Mayo International Dark Sky Park wins international award

Mayo International Dark Sky Park at Wild Nephin National Park has won the ‘Dark Sky Place of the Year Award 2024’ from DarkSky International.

This global award recognises leadership and collaboration in advocacy and education on the importance of dark skies and the consequences of light pollution for biodiversity, nature and climate, but also for the health and wellbeing of people and communities. The award recognises partnership and collaboration with community groups and the local authority both inside and outside the park.

In 2016, the park was officially designated as a Gold-tier International Dark Sky Park. Due to its remote location between the Nephin Beg mountain range and the wild Atlantic coastline, the park offers opportunities to view and experience some of the darkest skies in the world. Light pollution from excessive use of artificial light at night can disrupt wildlife, impact human health and wastes energy.

Activities at the park highlight the importance of naturally dark skies through outreach, advocacy and conservation.

The award recognises the partnership and collaboration which has resulted in a number of creative projects under the strategy ‘Half the Park is after Dark’. These include a lighting project at St. Patrick’s Church in Newport which involved the community working with a leading lighting designer to rethink lighting at night, featuring the famous Harry Clarke stained glass windows in the church. The project has reduced light pollution by 50% for Newport, a gateway town to the Dark Sky Park, and has created a unique visual experience for the heritage site at night.

Niall Ó Donnchú, director general of the National Parks & Wildlife Service at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, said: “The night-time environment is an increasingly important focus for our conservation efforts. The work underway here at Mayo International Dark Sky Park protects some of the most pristine skies in the country, which are significant for nature and biodiversity.

“NPWS has strengthened our community engagement, outreach and our education offer across all of our national parks, and the Dark Skies Initiative in Wild Nephin National Park is a really fantastic example of this work in action. This award really pays tribute to the work of the team and the local community and puts it on the international stage. All of us at NPWS are excited to see it develop further.”

Denis Strong, divisional manager with NPWS, added: “Wild Nephin National Park becomes Mayo Dark Sky Park at night. The naturally dark sky here in Co. Mayo is a unique experience that we want to showcase and protect. While the site is managed by NPWS, we have established a strong partnership between agencies, community groups and people in the area. Winning this award is great encouragement for us as we continue to highlight the importance of our night skies through creativity and collaboration.”

The Mayo Dark Sky Festival, a partnership initiative led by the Friends of Mayo Dark Skies, continues to go from strength to strength each year, attracting a growing number of international and domestic visitors and stargazers to the area. The festival has become a flagship off-season event for the region and is hosted between three community locations.

Fiona Hopkins, director of the Mayo Dark Sky Festival, said: “Our annual Mayo Dark Sky Festival is a highlight of the winter months for us. We love welcoming visitors from all corners of Ireland – and the world – to our rural communities, where they get to enjoy world class talks, walks, music, storytelling and stargazing.

“With themes of astronomy, science, culture and biodiversity, there truly is something for everyone, which is reflected in the number of couples and families who attend each year. Everyone who comes to the festival leaves with a greater appreciation of just how special natural dark skies are, and how important it is that they be protected.”

Other recent education programmes include The Pale Blue Dot – a mobile planetarium with a focus on education on dark skies and their relevance to conservation. In 2025, the park, together with Dark Sky Ireland, will co-host the international conference Artificial Light at Night (ALAN 2025) in Westport following a successful bid to bring the biannual event to Ireland.