The Dark Sky Ecotourism team recently held its fourth transnational meeting from 16th to 18thOctober at the Technological University of the Shannon, Athlone Campus. This was an essential gathering, focusing on updates, planning, and networking while also exploring the beauty of Athlone.
The meeting kicked off on Monday afternoon with a general update on the project's status and timelines. This helped everyone get up to speed and set the tone for the discussions to follow. After outlining plans for the next two days and discussing the latest updates to the team's hand book, everyone took a break to check into their accommodation.
The real highlight of Monday evening was a night-time boat trip on Lough Ree. The team enjoyed some quality time together, capturing memorable moments for content creation. After the boating experience, the night concluded with pizza at The Snug, wrapping up the day on a relaxed note.
Tuesday started with coffee and greetings, setting a comfortable and welcoming atmosphere for the day's activities. The team dived right into business with an assessment of PR2 and PR3 tools. After amid-morning coffee break, they continued their discussion on PR3, concluding the session just before lunch.
Post-lunch, the team shifted their focus toPR4, which dealt with the application aspects of the project. Following another coffee break, the topic of multipliers was addressed, touching upon ways to make the project more effective in its reach. After a productive day of discussions and planning, the working meeting concluded in the late afternoon.
To unwind after the day's work, the team went for a calming walk in Port lick Forest. This was followed by dinner at Il Colleseo, where conversations flowed as easily as the food. The night ended with a social gathering at Seán's bar, renowned as the oldest bar in Europe, adding a historic touch to the meeting.
On the final day, Wednesday, the team used the morning to catch up on any lingering tasks or discussions. A brief coffee break led into the last session focused on deadlines and reporting. After summing up the meeting's achievements and laying out next steps, everyone headed to lunch before departing.
The fourth transnational meeting in Athlone was a success, combining productive work sessions with enjoyable social activities. The Dark Sky team returned home not only with a clearer path for the project but also with shared memories that will surely strengthen the team's bond.