Program Reviews

The Irish Gap Year European Expedition is certainly a major highlight of my gap year experience. It had the perfect blend of traveling and social activities, both of which I was intending to engage in during my year. One of the best aspects of the program were not even the places themselves, it was the scenic journeys by train that got us from place to place. Almost all of the tours and activities the group participated in were interactive and engaging. The European Expedition program is certainly one I would recommend to any future gap year student.

I wasn’t sure what to expect going in and I was feeling stressed but it was better than I ever expected. My time here in Ireland has been the best of my life. The people welcome you with open arms and hearts and I have learned so much about myself and about others. The art workshops exceeded my expectations, the tutors were all so kind and taught me so much. Being able to travel to different cities and learn about various aspects of Irish history was so cool. It was a surreal experience and one that I would definitely recommend.

My experience here in the Irish Gap Year Arts and Culture program was absolutely incredible. I was nervous coming into the program, but I soon realized I had nothing to worry about. I met some of the most amazing people here, and have learned very valuable life lessons with IGY.
Coming into the program, I was a little scared about the artistic side of the program. I was scared that everyone who does the program has to be very interested in art, and that you had to be incredibly professional. This was not the case at all! I was able to express my creativity and artistic side in whatever way that felt comfortable to me without feeling like I didn’t belong here. Everyone here is incredibly kind, welcoming, and non-judgemental. The tutors are amazing individuals who are so passionate about helping the students learn.

I’m so glad I decided to do the Arts and Culture Program. I will forever be grateful for my time here and the experiences I had. I really recommend this program for anyone who is creative and wants to explore their artistic side more.

It was so much fun and I learned a lot. Everyone who works in the program is incredibly friendly and the atmosphere was so good. I would definitely recommend it.
Bundoran is a great town that felt very very safe and we went on a lot of fun trips.
The art classes were so great and I learned a lot. We did a lot of different types of art and the exhibition was a lot of fun.
Our day to day was pretty relaxed but busy and fun. I made a lot of great friends and have no regrets about doing the program.
ALL HAIL RYAN ALLEN.

I had zero art experience before coming here, but I learned so much and it was a very non-judgemental environment. I didn't feel bad about initially being bad at art. The teachers here are all amazing both at teaching and as people. The living quarters are not bad at all, and they are close to some great views. There are multiple trips to different cities and places that are also very fun. The program leaders are quite friendly and helpful and they treat you like a human being rather than just cattle to be moved around.

The arts and culture program is a great opportunity for those who are interested in art and are willing to travel. You get to work with brilliant tutors in really distinct mediums, and live in a beautiful location. There’s a good mix between technical learning and creative freedom. There’s a good balance between adult supervision and independence. For those who haven’t lived on their own, this is a perfect stepping stone to that. You also get to travel around Ireland, which is really cool. The trips around Ireland are also unique, and you get to see amazing sights with enough free time to explore on your own.

I really liked this program, and felt like I learned a lot during it. The excursion trips throughout the program were really interesting. There was a lot of history I didn’t realize until I heard about it. My favorite excursion was the Aran Islands. The art classes were engaging and fun. My favorite classes were charcoal drawing, woodworking, and photography.

Some advice I would give is to pack clothes with intention to re-wear them. The washing machine and dryer in the houses are very small and the dryer isn’t very effective.

Another bit of advice is to pack a jacket because Ireland is fairly cold and windy a lot of the time.

I'm so happy I came here on this program. It was two and a half months of windy cliff walks, making new friends, and intensive art workshops. I learned how to work with charcoal and gouache, and I loved assembling my new skills into the final exhibition.
Irish Gap Year staff were helpful, caring, and so much fun. Excursions and trips gave me opportunities to learn about Irish culture in a much more immersive way.
This is an excellent program and I highly recommend it to gap year students who love art, adventure, and fun.

I genuinely enjoyed this program so much. I learned so much, both about art and about Irish history. The program does an excellent job in exploring various towns and cities across throughout Ireland, and the art workshops were incredible. I had no formal art training going into this experience, and I have grown so much in my artistic outlook and in technical art skills. The staff are also so wonderful— they are some of the kindest people I have ever met, and will go out of their way to help you.

I had a lot of fun in this program. I made some great friends, I loved the staff and felt like they really cared about us. I enjoyed going to each part of Ireland and seeing different cities and landmarks. I enjoyed the independence of living in a house with a bunch of other 18-20 year olds and finding out how to prioritize myself and meet my needs. I really enjoyed surfing, climbing mountains, and camping in the woods. Overall, I would consider it a positive experience that I will look back on fondly. I only have a few small criticisms. There was way too much time spent in the bus driving to the different locations. Our trips to the cities were fun, but only lasted 2-3 days. And about halfway through the program, the small town of Bundoran might become a little boring. In order to really get the most out of the program, you have to be very conscious of making the most of each activity and being fully present. If you are, you'll probably have a great time.