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

I opened the shutter on my airplane window to a grey, forebearing sky, “would these three months be the worst of my life?” , I thought as I de-planed and headed wearily towards the customs line. My mind was racing as I worried about whether I would be able to make friends or whether the counselors would be friendly or harsh. I had no clue what to expect because I hadn't researched the program at all. However, as I walked out onto that busy dublin terminal, and saw the friendly, jovial faces of Chris, Sarah and Killian, all my worries washed away. From the moment I walked into the cozy, clean, Bundrowes House, I felt at home. Ryan and Matt the other two program leaders welcomed us with open arms. Since then, i have made connections I will most likely have for the rest of my life and taken on obstacles both mental and physical that have forced me to think differently as I conquered them. I also will never forget how great it felt to finish a long, enriching day of hiking or surfing, and coming home to a warm home cooked meal made by the lovely Rita! Honestly this program has helped me transform into a much more indepedent, thoughtful, and adventurous person and for that I recommend it to everyone!

This program is one of the best programs to send you’re children on, the amount of support and growth is an amazing trait to find in a program such as this. After having gone through three months of living with this program, I have had many amazing experiences, I have made four life long friends and wouldn’t change this experience if I could, I love this program and am sad to see this end, but I know that deep down this has changed and matured me further than college or any other program could. I loved being here, I loved the staff, I loved the culture, and I am thankful for the ability to fully appreciate what an amazing program this truly was. If you have any question on whether to spend a semester with Irish Gap Year, the answer is yes, for it had been the most amazing experience of my life.

My experience with Irish Gap Year over the past three months has been a blast. Learning to surf, traveling around different towns and cities, and having the opportunity to do volunteer work have all been great learning experiences for me. Living in a house with 10 other people was fun and we managed to create a tight knit community. For me, going on trips to cities (such as Dublin and Galway) every other week was definitely one of the best parts of the program. I was introduced to this program by my brother who had done this program last year, he seemed to have thoroughly enjoyed it, so I decided to do it this year. For future participants, drinking alcohol is not allowed in the house, but there are many great pubs in town. For the trips to other cities, hostels were used as lodging. I highly recommend Irish Gap Year.

I came over to Ireland with my only expectation being to have fun in the outdoors. Irish Gap Year is much more than that, the community and bond made with your fellow gappers is life long and lets you experience many new activities and environments previously unknown. Everyday you wake up to new task and plans each one being unique and thoroughly thought out to help you grow as an individual. There is a constant since of adventure always leaving you wanting to experience the activity more. It’s a great way to grow in self confidence and good transition from childhood to adulthood. It was a fantastic three months and I wouldn’t change my experience at all it was truly life changing and I’m so happy I chose to do this program as well as thrilled with the personal results of it.

Honestly, I could not have asked for a better experience than this program! It blew every expectation out of the water. The housing is phenomenal! It is right on the water and is a short walk from the town. The staff are totally cool as well. While they are there to watch over you, they are also our friends. They come with us on all of our student trips and daily activities, but do so in a way that still allows independence. The food really beat my expectations. The cook, Rita, is amazing! Fresh meals every night and I don’t think I was disappointed with a single one! Totally awesome program and 10/10 would recommend. Ireland has so much to offer and we got to travel a ton and really explore the entire country! We traveled everywhere from Galway and Dingle to Dublin and Belfast! Everything was very organized and well put together.

The gap year for me was the best choice I could take in this moment of transition between school and the future. I made friends, gained independence and got to know myself better. Imdont give myself credit but I did feel from the start to the end I did change a little bit but the rest of the people did notice a big change. Now I do feel like I stand up for myself and atleast dont feel that every single times things are impossible. I discoverred a country I hadnt been to and had the curiosity to go to and saw the culture way of life and the kind people at the bars that seemed quiet but wanted to know your story. In this program I pushed my confort zone and would do it again but without heights. I would come to ireland any day to re visit my stay here i plan to stay in contact with most of the people here as I laughed and becames friends i want to have for the rest of my life

I have always wanted to come to Ireland ever since I can remember and when I found this program, I knew this is how I wanted to spend part of my gap year. I loved all the activities we participated in having to do with learning about leadership and life skills as well as the adventures and volunteering we did in the outdoors surrounded by nature. It was so nice to go on trips around to different parts of Ireland while also have a home base back in the beautiful town of Bundoran. We all learned how to work together as a group and live with people with different personalities and backgrounds while also making lasting friendships. The leaders were all exceptionally helpful in every aspect and made sure to have a good balance of supporting each and every one of us while also making sure to give us our own freedom and independence. This program helped me grow as a person and I discovered so much about myself and the people around me. I gained so many skills that I will take home with me and use throughout my life. Irish Gap Year gave me an incredible experience of a lifetime and I highly recommend this program to anyone that is interested.

I enjoyed the Program as a whole. The activities were fun and varied, each providing a unique experience that I would not have participated in had I not been in the program. I quite enjoyed the surfing and kayaking experiences as well as all of the other outdoor activities. The staff is quite nice and they make a point of pushing you to be better and to be more independent. The housing quality is wonderful. The overall experience left me wanting to stay in Ireland and explore its beautiful country more.