19 May 2026 – AVEA May Forum 2026
Armagh Observatory and Planetarium was the venue for AVEA’s May Forum which was attended by 90+ delegates from the four corners of the island. We were given a very warm welcome by Jessica Moon, Operations Manager, who spoke of Armagh’s enduring legacy as ‘the place for space’, while speaking about exciting development plans to take place over the next decade.
As part of our occasional series focusing on new experiences, we heard an excellent presentation from Dermot Friel, owner of Friel’s Bar in Swatragh, and now host to GORTA – the Swatragh Famine Experience. Dermot gave a masterclass in research, planning, collaboration and agility as this new experience has gone from concept stage to growth in no time at all. Olivia Mulhern, Research and Insights Officer from Tourism Ireland, presented on what the research tells us about ‘luxury visitors’, and this theme was developed in a lively conversation with Eimear Callaghan, Head of Experience and Industry Development with Tourism NI, and Mark Rodgers, owner of Landmark Luxury Tours, about delivering outstanding, bespoke experiences that create unforgettable moments. Claire McCreely, director of the JAM Card, spoke of the successful adoption by Emerald Park of the JAM programme, to train staff to give ‘just a minute’ to visitors who need that little bit of extra time.
The very instructive morning wrapped up with a fun and collegiate food truck lunch delivered by local business Glaze and Roll. Delegates enjoyed a mesmerising star show in the ‘Our Night Sky’ theatre, bringing a highly enjoyable and educational day to a close.
