Program Reviews

We spent our days exploring as much of Ireland as we possibly could while immersing ourselves in nature and Irish culture while learning about the history, volunteering and having free time in varies Cities. My time in Ireland has truly been a life changing experience for me. I have made so many life long friends and memories that will stick with me forever. Living in the Gap house with everyone was such a great experience and i a so thankful for the connections and friendships I have made. I have learned so much not only about Ireland and its history, but about myself too and how to be more independent especially in another country. The staff and people here have made it a supportive and fun environment and I love being apart of it. I highly recommend this program!

I did not know what to expect traveling across the globe to meet and then live with 10 strangers, but it has proven to be a great decision. The past few months in Ireland have been both eye opening and memorable. This gap program is unique since the group is based in one location, Bundoran, while also taking students all over the island to explore new cities and towns, whether it be for volunteering or hiking. In the short time we were here, I was able to learn about and see first hand the different cultures and people within Ireland, along with the beautiful scenery that Ireland has to offer. This program did a good job balancing both what we were comfortable with and pushing us outside our comfort zones. Since the students live in the house (about 5 minute drive or 30 minute walk to town), I was able to gain independent living skills and tricks that I will take with me as I go on to college and beyond. I liked having such a small group of students, opposed to some gap programs with huge groups. Having such a small group living together, we all got super close super quick, and I have made friends that I hope to keep beyond our time shared in Ireland. We were given ample amounts of free time both in Bundoran and other cities we visited to explore on our own in addition to doing guided tours. The staff on this program are super cool. Ryan and Killian, who own the company, make sure to see us at least few times a week to check in. The program leaders were easy to get along with, as long as you do a majority of the planned activities without complaining too much. You really get out what you put in on this program.

My time in Dublin has been absolutely incredible. Irish Gap Year is an extremely organized, professional and friendly program, and I would not have had such a smooth transition into life in a new country without their help. Both my host family and internship placements were perfect fits for me, and I was given plenty of support and insight on navigating Dublin on my own. In my free time, I was able to visit all the major attractions the city has to offer. In addition to exploring Dublin, I was also able to travel around Ireland every other weekend and see the rest of the country. Transportation for these trips was completely handled by Irish Gap Year, making it a stress-free experience while traveling all over the country. In all, Irish Gap Year has provided me with an unforgettable experience. I would highly recommend this program to anyone who is looking for a program in Ireland that gives you plenty of freedom to function on your own, but also has an amazing support system and opportunities to make the most of your time here.

Irish Gap Year Adventure Leadership program offers a variety of activities to do (such as volunteering, surfing, and hiking), while giving you enough free time to make the program your own. I personally loved the outdoors element. Trying new things like surfing or long hikes are experiences I enjoyed. There's also a lot of traveling around Ireland and Northern Ireland, where there are often a few preplanned activities and some free time during the trip. The headquarters of Irish Gap Year is the Bundrowes House in Bundoran, a small tourist town with some good bars and cafes. The house itself is huge and provides a great shelter as well as excellent food and banter, courtesy of chef Rita.

The biggest positive (and perhaps negative) of the program is its' core structure; the group. For three months you live with -and do almost all of your activities with- the same group of people. This means that any conflicts that arise between you and another housemate need to be resolved, as you cannot escape the conflict. Fortunately, Irish Gap Year staff are incredibly supportive and have a system in place for conflicts between gappers. I personally found the close proximity encouraged my personal growth, because I could not run away from my problems. I would advise future gappers (especially introverts like me) to carve out some time for yourself, within or outside Bundrowes house.

Future gappers should also know that they will be expected to try things to the best of their ability. Opting out of a hike because you don't want to do it is not a good excuse, and same goes for volunteering. There is leniency when you feel physically or emotionally unable. In those situations, make sure to communicate with the staff the day before, as they are willing to make accommodations if given clear communication.

Overall, I loved this program. I entered Irish Gap Year feeling stagnant on my future, and am leaving it confident in my ability to pursue my own path. Irish Gap Year gave me the support and space I needed to grow, and I am incredibly grateful for the experience.

For the past three months I have been on the Irish gap year's leadership and adventure course based in Bundoran Ireland. In the past three months I have hiked mountains all over the country, been on adventures in Ireland which most people will never get to experience, and have been pushed out of my comfort zone to do things I never thought I would like cliff jump into the ocean off a fifty foot cliff. This program is all that and more, it not only the adventure and the excitement of traveling all over Ireland but its also the people who are apart of the program. I have never felt so apart of something in my life. The two program owners are great people and really connect with the students in their program. All of the program leaders are also great people and provide fun and push the students to do their best each day of the program. The program is based in a cool small surfing town on the north coast of Ireland. The town is a fun place to go out in on the weekends and have fun with all of the other gappers. The program also takes you all over Ireland, giving the gappers the full experience of Ireland everything from small farm towns to big cities like Galway and Dublin. I would highly recommend this program to anyone who wants to improve their leadership skills while also having an adventure of a lifetime in Ireland.

