In 2026, Mayo native Dr. Norah Patten is scheduled to become the first person from Ireland to go to space. Patten, an aeronautical and bioastronautics expert, will join American and Canadian crew aboard Virgin Galactic Delta in a space mission organised by the International Institute for Astronautical Sciences. To commemorate this stunning accomplishment, Pegasus Media is developing a new RTÉ radio series and accompanying lecture tour. Presented by Flor MacCarthy, From Ireland to the Stars highlights our island’s enduring connection to the cosmos, from ancient sites like Newgrange to modern breakthroughs including EIRSAT-1 and the James Webb Space Telescope.

Flor MacCarthy is an award-winning author and journalist whose first book The President’s Letters was shortlisted for Best Irish-Published Book 2021. A former RTÉ News journalist and anchor, she presents political debates on Oireachtas TV, interviewing politicians, academics, and journalists both in
Ireland and at the European Parliament in Strasburg.