Location
  • Ireland
Length
4 - 12 weeks
Program Tags
Adventure Travel Cultural Immersion Hands-On Learning Volunteer Abroad
Merit-based funding, Payment plans, 529 Plan eligibility
Health & Safety

Program Details

Activities
Kayaking Trekking
Timeframe
Fall Spring
Housing
Guesthouse
Primary Language
English
Age Min.
17
Age Max
22

Pricing

Starting Price
17000
Price Details
Program fees include all meals, housing, activities and transport within Ireland and the full 24/7 support of the Irish Gap Year team.
For more information on whats included in our program fees please visit our website www.Irishgapyear.com/info/frequently-asked-questions
What's Included
Accommodation Activities Airport Transfers Equipment Meals Park Fees Tour Guide Transportation Wifi
What's Included (Extra)

All food, accomodation, activities, travel within Ireland and full, 24/7 support from the Irish Gap Year team are included.
Please see our website www.irishgapyear.com/info/frequently-asked-questions for more details on what's included in the Adventure and Leadership Gap Year Program

What's Not Included
Airfare Travel Insurance
What's Not Included (Extra)

Flights and medical insurance

Jan 05, 2024
Nov 21, 2024
77 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Irish Gap Year’s Adventure & Leadership Gap Year Program will take you far off the beaten track, deep into Irish culture and nature where you will learn much about yourself.

You will become immersed in our community and Irish culture, be challenged physically through outdoor adventure and mentally through our leadership workshops and volunteering in our community.

The rugged natural beauty of Ireland and warm heartedness of the people offer a unique setting for your journey of self-discovery. Throughout this program you will develop a deeper level of self-awareness, independence, group dynamics and self-governance. We hope that you will take with you a way of thinking and self-awareness that will last a life time.

You don’t need to be outdoorsy to enjoy and benefit from the Adventure and Leadership Program, it’s all about a willingness to participate and pushing your perceived boundaries.

Video and Photos

Diversity & Inclusion

We welcome students from all walks of life and backrounds and have hosted many BIPOC students on our programs.
We welcome students from all walks of life and backrounds and have hosted many LGBTQIA+ students over the years. Ireland and Europe in general are quite progressive with regards to LGBTQIA+ policy, lifestyle and support. Irish Gap Year provides support to our LGBTQIA+ students to help them feel secure and safe during their time with us.

Impact

Irish Gap Year is a Carbon Negative Company, meaning we remove more C02 from the amosphere through our ecological volunteering than we create as an organization (including student flights to Europe).

Irish Gap Year Director, Ryan Allen is the Chair of the Gap Year Association's Sustainability Commitee and created the Association's Climate Action Plan in 2023.

Program Highlights

  • Expeditions around Ireland: Each expedition on the Adventure and Leadership Program is unique with its own area of focus and theme. The expeditions are 3 to 5 days each and will and bring you far off the beaten track and face to face with Ireland’s hidden
  • Community Immersion: Live in your own magnificent Victorian home on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean on Ireland's rugged Northwest coast. Your home is cozy, quirky and quaint. Here you'll learn invaluable independence building skills with your peers!
  • Volunteer in the Community: Make a meaningful and positive impact on our community as you volunteer on farms, animal shelters, with local youth groups, Clean Coasts Ireland and other local organisations.
  • Develop your Leadership and Communication Skills: Our leadership workshops are fun, interactive and experiential. You'll learn much about yourself and others as you are challenged to work within a team on a wide range of projects.
  • The People: Irish people are amongst the freindliest and funniest people you'll come across anywhere and our gappers always love getting to know the locals. They're quirky sense of humor and unique outlooks on life won't disapoint!

Program Reviews

4.83 Rating
based on 182 reviews
  • 5 rating 83.52%
  • 4 rating 15.93%
  • 3 rating 0.55%
  • 2 rating 0%
  • 1 rating 0%
  • Housing 4.65
  • Support 4.8
  • Fun 4.85
  • Value 4.75
  • Safety 4.9
Showing 25 - 32 of 182 reviews
Default avatar
Ainslie
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Leslie Bash

I absolutely loved my time with the Irish Gap Year. I have learned so much and have a new spark lit under me. The leaders are amazing, I’ve made life long best friends. I’m so excited to see where my new sense of adventure takes me in the next chapter of my life which would not have been possible without this program. The surfs and hikes were my favorite part both of which I hadn’t done much of until coming to Ireland and will definitely continue them with my return back to the states. Highly highly recommended doing this program!!!!

Pros
  • Surfing
  • Amazing people
  • Seeing Ireland
Cons
  • Rain
  • Cold days
  • Weather dependent
32 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Lance
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

A wee lad

I had an amazing time in the Irish gap year program. Consistent support and activities was exactly what I signed up for. People always around you and learning to live within a group. Consistent adventure including hiking, surfing, and climbing. Amazing leaders with you the entire time who are amazing people and extremely easy to talk to. Diverse people from mostly America with completely different backgrounds and experiences that you will learn about and become friends with everybody. Cold and rainy weather but if you pack correctly will not matter that much. Cool town that you are allowed to explore and embrace on the weekends when you have free time.

