The Irish Arts and Culture Program

Doing this program has been one of the most amazing experiences of my life. I was so nervous getting on the plane to come over here, I had no idea what to expect. But I immediately found a new home. All of the staff at IGY are very welcoming and helpful, and Ireland itself is absolutely stunning. I have made friends here that I am going to keep for life. We were able to go around Derry, Galway, Dublin, Belfast, and some other areas. Our art tutors were absolutely amazing as well, I really watched my art transform while I was here. I could not have had a more amazing time while I was here.

I have made so many incredible friendships here during these last 3 months in Ireland. I tried so many new things- surfing, drawing in charcoal, watercolor etc.
I loved being able to show our art in the exhibition at the end of the three months here. It was the first time I had done anything like that and it was such an amazing feeling showing off all the art we made.
We also got to see so much of Ireland with all the trips we took. The land is truly beautiful- I especially liked the trip to Killarney national park.

Despite the restrictions imposed by Covid, my IGY program in the fall of 2020 was a wonderful gap year experience. I loved being able to travel and see parts of northwest Ireland, especially our trip to Galway and the Aran Islands. We also took many hikes to explore Ireland's natural beauty. The best part of the art tutorials was having the opportunity to try different mediums I had not previously tried, such as woodworking, which I enjoyed so much that I bought my own set of chisels to continue developing my skills. I cannot say enough good things about the staff, who took such good care of me when I developed a medical issue and made sure that I got the medical care I needed. Kate, Sarah, Killian and Ryan are fun, knowledgeable, patient and kind. At a time when many programs were cancelling, they found a way to make our program safe, fun and successful.

I really loved Irish gap year! The students and the faculty were all very kind, cooperative and supportive. We had a ton of craic despite covid being a thing (although there is not much covid in Ireland anyways). Our leaders, Fiona and Phil, made sure we had ample opportunities to see as much of Ireland as possible. We took a few trips up to Northern Ireland and visited Derry and Belfast (which I loved so much that I will actually be spending the week after the program in Belfast). We also took a trip to Galway which was super quaint and packed with a lot to do. Overall I would totally recommend Irish gap year to any student who needs a year off of college or a gap in between high school and college.

Doing this gap program was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. This experience was unforgettable I’ve discovered that I am a much better artist than I had initially thought and over the course of 3 months, i feel like I’ve improved on those skills. I also really got along with the tutors and feel like They’ve helped me bring out the artist in me. Our program leaders (Phil and Fiona) were amazing and I found that they’re easy to talk to and they made the program 10x better. I’ve also met some amazing people that were a part of this group that I will definitely be keeping in touch with after the program.

Attending IGY was one of the best decisions of my whole gap year experience. I learned so much about art—not only practical skills, but also the values of unjudged creativity and perseverance. Seeing the natural beauty of Ireland through hikes was wonderful, and though covid prevented us from visiting as many cities as I would like, I’ll remember the places we did visit forever. Anyone who enjoys nature, art, or is even just open to pushing themselves into something new (I wasn’t much of an artist myself before I came here) will love this program.

Going on IGY's arts and culture program this spring was the best thing I did this gap year! Our program leaders were so lovely and welcoming (s/o Phil and Fiona!), and the arts tutors are amazing at what they do. The program is kept exciting (even during covid) with lots of hikes, arts workshops, day trips out to different cities, and group activities around Bundoran. I met some of my favorite people while getting to enjoy all the beauty of county Donegal--I'd definitely recommend this program to anyone who's excited about art or Ireland :)

My time with Irish gap year has been so valuable and fun despite COVID restrictions. The arts program is focused around workshops with local artists, and in the beginning everyone tries out the various mediums before focusing on a few for the final expo. All of the tutors are incredible; my favorite workshops were painting with Lani and charcoal with Michael. I learned a lot and made some pieces I’m really proud of. If drawing and painting aren’t your thing, there’s also leather working, jewelry making, creative writing and more. Plenty of chance to challenge yourself regardless of prior experience. Some other highlights of the trip were hiking (we explored an abandoned mine shaft!), exploring cities like Belfast and Derry, cliff jumping, surfing, and just hanging out at home with everyone. I appreciated that the program leaders trusted us to manage our own house and free time. I’ve made so many long-lasting memories & friends on this trip, and would recommend it to anyone looking to stretch their wings, make art, explore a new place and learn a bit about yourself along the way.