This was one of the most important and meaningful experiences of my life, and something I know I’ll remember forever. I could spend hours speaking highly about the program, the leaders, and the people I met along the way.

Before coming, I honestly didn’t know what I wanted from my gap year, but this program gave it so much meaning. From hiking and surfing to volunteering and the social aspect of living alongside people from different backgrounds, every part of the experience pushed me outside my comfort zone in the best way possible.

The environment itself was phenomenal and honestly healing in a way. Even something as simple as walking to the grocery store felt special because everywhere you looked there were incredible views, mountains, wildlife, beaches, and sunsets. The house we stayed in was only a few minutes from the beach and beautiful coastal views, which made everyday life feel peaceful and exciting at the same time. The scenery had such a positive impact on my experience and allowed me to slow down, appreciate where I was, and fully enjoy every moment. Even the weather ended up feeling perfect for everything we were doing.

One of the best parts of the program was seeing not only my own confidence grow, but also watching everyone around me become more comfortable, independent, and open throughout the experience. I learned so much about myself and the things I’m capable of pushing myself toward. Throughout the program, I felt endlessly supported and truly included. I’ve always considered myself a shy person, but the welcoming environment made it easy to come out of my shell and fully enjoy the experience.

I came into the program with some hiking experience, but I’m leaving with so much more: surfing, bushcrafting, greater independence, and a stronger sense of self-reliance. This experience genuinely changed me for the better, and I’m leaving feeling more confident, capable, and prepared for the future.

This program was the most unforgettable and amazing experience. This program provided me with all the necessary tools in order to rediscover myself and also gain confidence. The activities were fun and allowed me to step outside of my comfort zone in a way that felt good for me. I could not speak more highly about the leaders on this program, they were knowledgable of the activities we did such as bushcrafting and surfing and were supportive to the students no matter what the need was. I would recommend this program to anyone who needs a "reset".

I absolutely loved my time with Irish Gap Year this spring, I had such an amazing experience. This program really helped me grow as a person, step outside of my comfort zone, and build connections with other people. This was also extremely helpful in providing me more independence and helping me feel more prepared to head off to college in the fall. I made so many great memories through all of the adventures that we had, and the people I met along the way. If I had the chance to do it again, I would do it in a heartbeat. I’d definitely recommend it to anyone!

While this program isn’t for everyone, it involves a lot of team work/cooperation and some hard physical work, this is great program, and I would absolutely recommend it. It has a great amount of fun, hard work and rest/down time. The people running it genuinely care about the student, and will try to make sure you have a good time. That shouldn’t be a worry though because this program seems to attract lovely, high energy, and caring. Not everything will go according to plan, but almost everything will end with find memories.

IGY was overall an amazing experience, with unforgettable memories as much as lessons. There is extreme support from the staff and leaders. Each leader has unique vibes and characteristics that make them fully suited for this. We step out of our comfort zones, we learn about ourselves, we learn to coexist with people of our ages, as well as being given the independence to try to judge right from wrong ourselves. Any leader would be there to help at the drop of a dime, at the ring of a phone. Ryan Allen truly knows how to run a business and make it feel as if it is a family, and every single person he selects is absolutely cut for the job. I’d say the gap year taught me many valuable lessons about coexistence, independency, and understanding myself. Weaknesses as well as strengths. I felt safe, looked after, glad to have food in my fridge and pantry at all times, and comfort in being checked on every single weekday morning. Not to mention we had extremely fun tasks and activities to do every single day, and then freedom on the weekends, with constructive cleaning on Saturdays. The Irish Gap Year was great fun, I cannot speak highly enough of those in charge, and I will be taking many things home with me that I will remember for the rest of my entire life.

Wanted an English-speaking program to kick off my year away from what I knew. Ireland is full of fun (“Craic”), kind people, and breathtaking views. Irish Gap Year is the perfect mix of structure and freedom, and has exceeded my expectations in almost all categories. My one qualm is that the “leadership” part was certainly secondary to the “adventure” part of my specific program. However, this also creates a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere for people of all stages of life. The support is wonderful, Portbeg Holiday Homes is great, and the people IGY attracts are on the whole lovely. I have made some good friends, with great ease.

Taking Irish Gap Year was the best decision that I could have made for my development between high school and college. It offers a standout experience for students looking to grow, explore, and gain independence in a supportive environment. It has overall gotten me more confident in my self. I have created some of the greatest memories and met some of my greatest friends over these 10 weeks. The Leaders are approachable, genuinely invested in students personal development and most importantly kind.

Over the past three months, I’ve gotten to surf, hike, climb, and swim in one of the coolest countries in the world! I really feel like I’ve changed as a person, I’ve become more mature, and adventurous because of IGY. I never would’ve guessed that I’d meet some of my best friends here, but I am really glad that I did. Ireland is epic, and I am so glad that I had the chance to travel here for part of my gap year. The IGY program caters well to adventure, and does not disappoint. I urge those unsure about taking a gap year to seize the opportunity and travel! IGY has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.