This paper sets out some challenges for Ireland's contribution to nanotechnology public engagement in the context of current STS and science communication theoretical-practice approaches. I report on a pilot set of public engagement activities and accompanying 'multi-sited ethnographic' and frame analysis methodologies. I reflect on how the theoretical context of these methods and findings present a challenge for nanoscience communicators in the first instance, but also for the social scientists and academics that are themselves contributing to the discourse of nanotechnology and, intentionally or not, communicating nanotechnology to diverse publics. I identify six discourse sites of nanotechnology which have the potential for public engagement. © 2009 The authors and IOS Press. All rights reserved.