This was, without a doubt, the greatest experience of my life! When I was in high school I found out about this program, and decided to take time off from school and go abroad. This program was about leadership and teamwork. We all learned that we can be leaders in our own great way. What made this group an awesome team was the fact that we bonded on our very first day singing and getting to know each other right away. We stay in a house called Bundrowes, which is a thirty minute walk from Bundoran town, which is a great hangout spot and a great place to surf and kayake, which is very big here in Ireland. We also do lots of traveling, outdoor activities and community service work. This was definitely a life changing event for all of us in the program. One thing I would like to say about being in the program is just come as yourself and try to step out of your comfort zone at least once! One thing I enjoyed was all the friends I made and all the exciting adventures we went on. This is something you should not miss out on, so join and have an awesome time!

This program had an amazing impact on my life in a number of ways. Irish Gap Year focuses mainly on leardership skills and personal divelopment. I was fortunate enough to be well equipped for leadership aspect of this program but I was still able to learn many things about leadership styles and personalities. I felt comfortable for every part of the program, the trips were safe, and the guidence was true. The leaders would often take us out of our comfort zones but in a controlled way. We were entertained for most days but were given free time which was extra fun. The accomadations were wonderful, we stayed in a big refurbished manor house just five minutes out of town. Rita the house cook makes dinner every night except for Sunday’s and is gem of this program. I would definitely recommend this program to anyone looking to expand their horizons. I cant wait to go back and visit.

Hopping in this new experience, I didn’t know I was capable of adapting my “wake up at 6pm watch TV until 4am lifestyle at home” to hiking mountains, surfing, kayaking, and super event-packed weeks.
Ryan and Killian, the main program leaders, really know what they’re doing. Both of their experience and wisdom helps guide the entire program to meet everyone’s definition of success. I learned that they actually go explore new places on their own and then take us, which I thought really added to the spontaneity of adventure.
The three daily program leaders our group had, Chris, Matt, and Sara, were some of the best people I have come across traveling anywhere. They all were super helpful, personable, enthusiastic, excited, passionate, friendly, funny, and just good people. They really helped make my time here worth it.
Besides all of the super fun activities both in classroom and strenuous, I have to admit my fellow gappers (haha gappers is a weird term) fully contributed to my success here. Everyone was from a different part of my country and so I was learning different American culture as well as Ireland’s. The friends I made here in only three months, are friends for life.
I would recommend this program ten fold to anyone... and I concretely stand by Irish Gap Year, thank you Ryan, Killian, Sara, Chris, Matt, and of course how would the trip be complete without the sensational and traditional cooking of Rita!

I opened the shutter on my airplane window to a grey, forebearing sky, “would these three months be the worst of my life?” , I thought as I de-planed and headed wearily towards the customs line. My mind was racing as I worried about whether I would be able to make friends or whether the counselors would be friendly or harsh. I had no clue what to expect because I hadn't researched the program at all. However, as I walked out onto that busy dublin terminal, and saw the friendly, jovial faces of Chris, Sarah and Killian, all my worries washed away. From the moment I walked into the cozy, clean, Bundrowes House, I felt at home. Ryan and Matt the other two program leaders welcomed us with open arms. Since then, i have made connections I will most likely have for the rest of my life and taken on obstacles both mental and physical that have forced me to think differently as I conquered them. I also will never forget how great it felt to finish a long, enriching day of hiking or surfing, and coming home to a warm home cooked meal made by the lovely Rita! Honestly this program has helped me transform into a much more indepedent, thoughtful, and adventurous person and for that I recommend it to everyone!

This program is one of the best programs to send you’re children on, the amount of support and growth is an amazing trait to find in a program such as this. After having gone through three months of living with this program, I have had many amazing experiences, I have made four life long friends and wouldn’t change this experience if I could, I love this program and am sad to see this end, but I know that deep down this has changed and matured me further than college or any other program could. I loved being here, I loved the staff, I loved the culture, and I am thankful for the ability to fully appreciate what an amazing program this truly was. If you have any question on whether to spend a semester with Irish Gap Year, the answer is yes, for it had been the most amazing experience of my life.