spring 2008  Strong interest in using LOFAR to study transients (e.g. GRBs), AGN, cosmic magnetic fields, solar physics & space weather, geophysics; possibility of independent observations with UK stations?  Currently identifying potential sources of funding for 1-2 stations, investigating question of a site, interaction with already existing ARTI project (which aims to construct 32-m radio telescope on site in Birr, near center of island)

 Growing Irish presence in LOFAR, pre-SKA activities: — Peter Gallagher (Trinity College Dublin) collaborator in LOFAR SSW KSP — DG’s AGN group (University College Cork) included in recently proposed Path2SKA EU Training Network — DG lecturer in recent MCCT-SKADS school in Siguenza, Spain  Hope to have news of further developments on time scale of 4-8 months