Ireland’s premier biodiversity festival, the Bealtaine Festival of Outdoor Science ran this year from the 20th May to the 27th May and included International Day for Biological Diversity on May 22. The festival was supported by the Heritage Council.This has been the 8th year of the festival and to date they have had hundreds of events introducing thousands of people to the outstanding natural resources of the Southeast of Ireland. This unique and inclusive festival is a partnership between visitor centres and organisations in the south-east of Ireland interested in promoting science outdoors and is particularly designed for young people. Partners include the Waterford City and County Councils, Copper Coast Geopark, Waterford Institute of Technology Research Groups and Department of Chemical and Life Sciences, The National Biodiversity Data Collection Centre, Hill walking clubs, Lismore Heritage Centre etc.