Celebrating achievements at Mayo Dark Sky Park
THE Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, Christopher O’Sullivan, joined communities in Mayo's Wild Nephin National Park at a special event celebrating the International Dark Sky Place of the Year award for Mayo Dark Sky Park.
The award was given to the park by DarkSky International in December 2024 and recognises outstanding leadership on the importance of dark skies for nature, climate and communities.
Wild Nephin National Park is managed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS). At night, the park becomes Mayo Dark Sky Park.
Said Minister O’Sullivan: “Our natural night sky heritage here in Mayo includes some of the darkest, most pristine skies in the world and draws many visitors hoping to catch a glimpse of the Milky Way or even a meteor shower. But Dark Sky Parks are also places where we can learn about the importance of nightscapes, and their positive impact on biodiversity, climate, and on our own health and wellbeing.
“This award recognises that protecting our dark skies is a community effort, and is the result of a long standing partnership and engagement between Wild Nephin National Park, its surrounding communities and the local authority.
“I’m delighted to see that Ireland, through Mayo Dark Sky Park, has taken a strong leadership role to protect and restore our night skies. With over 230 dark sky locations around the world, this is a very significant achievement for dark skies in Ireland and I’d like to congratulate everyone involved.”
NPWS works in partnership with community groups within and around the park to raise awareness and understanding of dark skies. Activities in recent years include:
* A lighting project in Newport which reduced light pollution by 50% for this gateway town to the Dark Sky Park
* Mayo Dark Sky Festival - a flagship off-season initiative which attracts a growing number of visitors and stargazers
* Dark Sky Champions and Ambassadors programmes involving approximately 500 people
* The Pale Blue Dot - a mobile planetarium with a focus on education on dark skies and their relevance to conservation
The park was also successful in a bid with Dark Sky Ireland to cohost the international conference Artificial Light at Night (ALAN 2025), which will take place in Westport at the end of October.
Other speakers at the event included Tia Crowley, Mayo County Council. Dr. Frank Prendergast, archaeoastronomer and Emeritus Research Fellow at TU Dublin, a long-time supporter of the dark sky project in Mayo, gave a guest lecture on the cultural significance of the Pleiades (Seven Sisters) star cluster, a sight he has often enjoyed viewing from the Ballycroy Visitor Centre.
Niall Ó Donnchú, director general with the National Parks and Wildlife Service, said: “The National Parks and Wildlife Service is grateful for the community support behind Mayo Dark Sky Park. We want to see collaboration and partnerships like this flourish and thrive in our National Parks.
“The night sky heritage here really adds to the existing habitats and biodiversity at Wild Nephin National Park.”
Denis Strong, divisional manager, western division, NPWS, added: “Our education and engagement offerings here at Wild Nephin National Park continues to grow thanks to ongoing engagement and collaboration with the local community. These include enhanced opportunities for visitors to experience the dark sky, through a sensory nature trail or from one of the many viewing points in the park.
“While today’s event is about marking our achievements, the future for Mayo Dark Sky Park is looking bright.”