Adventure and Leadership Program: Semester Length, Fall and Spring Cohorts

Irish Gap Year was 10/10. I had so much fun in Ireland, despite COVID-19 restrictions. The programs leaders did a great job of making sure that we had a full experience, and we got to do a ton of activities, like hiking and surfing. It was incredible actually living in a foreign country, and engaging with the town and cities around us. I would definitely recommend this gap year program to anyone looking to immerse in Irish culture and enjoy the beautiful natural scenery, as well as forming great relationships with other students. I miss it so much!

This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me. I went into this program knowing that Covid would restrict some of what we do but, I feel as if I made the absolute most out of this program. Staying in the house with everyone was the best part of the program. We had a very fun and interesting group dynamic and I can honestly say there wasn’t a day where I was not bored. Despite Covid restrictions, the leaders did there best to keep us active and entertained. My favorite activity during the trip was surfing and I do plan on continuing to surf back in the states. I highly recommend this program to anyone wanting to try something new and exciting.

I had a great time in Ireland with Irish Gap Year and would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone. It was the perfect mix of adventure and fun while still developing leadership skills, making a positive impact in the community with volunteer work, and learning about topics ranging from environmental science to Irish history and so much more. From surfing and cliff jumping to hiking and jewelry making, all of the activities are amazing and the program does a great job of providing opportunities to try new things and always have fun doing it.

I had a fun time on this trip a lot because I was able to meet new people and spend time in a place that I had never been before. We were able to also do many activities that I had never done. I like the fact that we had a set schedule every week so we know what we are doing every day and we are prepared. The leaders were good people and were very helpful the whole time. I would recommend this program to anyone who is interested in doing activities like hiking, surfing, and cliff jumping. Great time overall.

Disclaimer: My experience was different from what other groups have done on this program given that I completed this program during COVID 19 and there were rules/restrictions in place. Regardless, I had an awesome time on this program. What made this program special was the relationships I made. I thought the activities done and the living arrangements (among other things) created great camaraderie among the group. I also thought the program did a great job of keeping us busy. Personally I am happy staying busy and it was a welcome change from the unfortunate alternative of living with covid.

I loved my semester with Irish Gap Year! Despite covid restrictions, we were still able to explore Belfast, Derry, Enniskillen, Galway, Sligo, and the Cliffs of Moher among other towns. Living in a house with a group pf people my age is a unique opportunity IGY provides and I have come out of this program with many friendships. My leaders are fantastic and so much fun! They are always positive and flexible. Our days are filled with surfing, hiking, cliff jumping, camping, fishing, exploring cities, volunteering, and workshops. I have come out of this program with countless new skills, like setting up shelters, and navigating. I am taking the connections I made and unique experiences away from my gap year with IGY.

I had a really good experience with Irish Gap Year! We did some super fun outdoor activities like hiking, surfing, and camping. We also did a few workshops and a bit of volunteering around the town which was great! Even with restrictions, we took a few trips around Ireland so we got to learn about bits of Irish culture and history. The leaders are all super friendly and want to help you grow as a person. I also really liked the housing situation as it allowed me to become close with all my peers.

Irish gap year was super fun overall. I loved the independent living situation, which is unique compared to many other organized gap programs, and sense of schedule throughout each week. Although our movement was restricted for much of the program (out of IGY's control), we still managed to have tons of fun exploring Donegal, Belfast, Galway, and Derry. The hiking and surfing were amazing, especially because nearly every location we went to had great views (cliffs, ocean, mountains etc). Despite the program being centered around adventure and the outdoors, I still felt that we experienced a solid amount of culture and city life.