Tirlán celebrates Dr Norah Patten’s journey into orbit.

As you may have seen in recent news, Dr. Norah Patten is set to become the first Irish person in space as part of a research mission aboard Virgin Galactic’s new spacecraft.

Last year, Tirlán hosted Dr. Norah Patten in Abbey Quarter to speak with employees about her journey to become an astronaut candidate, which began at the age of 11 with a family trip to NASA.

She is now part of a team being sent by the International Institute for Astronautical Sciences (IIAS) to advance scientific knowledge on supporting life in space. When Patten undertakes the mission in 2026, she will become the first person from Ireland to go to space

During her time at Tirlán, Norah shared her highly engaging story, inspiring us with her hard work, persistence, and her “reach for the stars” attitude.

We extend our congratulations to Norah on this amazing achievement and feel privileged to have been a tiny, tiny part of her journey.