On a clear night under a dark sky in Ireland you can see over 4,000 twinkling stars, spot some of the planets, the Milky Way, and even see meteor showers and satellites – all with the naked eye.
A bright star in the world of stargazing, the island of Ireland boasts three International Dark Sky Places – accredited sites where you can be sure of a certain level of darkness or sky quality. That’s pretty good going considering there are only 80-odd official dark sky places on the entire planet.
The country’s newest kid on the dark sky block is the OM Dark Sky Park and Observatory in Northern Ireland, which is named after the sound of the universe. With accommodation on site, this recently opened purpose-built stargazing facility at Davagh Forest in County Tyrone offers exceptional views of the night sky – as clear as they would have been seen centuries ago.
The observatory’s state-of-the-art tech and equipment contrasts with the ancient Beaghmore Stone Circles a short walk away in the foothills of the Sperrin mountains, and a unique Stars and Stones tour at the observatory will take you through fascinating stories of both.
Many travellers are drawn to County Kerry for its fantastic scenery in the daytime, but when night falls a kaleidoscope of colour provides yet more breathtaking sights. At Kerry International Dark Sky Reserve there is peace all around, soft sand underfoot and only the sound of waves caressing the shore. Here, as well as enjoying the night sky yourself, you can have a stargazing guide introduce you to the joy of astronomy, discover the legends of the skies and the facts behind the stars, plus see outdoor projections of planets and galaxies.