The long-term future of Irish space travel seems universally transfixed by the swivelling seats in the UCD’s George Moore Auditorium on a frosty Friday evening as they wait – not always patiently – for a “fireside chat” with the short term future of Irish space travel to start. He is one of an audience made up mostly of excited children who have assembled to hear from Dr Norah Patten, the woman aiming to boldly go where no Irish person has gone before and become the first Irish person to travel into space. A couple of smart kids shoot their hands up and suggest some very smart answers but Dr Patten shakes her head. The next question is for Dr Patten and is from a woman with a young daughter. Dr Patten starts by saying she has a three-year-old daughter.
