Where to mark International Dark Sky Week 2025 in Ireland

International Dark Sky Week (IDSW) - April 21 - 28, 2025 - is a worldwide event that draws attention to light pollution, promotes simple solutions to mitigate the issue, and celebrates the irreplaceable beauty of a natural night. 

The island of Ireland is home to three internationally recognized dark sky places, all of which are perfect to mark IDSW - Kerry International Dark Sky Reserve, Mayo International Dark Sky Park, and OM Dark Sky Park.

High school student Jennifer Barlow started IDSW in 2003, and the event is now spearheaded by DarkSky International.

Explaining why she started the week, Barlow said: “I want people to be able to see the wonder of the night sky without the effects of light pollution. The universe is our view into our past and our vision into the future. I want to help preserve its wonder.”

Read on to learn more about the dark sky reserves on the island of Ireland!

Kerry International Dark Sky Reserve

Kerry International Dark Sky Reserve, which became Ireland’s first Dark Sky Reserve in 2013, incorporates approximately 700 square km of territory along the Wild Atlantic Way, including the areas of the Iveragh Peninsula: Kells, Cahersiveen, Valentia Island, Portmagee, the Glen, Ballinskelligs, Waterville, Dromid, and Caherdaniel.

Its location between the Kerry Mountains and the Atlantic Ocean provides some natural protection against light pollution.

You can see locations within Kerry International Dark Sky Reserve on this interactive map shared by Discover Iveragh:

Mayo Dark Sky Park

Mayo Dark Sky Park, which is celebrating International Dark Sky Week 2025 with free events all week from Monday, April 21, is situated in the heart of the Bay Coast section of the Wild Atlantic Way.

Wild Nephin National Park makes up the protected landscape of Atlantic blanket bog, mountains, and forestry, and offer pristine night-time viewing free from light pollution.

Mayo Dark Sky Park offers a wide range of facilities for visitors to the region. On the west side is Ballycroy Visitor Centre, which is located in the village of Ballycroy on the N59 road between Mulranny and Bangor Erris.

OM Dark Sky Park and Observatory

Located in Davagh Forest in Omagh, Co Tyrone, OM Dark Sky Park and Observatory is the only one of its kind in Northern Ireland. 

You can visit Davagh Forest International Dark Sky Park at any time of the night to stargaze.

During the summer season, the OM building closes at 7 pm, but visitors are still be able to access the forest and car park.

If you are planning to visit late in the evening or remain in the forest after dark, staff recommend you stay close to the observatory building and car park as Davagh Forest can be difficult to navigate at night.

Visitors can make use of the outdoor viewing platform with red ambient lighting for stargazing. Please note that in June/July it does not get dark until about 10:30 pm.

How can I celebrate International Dark Sky Week? 

Here are some general suggestions from Dark Sky International on how to celebrate International Dark Sky Week:

Get together with friends and family and go outside at night. A lot of us don’t take the opportunity to experience the nighttime environment. Go outside, look up, and look around. Lots of interesting stuff is happening during the night. Looking for some adventure? Plan a trip to the dark side.

Help spread the word about light pollution and the importance of dark skies. This week is a great excuse to talk with friends, family, neighbors, your homeowner’s association, or government representatives about why protecting our night environment is so crucial.

Become a citizen scientist and collect data about the night sky in your neighborhood for Globe at Night. It’s fun, easy, and you’ll be helping scientists across the globe better understand the threat of light pollution to our planet.

Stopping light pollution isn’t just about seeing the stars. There are other important things at stake, too. Use this week to take the time to learn more about the effect of artificial light at night on human health, the environment, energy waste, crime and safety, and the heritage of night skies.

Join the conversation! Use the hashtag #IDSW on social media to share how you’re celebrating International Dark Sky Week and connect with other people passionate about dark skies. Check out DarkSky on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter / X, YouTube, and LinkedIn.