New ‘OM Odyssey’ film and solar walk at Davagh

Front row seats to the premier of a new show chronicling the history of the earth and the solar system, projected on to the side of an observatory situated in the darkest skies in the North – Sheldon (the lead character of the US sitcom The Big Bang Theory) would have been envious.

I could almost hear his screeching know-all voice echoing across the huge expanse of Davagh Forest as he recited bizarre facts and figures of how all living things came into being.

But you don’t have to be an astronomer, scientist or celestial enthusiast to be captivated by the wonderful natural resource of the darkness at Davagh Forest.

As the visiting DAERA minister Edwin Poots said, “it’s a special place”.

Last Wednesday night, the major development by Mid Ulster Council at the remote site in the Sperrins which has seen the construction of the impressive £1.2m OM Observatory, took another bold step forward as a leading tourist attraction with the premier of the ‘OM Odyssey’ film and also the opening of the new solar walk which links the Observatory to the famous Beaghmore Stone Circles with a 3.4 km trail through the forest and over a boardwalk.

With the aforementioned darkness swallowing all the assembled guests, we took our seats on the stone-built viewing terrace while headsets brought to life the dramatic scenes projected on to the side of the building.

As summed up best by Mid Ulster council, the film swept us away from “urban lights into the darkest of dark skies, speeding visitors into space to experience satellites, suns and starbursts, or swooping them through an ancient forest, under the fast-flowing Broughderg River, before soaring into the sky, into a galaxy of stars and the mesmerising Aurora Borealis”.

There is no need for a spoiler alert here, this is a film which is experienced, rather than simply watched. Put simply: You have to see it for yourself.

Next up was a short dander along the first few hundred metres of the new solar walk which starts at the Observatory and follows a route through the forest and over a large expanse of bogland to the stone circles.

Visitors can download an app on their phones to use as they move along the trail, which is dotted with markers, each one using augmented reality to present a planet in the solar system and to link the night sky which the ancient landscape.

On Sunday, I returned to complete the solar walk which gives visitors a true sense of how remote this area is. Just a few curious cows looked on as the first groups of visitors made their way across the mesmerising feat of engineering that is the boardwalk.

And the sense of wonder continues when you arrive at the ever-mysterious Beaghmore Stone Circles, which were uncovered in the late 1930s.

Local councillor Sean Clarke who lives just a few miles away in the Broughderg area, said Davagh offered a wealth of leisure and tourist opportunities and praised the local community and council for helping develop the forest.
“There is a remoteness, quietness and being away from it all, that is one of the key things about Davagh,” said Cllr Clarke.
“With the mountain bike trails, the walks, the archaeology, the dark skies, it really has it all. And there is also great wildlife here, like the deer and the red squirrel.”

Inside the Observatory last Wednesday night, the chair of Mid Ulster District Council, Cllr Paul McLean helped launch the two new attractions.

“To stand under the darkest of dark skies and see films screened like this is a truly amazing experience,” he said. “Our new OM Solar Walk is spectacular on its own, given the landscape you move through, but is at a whole new level when you add the augmented reality which takes you on a journey to discover the sky and the land at once.

“We have always said that the uniqueness of this place lay in its skyscape and its landscape and these new additions to OM Dark Sky Park and Observatory are testament to that.

“Davagh Forest is rapidly becoming one of Mid Ulster’s most enticing visitor destinations, while being true to an ancient landscape, a history and heritage which spans millennia and a community which is passionate about the place where they live.”

Rural Affairs Minister, Edwin Poots MLA said Davagh was now a key tourist attraction.

“Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic more people visited outdoor spaces and this trend has continued. As we continue on the pathway to recovery I am delighted to see the completion of these excellent facilities at Davagh Forest which my Department has part-funded through the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 Rural Tourism Scheme,” said Mr Poots.

“This is an exciting and unique project for Northern Ireland and will be one of the ‘must see visitor’ attractions for amateur astronomers, those with an interest in the night sky and as an educational resource for schools and colleges.”

Minister Poots continued, “Tourism is one of the key economic sectors for Northern Ireland, providing jobs and livelihoods and supporting many local businesses, including many in rural areas.

“These further developments at Davagh Forest will attract additional visitors to this rural part of Northern Ireland and provide a much needed boost to the local economy.”

The observatory sits in the only designated International Dark Sky Park in Northern Ireland, where a lack of light pollution allows unrivalled views of the night sky and makes the site ideal for star-gazing, and is only one of two such officially accredited parks on the island of Ireland.

The centrepiece of the building is the first floor observatory with a retractable roof where the 14 inch LX600 Meade telescope is used during special star-gazing events and VIP tours.

The project has been part-funded by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) Rural Tourism Scheme under the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, and the Landfill Tax Fund.