The Robert Boyle Festival of Science

The inaugural Robert Boyle Science Festival, held in Lismore 18th-20th November 2011, was a huge success.

Download the Robert Boyle Science Festival 2011 programme here

As Sean Sherlock, Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Jobs, Innovation and Department of Education & Skills, opened the inaugural Robert Boyle Science Festival last weekend he praised the committee that had brought such an unusual festival to life and the community that supported it. There was much for both the local and scientific communities to enjoy over the course of the festival weekend as the committee served up a menu of scientific lectures, social events and family activities.<br /><br />

By kind permission of Lord and Lady Burlington, four wonderful lectures were held in the Pugin Room of Lismore Castle, the birthplace of the famous scientist Robert Boyle in whose honour the festival was held.  2011 was chosen as the year for the inaugural festival as it marks the 350th anniversary of the publication of Boyle’s most famous work ‘The Sceptical Chemist’.  That work, among Boyle’s many other innovations, discoveries and writings were discussed by Professor Duncan Thorburn Burns of Queen’s University, Belfast and Dr Allan Chapman of Oxford University. More contemporary matters “The Effect of Human Activities on the Earth’s Atmosphere” and “Earth’s Peculiar Atmosphere” occupied the festival’s two other keynote speakers Professors Bob Watson and Richard Wayne. Academic matters were removed from the agenda as the lecturers retired to ‘On the Boyle’ a social evening at Ballyrafter House Hotel..<br /><br />

Many local schoolchildren got a sneak peep at the festival on Friday when they visited The Robert Boyle Show from WIT and the Stardome from Armagh Planetarium.  Children of all ages poured into Lismore for Family Science Day on Sunday 20th November.  WIT’s CALMAST and Lifetime Lab, Cork entertained the crowds in Lismore’s Community Hall with hands on games, experiments and puzzles before WIT’s Eoin Gill again disappeared into his time machine only to reappear as Robert Boyle himself! Declan Kennedy and his able team of assistants from University College Cork astounded a packed Courthouse Theatre with The Chemistry Magic Show while Lismore Heritage Centre’s Mad Scientists popped balloons, rockets and tricks as families arrived. Many would say the best was saved till last as a spectacular fireworks display brought the festival to a close..<br /><br />

Mayor of Lismore, Ken Madden, complimented the success of the inaugural festival, commenting that the festival’s unique, ‘boutique’ character suits Lismore particularly well. Mayor Madden praised the involvement of Lismore Heritage Centre saying that he fully understood “the huge volume of work and commitment that such an event requires and it is greatly rewarding when it works out so well.”
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The Robert Boyle Science Festival committee would like to thank the many kind sponsors whose support made the wonderful weekend possible, the speakers and family fun facilitators who entertained the festival-goers and particularly Waterford Institute of Technology and University College Cork for their vision for creating the festival and their huge input into making it a reality.
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