Events Schedule

The workshop begins with a guided tour Ireland’s only university observatory, the historic Crawford Observatory, where you will learn about the instruments and architectural features that shaped Cork’s astronomical legacy.

Following the tour, we will move to the Dr Dora Allman Room with panoramic views of the campus and city for a hands-on creative workshop with artist Dominic Fee. Inspired by the observatory’s distinctive hexagonal roof, Dominic will guide you in creating your own geometric designs using compasses. This hands-on session invites you to explore the beauty of repeating patterns and the role of geometry in both science and art.

As we reflect on the theme Then, Today, Tomorrow we ask: What can looking to the past tell us about the future? By studying historical tools and architectural forms, we gain insight into how earlier generations understood the cosmos. These perspectives help us imagine new possibilities — not just in science, but in how we interpret and represent the universe through creative practice.

Optical science plays a vital role in this journey. From the telescopes housed in observatories to the lenses and prisms that reveal the hidden properties of light, optical science has shaped our understanding of the universe. It allows us to observe distant galaxies, decode the structure of stars, and even explore the microscopic patterns in nature that inspire artistic design. By connecting the precision of optics with the creativity of geometry, we celebrate how light — both as a physical phenomenon and a metaphor — illuminates our path from past discoveries to future innovations.

Materials List

Participants should bring:

• - A drawing compass (essential for creating geometric patterns) 

Provided on-site: 

• - Drawing paper
• - Pencils and erasers
• - Rulers
• - Light refreshments

Accessibility: Unfortunately the Crawford Observatory as a heritage building is not accessible.