The Irish Arts and Culture Program

This program was a great way to start your travel journey. It was a really good introduction to traveling in Europe and the UK. If you are looking to do more traveling alone Or with others it is a great way to start. Bundoran was a super cute place to live for 3 months and I would definitely return. The pubs are great with live music and culture. Bundoran is a hot spot for Irish people the come visit so you will meet lots of people. The program leaders and art tutors are amazing and incredibly supportive with anything you might want or need. Overall I had a great 10 weeks and would 100% do it again.

Honestly I think my experience here on Irish Gap Year was something I’ll take with me for the rest of my life. The people, the place, the staff, everything was pretty perfect. It was nice to slow down and fully take in all that’s around you. I feel like this program gave that to me. I was in the Art program segment of it and it was just what I needed. I don’t have much of an art background but the tutors were so helpful and helped me discover what makes art, art. The town itself was really beautiful and it was easy to make this town feel like home.

I loved my time in Irish Gap year. I was part of the Arts program and I feel that my artistic ability and talent has grown as well as meeting incredible artists and being around people who shared the same mindset helped me create lasting bonds. I enjoyed being in a house with people from both Adventure and the Art program being around a diverse net of people has helped me expand social skills as well prepare me for living with others in college. This program has helped me to live with others in harmony as well as expand my creative prowess.

The local artisans and workshops allowed a full, free exploration of the myriad of ways to be a creative. I learned a lot from each of the tutors and completed many works on a scale I had not thought myself capable of before this program. The town itself is full of constantly beautiful landscapes and inspiration, and the community felt close and safe for the majority of the program. This program is an excellent fit for someone who truly wants to grow and connect to others, but it is still challenging.

I had an amazing time at IGY! I grew so much as a person, made amazing relationships, and improved greatly as an artist. The leaders are so friendly and helpful. The art tutors are phenomenal and incredibly inspiring. The roommates and housemates they matched me with were perfect and I will carry those relationships with me forever. I learned how to be more independent and responsible living on my own. Bundoran is a great town with friendly people. I will never forget my experience. Thank you Ryan.

This program was very beneficial for me. I was part of the arts and culture program here. One of the biggest values I got from this experience was that it ended up being very mentally refreshing for me, which was something I needed after feeling burned out from high school. I knew that I wanted to take a gap year between high school and college, and when I found this program it seemed like a good fit, as it offered a program centered around culture and art and creativity, all things I am passionate about and wanted to feel a renewed sense of motivation towards after graduating. In all honesty, going into the program, I knew it sounded like something I might enjoy, but I wasn't entirely confident in how the experience would play out, and how fulfilling it would be, until I actually got here and was able to live it out. I feel that I met a lot of my personal goals for myself here. I’m my experience, the art tutors here are all had something unique to offer and they pushed me to create art in ways I hadn’t before. I have made a lot of work I’m very proud of here, and they are a large reason for that. Another reason was the group and the friends I made here, who created an environment that felt lighthearted, welcoming, and not high-stress. It was nice to be able to try so many avenues of creativity without having to worry about how my work would translate into a grade. It made me feel much more motivated to create art than I had in academic settings in the past. Overall, I reccomend checking this program out. I had a very positive experience here, and I feel that it’s helped me to push my independence, make great friendships, and grow my skills in art.

I got a lot from the time that I spent in Ireland while being a part of this program. I got the opportunity to see some of the coolest historical sites & most beautiful places I’ve ever seen. The social atmosphere was a mix, fortunately I got along really well with my housemates, but that was not necessarily a universal experience across all the houses. I met some people I really love, but there was a period of adjustment in the first few weeks as I realized that not everyone across both programs came here for similar reasons as I did. It all works out if you find your people and stay focused on what you want to do. I would recommend the arts program to anyone who enjoys painting and drawing, or doesn’t necessarily know which medium is their favorite yet. I enjoyed working with all of the arts tutors and got a lot from the workshops, though as someone who doesn’t prefer to focus on painting and drawing, I was disappointed I did not get more opportunities to work in other mediums. Going into this program having been to college I think made the living away from home/sharing spaces with roommates easier, it seemed to be harder for others just out of high school. I think this experience could be good practice for people who aren’t used to those settings. I entered this experience spontaneously and with no expectations, and looking back at my time here, I can say that I’m very glad I chose to last minute go on academic leave and fly to Ireland. I will take the lessons I learned here+places I went+friends I made with me for a long time.

Irish Gap Year is a really well run and designed program that cultivates a sense of both independence and community.
I spent three months making art under the guidance of very talented professionals, all while developing relationships with my peers (who were all very talented artists), and learning how to live away from home. I’m sure the adventure part is great too.
There is also such a sense of kindness and support. Moments of stress were well handled, and creative solutions were figured out when needed.
A really great balance of structured and free time, and the overall stunning Irish landscapes, really helped this program shine.