Program Reviews

I can honestly say that my three months spent in Ireland offered some of the most valuable learning experiences of my life. While I went in to Irish Gap Year expecting my biggest takeaways to be building my physical health, fostering my love for the outdoors, or just growing in my understanding of another culture, this program is really much, much more. Our leaders offered a safe space for us gappers to go outside of our comfort zone, as we pushed ourselves in an unfamiliar terrain. Living independently with 6 housemates certainly allowed me to grow socially, as I navigated self-care, sharing responsibilities, and valuing others' needs in a different environment. I absolutely loved both the outdoorsy side of this program, as well as exploring the history of Ireland through trips around the country. Some of my favorite memories are spending time with my surfer when volunteering for Liquid Therapy, laughing with my cohort as we trekked through the bog (we consistently got the most difficult hiking weather), and our 3 day Backwoods Expedition, where we were able to utilize our skills from the survival workshops to set up camp in the woods independently. Ultimately, I feel as though my leadership abilities have been impacted the most by this trip, and I am confident that I am leaving with a better understanding of myself, my values, and an increased preparedness for whatever adventures are in store for me!

The Adventure and Leadership program was an incredible opportunity to spend time in all parts of Ireland while participating in exciting activities and allowing a significant amount of independence for individual participants. Trips were frequent and took the group to all corners of the island, exploring both the republic and the United Kingdom, and allowing for a nuanced dialogue regarding the history and conflict of Ireland. There was very little repetition in the day to day activities, from hiking to surfing, rock climbing and volunteer work. Working with local organizations was especially interesting and helped to ensure the program felt like more than a summer camp and had a visible impact on the local community. IGY allowed for participants to spend free time in any manor they chose, to the point where students were allowed to visit other towns such as Sligo on days off. Taking part in this program was both a helpful respite from academia and a stepping stone to becoming more independent while providing an incredible opportunity that few my age have experienced.

This was a wonderful program in which I met some incredible people and grew a lot as an artist. There was a good balance of structured activities and freedom which allowed for unsupervised exploration. The artist workshops provided a lot of help for developing skills and especially Michael's charcoal class really pushes you. Cities around Ireland are fun to explore and and quite safe. When going out into the nature around Ireland the views and landscapes are often incredible. Shoutout to Kate and Phil

The IGY Adventure and Leadership program gave me the opportunity to do things I'd never have gotten to do otherwise. I was able to learn Irish history firsthand from those who experienced it, went to iconic Irish cities and landmarks, and visited some of the most beautiful places I'd ever seen. The staff was supportive, and as a group, we all began to form a close relationship with the staff members. I would recommend this program for anyone who wants to break out of their comfort zone in a safe and controlled environment.

The activities that IGY offered were varied and very fun. They ranged from surfing (my favorite) to hiking to cliff jumping, and many, many, other outdoor activities. I thoroughly enjoyed the freedom that this program offered, while still maintaining a safe and comfortable environment. I would recommend this trip to anyone who loves the outdoors and isn't afraid to get dirty. Anyone without these qualities will almost certainly struggle.
Housing was great. The houses were a bit old and things did tend to break like the dishwasher and laundry machine, but they were very cozy and otherwise functioned pretty well. They also had a maintenance man on call so any problems that did occur were fixed quickly.

Going on this program was one of the best decisions I ever made. On top of getting to fully experience my love for the outdoors through hiking, surfing, and loads of other activities, I was able to discover new cities and learn about Irish history and culture. The atmosphere of this program pushed me socially, mentally, physically, and emotionally, and caused me to grow in ways I didn't know I could. There were definitely challenges in all aspects that caused me to discover myself, and the leaders and staff are right there to support us. The amount of growth and maturity we attained through a gap year and this program is unmatched. This program gave me the opportunity to try so many new things and to do so in a safe environment. The past three months have been the best, and quickest, months of my life. Time has flown so fast and we have done so much. I wish I could do this program all over again, just so I could take it all in one more time, the highs and the lows. This trip has taught me things I will carry with me for a long time, and I am so grateful for that.

My three months with Irish Gap Year have been an incredible experience. Every week was filled with new adventures that allowed me to get out of my comfort zone in a safe environment. We went surfing, hiking, rock climbing, cycling, and toured major cities across Ireland. The views even right outside of the houses are breathtaking. One of my favorite experiences was our backwoods expedition. We spent time in the beginning of the program learning how to process firewood, start fires, cook food, set up shelter and more. After this we spent two nights camping which were amazing. Another rewarding experience was volunteering with Liquid Therapy where we spent four sessions helping kids with additional needs surf.
This program allows a lot of independence as the students live on their own. The staff is very involved and always available but not overbearing. Living in a house with other students definitely comes with it’s fair share of challenges but problem solving is a very valuable skill. This program challenged me and I gained confidence in my own abilities and learned a lot about myself. I highly recommend this program.

It was awesome! I was very nervous at the start, but everyone was incredibly supportive and helped me to overcome homesickness really quickly. The art classes themselves were great. The tutors are amazing and very easy to talk to, both for asking for tips and tricks on their specialized mediums but also just generally sharing about themselves. Charcoal was incredibly intimidating to start, but Michael (the tutor) made it very straightforward and demonstrated how easy it is to play with the medium and have fun with it! It was great to explore Ireland and develop my artistic skills while making new lifelong friends.

After my three month stay with IGY I find myself almost sad but excited to leave for IGY has help set me up for the upcoming years of my life and IGY takes you out of your world and puts you into another one. I loved all the art teachers and grew a connection with some of them outside the class room. They are wonderful talented artists. The trips were definitely my favorite part of the trip, place’s like, Sligo, Derry and Dublin were all amazing places with a great CRAIC! All in all my time here was well spent

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.