Program Reviews

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.

I had a great time here with the arts program! The artists we work with are really talented and fun, and offer a lot of different ways for students to be creative. The community and location is great, both the natural landscape by the ocean and the mountains inland, as well as the town and the people we met. We had a pretty fair bit of freedom to ourselves, living “unsupervised” in a communal house, and rarely had moments where and issues couldn’t be figured out in a way that didn’t feel fair. That said, covid limited a lot of what we could do, and led to a fair bit of frustration and cabin fever. We spent much of our free time in houses, as public attractions were shut for the season, and some of the changes in program rules due to covid caused some disagreement, but the staff were all reasonable with finding a middle ground that worked well. All in all, a fun time with good people

I had so much fun on IGY! I’m going to miss my peers, staff and Ireland very much! Fiona Mulrine is an angel of a woman, she is so supportive and always has us in her best interest, she deserves a raise and a thick bonus!!! We had a bunch of amazing tutors that helped us all create beautiful pieces of art. I feel like I’ve learned a lot from our tutors and classes and I’ll be going home with a whole new range of skills learnt here. I really enjoyed Vandoren of the town I found it very quaint and peaceful being by the sea. The surfing was a lot of fun as well!

Living in Ireland for the past few months has been so much fun despite COVID restrictions. The arts program focused on workshops with local artists, and we all tried every medium before choosing several to focus on for the final exhibition. I especially loved painting with Lani and charcoal with Michael, and made some pieces I’m really proud of! This program is for people of any art level; there's plenty of opportunity to challenge yourself and have fun no matter your experience. If drawing and painting aren’t your thing, there’s also leather working, jewelery-making, or creative writing.
Some other highlights of the trip were beautiful hikes, (once we explored an abandoned mine shaft!!) dips in the ocean, surfing, making our own short films, and just having time to hang out together at home. I made so many lasting memories & friendships with the people in my group, and I appreciated that IGY gave us the freedom to manage our own house. I recommend this program for anyone looking to stretch their wings, make art, explore Ireland, and learn a bit about yourself along the way.

Irish Gap Year fosters valuable skills in its students that apply far beyond the program. The art tutors are the best around, and taught in a very experiential and encouraging way. I was able to create art pieces I couldn’t believe were my own. Outside of the classroom, the program introduced me to a level of independence and autonomy I hadn’t really experienced before. Being able to live on my own and make new connections with people my age, while still having a great support network if needed, was a great experience.

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 :)

I loved being a part of Irish gap year because it taught me a lot about myself and how I deal with others. Living in such close proximity made us all super close and made the experience super comfortable. My leaders Niall and Kate also made my experience a 10000/10. I love them. Onora and Fran ( our away from home moms) made me feel super at home and were always there for a mom hug when I needed it. Thank you so much Irish gap year for the wonderful experiences and people I will remember for a life time!

This program was great because it included education, adventure, and independence in a fantastic way! From staying in a house only with the other gappers to going on hikes to learning about permaculture you get the whole experience!! You also get to see all of Ireland by traveling to most of the major cities both in Ireland and in Northern Ireland. Another thing that made the experience great were the program leaders. Both Niall and Kate had a great dynamic that lead to some pretty awesome experiences!

Even with Covid restrictions in place I had such a great time exploring Ireland and meeting all these amazing people. Everyone was so supportive and we did something new and interesting every week. Absolutely worth it and I’d happily do it again. Definitely good for any student taking a gap year and is a great opportunity to meet other people in the same situation as you. I’ll always have a soft spot for Ireland and the people I met here and I can’t recommend this program enough for any student.

I loved my time in ireland. I got to know everyone on the program with me so well. I learned to surf and to enjoy Guinness. I got to explore Ireland’s mountains over many hikes. There were many opportunities to meet all kinds of people and I made many friends. I was a great experience and I am glad that I was able to go despite all the Covid restrictions. I loved the program but I am starting to run out of things to say so I am stalling for the last few remaining characters because for some reason there’s a minimum.