Pros
  • Support
  • Travel
  • Group living
Cons
  • Group living
34 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Lilian
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Great Craic

I had a blast here. I learned from all the traveling around Ireland that we did. We went to Dublin, Galway, Derry, the Aran islands, and basically everywhere else. On top of that, we really got a chance to settle into the town we were staying in, Bundoran. The town is cute and safe and a relatively easy walking distance from where we stay, so we went in all the time.
As for the program, we did a ton of hiking and surfing, and we explored every mountain and waterfall we could find. And, we did a lot of volunteering like beach cleanup day and liquid therapy, which were both pretty unique and special experiences.

Pros
  • Lots to do
  • Gorgeous location
  • Fun culture
Cons
  • The weather is insane: hope you like rain
31 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Kate
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Amazing Craic

This program is great if you’re looking to explore the beautiful country of Ireland, both the remote countryside and big cities like Dublin and Galway. The hikes and surfs are some of the most rewarding things, and I can truly say that I have learned so much about myself. Through the leadership workshops, I was able to reflect on myself in a structured way, while also having fun learning with my group. The leaders are amazing, funny, and thoughtful people who are helpful and encouraging. It is also great to be able to live in houses with people your age, and it teaches you how to be a great roomie and housemate while also having a ton of fun!

Pros
  • Amazing scenery
  • Great leaders
  • The town of bundoran
Cons
  • Lots of rain
  • New dynamics
37 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Susannah
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Lassied it up in Ireland- review

This program was great craic. I learned so much about being responsible and living with others, as well as getting out of my comfort zone. I also pushed myself to try new experiences and hike and surf! It was so beautiful and fun although it was hard at times. The leaders are great but look out for the french one. He’s too french. (just kidding paul) I definitely recommend going if you want to push yourself socially and physically in a beautiful environment!! Girl today, leprechaun tomorrow. Surfing is lit and also cold but so fun.

Pros
  • Independence
  • Trips
  • Pubs
Cons
  • Washing machine
  • Rainy
  • No iced tea
37 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Samuel
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Irish Gap Year Adventure and Leadership Program - Sam

I had a lot of fun in this program. I made some great friends, I loved the staff and felt like they really cared about us. I enjoyed going to each part of Ireland and seeing different cities and landmarks. I enjoyed the independence of living in a house with a bunch of other 18-20 year olds and finding out how to prioritize myself and meet my needs. I really enjoyed surfing, climbing mountains, and camping in the woods. Overall, I would consider it a positive experience that I will look back on fondly. I only have a few small criticisms. There was way too much time spent in the bus driving to the different locations. Our trips to the cities were fun, but only lasted 2-3 days. And about halfway through the program, the small town of Bundoran might become a little boring. In order to really get the most out of the program, you have to be very conscious of making the most of each activity and being fully present. If you are, you'll probably have a great time.

Pros
  • great staff
  • connections with local organizations (surf therapy, tree planting)
  • great hikes
Cons
  • long bus rides
  • city trips too short
  • not as much 'adventure' as I would hope
87 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Garrett
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Irish Gap Year

I haven't had the best experience with gap programs in the past so i was hoping that this program would be better. because of my adhd and my love for talking I've always always had trouble making friends throughout me life. But, here I was housed with other people that like to joke around and talk as I like to. I had the best gap year experience I could've hoped for with the amazing and funny staff to my awesome roommates to spend amazing adventures with whether that's farming, surfing, hiking, exploring bundoran, or having a craic with a pint at the pub yeh?

I feel like our group could've had longer trips to the places we go to like Galway or Dublin. I also feel that we didn't do enough hiking.

I have a ton of pictures and videos of the program but this website's standards for uploading them are restricting all of mine.

Pros
  • amazing scenery
  • awesome local gym
  • leaders are funny and enjoy joking around
Cons
  • not enough hiking
  • there were a couple people i didnt get along with
  • every irish person in town has a vape in their hand
88 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Alistair
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Irish Gap Year Adventure and Leadership

This was a fun and interesting program. I was able to enjoy myself, while also feel myself growing as a person. I think that while there could have been more in the way of surfing and hiking, especially considering we were staying in a surf town, it felt like there was a good mix of activities. Some of the trips I felt could have been longer, especially the one to Dublin, as I feel like experiencing Ireland's capital should probably be given a week, as there is SO much to do there, including hiking and other "adventure" related activities. Overall I'd say it was a pretty good program with incredible support staff, making the worst part of the program some of the other people on it.

Pros
  • Some amazing hikes
  • Niall and Lauren
Cons
  • 20 minute walk to town
  • Potentially stuck with other members
84 people found this review helpful.

Questions & Answers