Program Reviews

Cliff jumping, hiking, surfing, brilliant art teachers: these were all short walk from our home beside the cliffs in Bundoran, Ireland, a small surf town. The day-to-day of the program consisted of an effective mix of arts education and Ireland exploration which I loved.
Fiona and Phil, my counselors during the program, were a highlight — guiding us through challenging moments and triumphant ones with always good music. Despite Covid restrictions, the program managed to put together a great program. Thanks for all the great memories!

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.

Amazing program! Learned multiple art forms including photography, leather work, jewelry making, charcoal, watercolor, and so much more! Program leaders were so welcoming and supportive throughout the entire program. Great group dynamic and community bonding! It was such meaningful experience to take time to grow, self reflect, and explore my passions, all while living in a beautiful part of Ireland. We also were able to engage in various Irish adventures such as surfing and cliff jumping. Overall, it was a great experience. Good craic!

Amazing program! Learned multiple art forms including photography, leather work, jewelry making, charcoal, watercolor, and so much more! Program leaders were so welcoming and supportive throughout the entire program. Great group dynamic and community bonding! It was such meaningful experience to take time to grow, self reflect, and explore my passions, all while living in a beautiful part of Ireland. We also were able to engage in various Irish adventures such as surfing and cliff jumping. Overall, it was a great experience. Good craic!

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.

When I learned that I was travelling to Ireland in a pandemic, I was a little nervous. That immediately went away once I got to the Portbeg houses and got to experience Bundoran. Every day I had this wow factor that I was living in this beautiful costal town surrounded by a great and memorable group of people doing the art I have always wanted to do with the most amazing professional instructors. Hiking, Surfing, Kayaking and day trips to towns and cities across Ireland also occurred and seeing the historic sites of Ireland really resonated with me. Thank you Irish Gap year 🙌

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.

I had a great time at IGY! Despite some unfortunate let downs due to Covid, It was an overall amazing experience. I made many new friendships, saw some beautiful places, tried new things, and learned a lot about myself along the way. The staff was fantastic; they were friendly and supportive and truly made the experience what it was. The tutors who taught our art classes were super talented and I think I improved my art skills greatly, especially in the mediums I was unfamiliar with. My time at IGY will stick with me forever and I will look back on it with fondness.