An almost 20-year working relationship with one National Park, even though we have both changed our names in that time (from Ballycroy to Wild Nephin for the Park, and I got married to my working partner!)

Following a review and recommendations report (which we completed in March 2017) the latest phase of this on-going project has involved regular review and visitor experience advice, leading to several upgrades and new additions to the interpretation experience at the Ballycroy Visitor Centre in the Wild Nephin National Park (most notably in 2018 and 2025). A suite of acrylic graphics added fresh content and encourage more cross-themed exploration throughout the exhibition. Bespoke interactive exhibits were installed, including one demonstrating the effects of light pollution designed and installed by W19 Design in response to the Park gaining International Dark Sky Park, a digital interactive to access archive photos and content relating to Ireland’s whaling past, and upgrades to some of the existing exhibits. Changes in the foyer saw a new ‘live content’ zone with whiteboard and interactive digital map to help orientate visitors and provide information on how to access the Park’s trails and viewing points, and a redesign of a previous exhibit, the Conservation Station, to allow visitors to explore the work of the Rangers.

Designs were also produced for a suite of education activity upgrades in the exhibition gallery and education classroom, including mobile activity stations to create changeable hands-on content in the gallery and improved access to artefacts and resources in the education room, with a bespoke mural to encourage visitor flow.

Having developed and delivered the original interpretation between 2007-9 for what was then Ballycroy National Park – the sixth Irish National Park operated by the National Parks & Wildlife Service before the name change to Wild Nephin National Park – and having assisted with subsequent additional interpretation for the Claggan Mountain Coastal Trail and various print materials, including for the Park’s designation as an International Dark Sky Park in 2016, it is always an absolute pleasure to return to site and continue work with the team to further enhance the visitor experience.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This 60 second video shows the fit-out of the original exhibition in 2009, which I managed whilst employed by the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) Consulting, having developed the interpretation plan and also designed the outside walking trail, hilltop viewing point and pond dipping zone.