Ireland’s fascination with the cosmos takes centre stage from 4–10 October 2025 as Space Week Ireland returns with a new theme, “Living in Space.”
Coordinated by MTU Blackrock Castle Observatory (BCO), the week invites students, families, community groups, artists, engineers and the wider space community to explore how life on Earth can inform life beyond it — from caves and controlled habitats to stars, galaxies, black holes and supernovas. Many events are free, with others ticketed locally.
The programme blasts off with a Space Week Roadtrip, bringing astronauts and science communicators directly into communities across the country to spark imagination and curiosity. Former NASA astronaut Dan Tani will be joined on the road by Dr Niall Smith, Head of Research, MTU and Head of Blackrock Castle Observatory, for a series of public and school engagements across Cork, Kerry and Limerick from Saturday, 4 to Tuesday, 7 October.
Space Week Ireland celebrations get underway on Saturday 4 October (10:00–13:00) with a family-friendly Space Week Festival at the Cork School of Music.. Audiences will hear first-hand about life in space from Dan Tani, delve into the hazards of space living with Dr Lisa McNamee, and explore the impact of high-energy particles (like the sun) on human health with Dr Josh Reynolds. Interactive displays and hands-on workshops will bring science to life for children and families.
On Monday 6 October, the Road Trip visits Tralee Library, Co. Kerry for a special primary school session titled ‘Living in Space, with NASA astronaut Dan Tani and astronomer Dr. Niall Smith’ (10 am–1.30 pm) Join NASA Astronaut Dan Tani as he shares his experiences from living onboard the international Space Station (ISS) and Dr. Niall Smith, an astronomer and space scientist about the future prospects of living in space.
That evening at 7 pm, the team arrives at the University of Limerick for a public event hosted with the UL Rocketry Society. The Limerick programme continues on Tuesday, 7 October, at Mary Immaculate College, with primary school sessions followed by a general public talk on the topic of living in space (1:10-1:55 pm).
Further Space Week events — including talks, workshops and stargazing nights — will run nationwide. Highlights include an ESERO Ireland Space Careers Roadshow at MTU Blackrock Castle Observatory in Cork, a NASA Space Apps event in Athlone, Space Week activities at Galway Atlantaquaria, and “The Stars and the Universe Beyond” evening at Maynooth University. Explore the full programme at spaceweek.ie/events.
Each event opens a doorway to larger questions: how extreme conditions shape resilience, how we might design to survive, and how Ireland’s next generation can chart unlimited pathways — through the joy of space-related hobbies or through research and careers in STEM and the space industry.
“Living and working in space is one of the most extraordinary experiences a human being can have,” said Dan Tani, former NASA astronaut. “You see Earth from orbit and realise how fragile and beautiful it really is. Being involved with the Space Week Ireland Road Trip gives me the chance to share that perspective — not just the adventure of floating in zero gravity, but the ingenuity, teamwork, and resilience it takes to thrive in such an extreme environment. I hope it inspires students here in Ireland to see themselves as part of humanity’s journey to the stars.”
Dr Niall Smith commented, “The challenge of living in space is moving from short-term habitability of a small number of people in space stations to longer-term colonisation of villages of people on the Moon and ultimately Mars and perhaps beyond. There are enormous challenges in meeting this vision to become a multi-planet species, but equally, there are enormous opportunities. Rarely has human living in space been more exciting.”
In addition to in-person events, the public can follow the Space Week Ireland Road Trip virtually via the BCO YouTube channel. Viewers are encouraged to subscribe in advance to receive livestream notifications from each location and to dive into Space Week TV, a growing library of short, accessible videos on space science — from the night sky and space art to space-themed video games and more. Explore at spaceweek.ie/tv/.
Space Week is a nationwide, open invitation series. Schools, clubs, organisations and community groups can quickly add their activities — large or small, public or private, free or ticketed — to the national listings. Early registrations benefit from promotional amplification and automatic entry into a draw for Space Week prizes.
Space Week also shines a light on Ireland’s rich — and sometimes underappreciated — legacy in astronomy and astrophysics, and on the nation’s future potential at the forefront of space. Dublin mathematician William Rowan Hamilton’s pioneering quaternions helped solve spacecraft rotation challenges long before the Apollo era. Ernest Walton of Dungarvan became the first to split the atom, providing a landmark experimental confirmation of E = mc².
Annie Maunder overcame barriers to reveal the dynamics of sunspots and capture record-breaking coronal streamers; Agnes Mary Clerke championed public access to astronomy; and Margaret Lindsay Huggins advanced astrophotography at a time when the field demanded rare skill and persistence. Their spirit of curiosity and determination lives on in today’s Irish researchers, educators and space-industry innovators — and Space Week invites the public to be part of what comes next.
For deeper insight into Ireland’s contribution to space science — and to experience hands-on exhibitions, talks and skywatching — visit Blackrock Castle Observatory in Cork: a year-round gateway to Ireland’s place among the stars.
To register a Space Week Ireland event, go to spaceweek.ie/add, and for events near you to look up spaceweek.ie/events/.
