November 2024

The 2024 Mayo Dark Sky Festival will take place from Friday, 1st November, to Sunday, 3rd November, in Newport, Mulranny and Ballycroy.

The festival will explore Astronomy, Heritage and the Environment through family friendly events such as astronomy sessions, art and storytelling workshops, rocket making displays, educational talks and activities for all.

November is one of the best months for stargazing the nightscapes because its dark skies at 6 pm. Beautiful celestial bodies like Orion, Cassiopeia, double star Albireo, the Pleiades star cluster, and the Milky Way can be seen.

Programme 2024

• Opening Event, Music with fiddle player Julie Langan and dancer Martin Hughes

• Stargazing at Burrishoole Abbey with Derek Dempsey

• Discovery Shuttle Programme-40 year on, with Derek Dempsey

• Dark Sky Stories, a talk and writing workshop with Anna Levin

• Planetarium Shows Saturday

• Telescopes and accessories-exhibition and trade stand with Stephen Kershaw

• Live Event Illustration with Rae Jordan

• Launching Eirsat-1: Big science with a small satellite with Prof. Lorraine Hanlon

• Gala Dinner with the musical trio The Garibaldis

• Seashore Safari with Conor Ryan

• Stellarium Workshop, with Derek Dempsey

• “In the darkening twilight I saw a lone star…”, with Jonathan Shackleton

• Is There Anybody Out There? with Brian MacGabhann

• Rocket Workshop with Declan Holmes

• AromAtom: discover the smell of space with Marina Barcenilla

• The Science of Star Trek with Brendan Owens

• Closing Event: Lantern Walk and Music with the Avoca String Quartet