Ballyshannon Constellation Carnival 2009 (Part 1)

www.BallyshannonOnline.com Donegal has some of the darkest skies in Europe and for the past few years the Ballyshannon Carnival has celebrated the darkening nights at the beginning of October ,with an illuminated parade through the town, as the Finale event of Donegal Co.Cos Cultural Services -Donegal Bay & Blue Stacks Festival
This year local Donegal company LUXe (artistic directors of the parade) decided to make a processional spectacle and to develop sculptural work celebrating the International Year of Astronomy as the theme for this years night time parade.. At the launch of their astronomical themed work in Dublin on St Patrick's Day they were awarded the Spirit of the Parade prize.
Continuing with this theme throughout the year LUXe proposed theming this year's appropriately timed Ballyshannon parade titled Constellations, to celebrate astronomy, and in conjunction with Robert Hill of Northern Ireland Space office,colleagues from the International Year Of Astronomy 2009 Ireland Secretariat, and Armagh Planetarium, the Carnival team are privileged to launch World Space Week in Ireland, in Ballyshannon.