Cats, Teddy Bears and Antarctica – Science Week in the Midlands
Science week events in Laois, Offaly, Longford and Westmeath
The science of music, cats, Antarctica, water and skincare are among the topics to feature in a range of activities taking place in Laois, Longford, Offaly and Westmeath as part of Midlands Science Week 2026
Supported by Research Ireland Science Week, Midlands Sciency Week takes place from November 8th to 15th with the aim of celebrating science and a chance for people of all ages to engage with science in everyday life.
The organisers say activities include workshops and activities for young children and families, the return of the popular Teddy Bears Hospital with the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland Paediatrics Society and amazing space science shows with BAFTA award-winning Simon Watt.
Professor Sean Kennelly will be exploring the science behind dementia, and this event is presented in association with the University of the Third Age, an international movement dedicated to life-long learning for people in their retirement years.
Dermatologist Dr Olwyn Conlon will be talking about all things science and skincare, and you may learn you don’t need as many skin products as you think.
The popular Bohemian Strings return for a series of concerts with Dr Claire O’Connell. Through a range of popular tunes, they will explore the science of music. Dr Clare Meade who is known from her work on the RTÉ Show The Cat Hospital, will be talking about cats and science.
Dr Niamh Shaw will be sharing stories from her travels in Antarctica, and if you fancy some pop-up science, Dr Dan Nikstrom will be undertaking all sorts of science experiments in a shopping centre near you. The week also features leading menopause expert Dr Deirdre Forde.
In a first for the festival this year, an event for adults in Irish will be presented in Athlone with popular broadcaster Eanna Ní Lamhna.
Tá Éanna Ní Lamhna ar dhuine de na daoine poiblí is mó cáil in Éirinn, go háirithe mar bhitheolaí, mar chomhairleoir comhshaoil agus fiadhúlra, mar láithreoir raidió agus teilifíse, mar údar agus mar oideachasóir. Is údar í Éanna ar roinnt leabhar móréileamh faoin bhfiadhúlra, atá dírithe ar léitheoirí óga agus ar dhaoine fásta araon. Cuirtear an ócáid speisialta seo do Sheachtain na hEolaíochta i láthair i gcomhar le Gaeltacht Átha Luain, le tacaíocht ó Thaighde Éireann. Déanfar iniúchadh ar an mbithéagsúlacht in Éirinn ag an imeacht, agus béim ar leith á cur ar réigiún lár na tíre. Beidh an ócáid seo ar siúl trí mheán na Gaeilge.
Science Week has water as a theme this year, exploring water at every scale as an essential building block of life on Earth and a powerful force that shapes our planet. Midlands Science will premiere online during Science Week a short documentary exploring water in the Midlands. This documentary was developed by young participants in My Life Online, a training programme supported by the Rethink Ireland TikTok Digital Future Fund.
Jackie Gorman is the CEO of Midlands Science.
“Science Week is an amazing opportunity to engage with science and appreciate the seminal role it plays in all of our lives and indeed in our culture. We are living through a time where so much disinformation is circulating on issues from the environment to health online, so we consider it really important we can provide opportunities for people to engage with scientists directly and in person. Whether you are interested in polar exploration, skin care, biodiversity or music, we have an event for you.
“I would encourage everyone to engage with Science Week this year and bring your curiosity; you won’t be disappointed,” she said.
More information about the work of Midlands Science can be found on www.midlandsscience.ie and events for Science Week will be open for booking from late September.