Mayo International Dark Sky Park at Wild Nephin National Park has been awarded the prestigious ‘Dark Sky Place of the Year Award 2024’ by DarkSky International, recognizing its commitment to advocacy and education around the significance of dark skies and the impacts of light pollution. Officially designated as a Gold-tier International Dark Sky Park in 2016, it features some of the darkest skies globally, situated between the Nephin Beg mountains and the Atlantic coast. The recognition highlights collaborative initiatives like the lighting redesign project at St. Patrick’s Church in Newport, which reduced local light pollution by 50%. The park actively promotes the importance of dark skies through events such as the growing Mayo Dark Sky Festival, which offers a range of activities aimed at fostering appreciation and awareness of the natural night environment. Future educational programs, including a mobile planetarium and an upcoming international conference on artificial light, are set to further enhance community engagement and conservation efforts.