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GAP YEAR TRAVEL

If you are looking for an awesome cultural experience during your gap year, you have to visit Ireland. You already know it is beautiful, friendly, safe and fun, right? But did you know it is fantastic for outdoor sports, especially surfing, kayaking and hiking? Did you know you can do an eleven week semester with us, enjoying Irish hospitality and culture, and learning to become an outdoor sports instructor? You can join in a fun outdoor pursuits course with Irish students, and be part of a program that will give you certification in working with children, child protection, lifeguarding, first aid, surf coaching and an internship that will be valuable experience for you whatever you do next. And no, it is not outrageously expensive!

Each September –December and January-March, Adventure Ireland have two 11-week semesters available for Gap Year students who wish to spend some time in Ireland. You will be aged between 18 and 30 years, and interested in Irish culture & sports. If you are accepted, you will join in with Irish students every Monday-Thursday and on Fridays you will enjoy cultural education and field trips around Ireland. Your weekends are your own. We provide your accommodation and your tuition, and make sure you have a great stay in Ireland.

You will be based in Bundoran, County Donegal. Bundoran is famous in Ireland for its fantastic surf conditions and vibrant and lively atmosphere. It is a small friendly town, with lots of live music and outdoor sports enthusiasts mingling with tourists and natives. It is surrounded on all sides by stunning scenery and history, and will give you an amazing experience of the real Ireland. At weekends, you can easily to travel to other parts of Ireland, or on to the U.K. or mainland Europe.

Your semester will include

Tuition in Surfing, Lifeguarding, Climbing, Team Building & Adventure Activities
Optional world-recognised assessment and certification in Surfing & Lifeguarding
Training & Certification in Leadership Skills, Team Buliding & Adventure Activities
Three Weeks Internship as an Outdoor Pursuits Instructor
Classes & Field Trips in Irish History, Culture, Arts & Music

Available each year January- March & September-December
We will also assist you with flight arrangements and transfers.

There are no prerequisites for this experience, if you are over 18 years you are eligible to apply.

Download more information here

My name is Dakota Hinton, I am 19 and I am from California. Even though I am half way around the world there is no place i would rather be then here at the Donegal Adventure Centre being apart of the Intructors course. While most of the other participants in the course are from Ireland and many of them know each other, they have accepted me with open arms. Its barely been a month and already there are some people that seem like i have known them all my life. While on the course we help each other to achieve the aims of becoming responsible leaders and intructors. While we have a sort of 'classroom' experience with part of the program, it doesn't feel like it. It is very interactive and taught in an exciting manner. However most of the time we are out learning our responsibilities first hand, whether its helping young children who come to the centre or going out and hitting the surf, we are always having fun. We also  have the option of spending one day of the week learning about Irelands rich heritage and even traveling to historic sites and learning the mythology. Even when we end for the day, the participants of the course, who are now my friends all head out and just have a great time, whether its heading to one of their apartments and watching a movie or TV show, or heading out to a local pub and party the night Dakota (centre) in Sliabh Leagueaway. Some of the things that we have been taught is the proper way to teach a surf instruction, like teaching all the techniques and safety points while keeping them interested and participating. We have also learned the latest first aid techniques and the current equipment and proper methods of utilizing them to become effective lifeguards. Our instructor is going out of his way to make us above the simple standard level of a beach lifeguard. This truly has been the greatest experience of my life, and is getting me in the best shape of my life.
Dakota Hinton.