The Irish Arts and Culture Program

This was an interesting program, and overall I enjoyed my time here. Some mental health things made it a little hard to enjoy it sometimes. Overall the program directors were good at addressing that, and kept us safe. There were a few times they made decisions that I felt were unwise or perhaps not thought out completely, and while concerning those decisions never actually put anyone in danger. The art was amazing, and I feel like I grew a lot as a person and as an artist. Living on my own in a house full of people was really usefull as a way to grow, and I hope to take what I have learned in this program onwards in my life.

I’ve really loved this program, and felt that it was a really good fit for me as a person. We had a lot of options, and I got to learn and expand my knowledge on art forms I hadn’t had experience in previously. Charcoal comes to mind as an art form I have had no previous experience in, as does oil paint. I loved the instructors; they were all welcoming and very good at what they do, and I will miss them when I leave. The found art instructor, Ken, helped me see art in a brand new light, and I am very grateful for that. Instructors taught me how to be more carefree with my work and made the process less stressful once my personal anxieties about being perfect were removed.

I think this was a lot of fun and I’m really glad I did this. I wish I did more art and I also wish I went on more trips. I also wish I went on more walks on trails because it is such a beautiful country and I want to see more of it. It’s a really peaceful town and I enjoyed that. I’m glad I came here. This program isn’t for everyone but I really enjoyed it and am glad I did this. I think being in a smaller group would have been better but it was already a pretty small group. I loved marking so much art and trying new mediums that I wouldn’t have otherwise.

I came to this program because my high experience had completely stripped me of my love of learning and I wanted something new to try and reanimate myself. This program did just that. If my morning views of the mountains and the cliffs with crashing waves and cows outside my kitchen window weren’t enough, the hospitality of the people in Bundoran and the program leaders along with the exceptional teaching from the art tutors made this an entirely unique and deeply meaningful experience. It’s going to be hard to leave and harder not to come back to Bundoran forever.

I came to the Irish Gap Year after a while of being down after some life events, alongside the stress of school. Although concerned about being out of country for so long, I was astonished at how much of a good experience this was! You meet a lot of great people, learn a lot of new things, and see many new places to boot. You really get the experience of being left alone for a while, even if you’re still well protected and surrounded with peers. So, obviously, I would highly recommend this if you’re looking to explore and meet people just like you, alongside perusing an interest you may have not focused on beforehand.

The Irish Gap Year wad incredibly positive and life changing expirience for me. I learned many skills that I will carry with me for the rest of my life, met many fantastic people and just had a great time overall. The staff is very helpful and always supportive of the program's participants at all times. The activites were very fun and engaging. I can confidently say that I came out of this program a changed man, and that is not something that I can say about most other programs I've been in throughout my life.

I had the absolute best time of my life on this program. From meeting lifelong friends to growing as a human and an artist this program has changed the way I’ll think about culture, history, art and people forever!! All the roommates including mine were very well chosen. The dynamics of all the houses were always on point. The pubs in Bundoran are lovely and safe with lots of families around. Although, the time spent in the Portbeg Holiday Homes are much more memorable. The dynamic between the group is always an amazing mix of casual time and fun outings. The staff and teachers were so caring and supportive throughout the whole program. I use a motorized scooter for my physical disability so coming across a program that supports that is quite rare. Not only did they plan accessible trips and accessible restaurants they purchased with their own money a ramp for the van we use everyday. Never once did any of them make me feel like a hassle or “too much”, as some past programs I’ve done have. The staff also bought us groceries every week based off a list we created and got us medicine from their own pockets when we were sick. One of my fondest memories is Jules ( part of the staff), making me breakfast while I was sick in bed. It’s these smalls things that IGY does that makes Bundoran feel like home.

I love my time on this program! I meet some of the most amazing people on the world. The program itself was amazing. I did the arts program and i feel the the balance of art a free time was perfect and i never got burnout. Bundoran is a great town aswell they had such cute cafes, restaurants, theme parks, and really fun pubs. The housing was also great they did a really good job at arranging the rooming situations. the rooms are really big and same with the kitchens and living rooms. the staff is really nice and was always there to help with whatever you need whenever you need it. Overall i had a really good time compared to other art programs ive done in europe this one is DEFINITELY my favorite.