Offaly Libraries look forward to celebrating Space Week, from October 4th – 10th, as a kickstart to our STEAM 2024 / 2025 programme. The STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) programme is set to begin with Space Week, followed by Math’s Week in October and will continue through to November with our Science Week celebrations. This programme is kindly co-funded by Creative Ireland.
STEM Communicator, Seanie Morris kicks off the week with a number of interactive science Workshops for Primary School students throughout Offaly. ‘Become a Rocket Scientist Workshop’ combines the realms of art and science resulting in a fun, interactive activity for participants.
Seanie will also deliver afterschool workshops for little minds on the below dates and locations:
Birr Library
Friday, 4th October
15:30
Tullamore Library
Monday, 7th October
15:30
Clara Library
Thursday, 10th October
15:30
Edenderry Library
Friday, 11th October
15:30
Learn a little about rocket history along the way and how they work. Did you know that a balloon is a crude rocket? Then, get ready to mix the fuels together to watch it ‘pop’ off the table!
Places must be booked. Contact details can be found on individual branch pages here.
Birr Library are very excited for a Stellar Space Week Extravaganza on Saturday, 5th Oct.
All visitors will embark on exhilarating expeditions into space through our Virtual Reality Headsets and children will get a taste of what it’s like to drive a Mars Rover during VEX Robotics Freeplay sessions.
Activities will take place from 10:00 – 12:00 on a first come first serve basis.
Dr. Niamh Shaw will visit us at 12pm to share her experiences of living on Mars (sort of) for 15 days and how it made her appreciate Earth and everything it provides us.
If that isn’t exciting enough, Birr Library will also be included in Space Week Ireland’s exciting roadshow with a very special visit from retired NASA Astronaut, Steven Swanson!
Local Secondary School students will be invited to experience astronaut life through our Virtual Reality headsets. Not only that, they will enjoy a meet and greet with Swanson, who is also the first man to post an Instagram pic from Space!
Swanson has banked almost 200 days of spaceflight experience, including an Atlantic shuttle mission to the International Space Station!
A special collection of NASA medals will also be on display in Birr Library during Space Week.
As always, there will be plenty of story times, crafts and supporting book displays on offer in all our library branches to celebrate Space week. Please get in touch with your local library for more information.
Take a look at our full schedule of Space Week events here
The programme is kindly supported by Creative Ireland.
