Adventure and Leadership Program: Semester Length, Fall and Spring Cohorts

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.

My three months with Irish Gap Year have been an incredibly fun-filled and immersive time and I could not recommend it more. Even with COVID 19 restrictions, Irish Gap Year managed to give us a very full experience. We spent much of our time hiking, surfing, exploring, and getting to know Ireland. Towards the end of our three months, we went on amazing trips to Belfast, Galway, and Derry. The leaders at Irish Gap Year are super supportive and fun, and made my time in Ireland even more enjoyable.

I had such a great time with Irish Gap Year! Although covid restricted what we could do in the first couple weeks, the second six weeks of the program were amazing. All the hikes and trips to cities were so fun, and I’m so grateful I was able to have those experiences. Because of all the time we spent together, our group became extremely close, and I know I’ve made friends for life. Also, the leaders at IGY are so supportive and really made an effort to bond with us.

This experience is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I highly recommend it.

I had so much fun learning new things and going on adventures everyday. I learned how to surf and get over my fear of heights and made lifelong connections. Even with the COVID lockdown it was a great experience.

My health also improved over this trip. The hikes and surfing definitely helped my endurance and stamina. I know I will do a lot of hiking when I go home.

I also met people that I probably would not have talked to if it weren’t for this program and now they’re really close friends.

I had a great time with Irish Gap Year despite being nervous about how COVID would impact the program. I really feel that I got to see a lot of Ireland despite being on lockdown for half of the program. We got to see Belfast, Derry, Sligo, Enniskillen and other Irish cities. It was really fun living and getting to know people my own age while also getting to experience the beauty of Ireland. I would highly recommend this program to anyone who loves the outdoors and loves to hike and surf!!!!!!!!

Despite ever-changing covid guidelines in Ireland, the past three months have truly been some of the most memorable months of my life. The IGY leaders have a good balance between creating structured plans and allowing the gappers to independently explore/ decide what we want to do. The town of Bundoran is a very nice beach town and I really enjoyed waking up next to the ocean each day. My group became very close throughout our three months of camping, hiking, surfing, and exploring this beautiful country together! Highly recommend for anyone looking to reconnect to nature and make new friends.