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You will be welcomed and treated as honored guests. Our participants were paid a wonderful compliment by our Ireland hosts, who told them they should be very proud, as they were great ambassadors for their country. |
Under the rainbows for which Ireland is justifiably famous, participants will understand why this is the land of leprechauns and faeries. We believe we have captured a unique balance of freedom, structure and safety. One lives for 10 glorious days amidst historical ruins, on spectacular beaches and across hills and vales painted the particular shades of green only to be found in Ireland. |
On the way to the adventure center, our first day in Ireland accommodates a lunch stop at the famed Cliffs of Moher, after which everyone can catch a nap as we drive to the quaint town of Westport. Matt Malloy of The Chieftains owns just one of the many traditional Irish pubs in Westport, where our participants will have their first taste of Irish culture. Hopefully, some Irish musicians or dancers will be performing in one of the pubs as well. Then it is on to our Adventure Center, our home for the next three days. Just wait until you wake up to a huge Irish breakfast and enjoy local cuisine, cooked by wonderful residents of the village, for lunch and dinner. You can learn to cook under their instruction as well if you want to. Forget what you may have heard about food in Ireland... this is the new Ireland and the food is fabulous and plentiful. |
Evenings will be spent relaxing or playing pool in the local pub (no alcohol for you, though). In the pub you will mingle with and get to know everyone in the village (from grandparents to babies), since the pub is the universally accepted hub of village social life. You will be warmly accepted. You will also enjoy campfires on the beach with music or other fun ways to pass the time. |
We then hike an authentic Famine Road. Only a hard heart for sure will remain unmoved. Your heart will sing, however, at the Ireland of today... prosperous and educated, with the fastest growing economy in the European Union. In fact, Dublin is the third most expensive city in Europe! After what may well be a tearful goodbye to our hosts at the Adventure Center, take what has been dubbed "the party bus" to a small village inland used as a movie set, complete with its own enormous castle. Enjoy a sumptuous meal and experience justifiably famous Irish storytelling and song around the fire or in one of the local pubs.
We will learn and practice the ancient sport of falconry with the professional trainers of nearly every type of raptors... hawks, owls, falcons, and eagles. You can easily imagine yourself in Medieval times hunting with these magnificent creatures. The birds are indeed trained to hunt and we will head off into the surrounding fields to watch them in action, but not hunting live prey. We will actually handle the birds themselves after receiving careful instruction. You will launch them into flight; watch them soar into the distance, finally landing in the trees and marvel as they swoop back to your glove on command. This is a rare opportunity and one guaranteed not to be forgotten, nor likely repeated in a lifetime. We will then head to the hippest city in Ireland - Galway City. We will check in and head out for the first of three nights on the town in this spectacular city by the bay, joining the throngs of young revelers in the streets, shops and pubs. |
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Explore the island by bike, riding through terraced hillsides, visiting burial tombs older than Christianity and castles from the Stone and Bronze ages. Hike uphill to the mighty 1100 BC fort of Dun Aengus and after peering over the cliffs to see the crashing Atlantic 300 feet below, you will understand why this fortress withstood so many assaults, even from the Vikings. It is a ring fort, so called because of the circular walls built in layers to slow down attackers. It also features a wonderful example of a cheveux frise, a large area studded with pointed boulders imbedded at all angles to repel attackers. Ireland in the 12th century consisted of around 100 kingdoms, each of which was ruled from a fort. The Aran Islands' primary industry has historically been fishing, a dangerous occupation in these cold and treacherous waters. The famous ecru Irish sweaters originated here, with each wife knitting a distinctive pattern so that bodies could be identified when they washed up after accidents at sea. You can buy the sweaters on the island and also in Galway City. Inishmore has spectacular views, gorgeous beaches and a unique, living culture. You will regret having to leave this special place. We will return by boat and still have time for an evening in Galway City. The next day, shopping, tasting, strolling and exploring Galway City are on the agenda. Shopping Ireland-style is a treat indeed... sweaters, famed Waterford crystal, lace, and fashion. This is the obvious time to buy claddagh rings, Celtic jewelry, shirts for Irish rugby and soccer teams, and gifts for friends and family.
After much revelry you will pack for home, counting the days until you can return and grateful for the friendships you have made, many of which will hopefully last a lifetime. |
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© 2008 Travel for Teens, LLC, All Rights Reserved toll free: 1.888.457.4534 |
Ireland For Teens features natural beauty, the rich history and the wonderful culture of Ireland. Our insider's track will swiftly move you inside this magnificent way of life. You will be astonished at the rawness and the unspoiled beauty of this great country and will fall in love with the people there, all the more so when you understand their poignant history.
The Ireland experience is a moving one emotionally. You may be surprised at the empathy you will feel for the people there once you have walked a mile in their shoes - shoes that have been walking for thousands of years. Ireland for Teens is a coed summer experience in Western Ireland for teenagers ages 13-18 which provides cultural immersion and features extensive outdoor adventure activities.
Our program is non-regimented and offers choices of activities, like all the Travel For Teens programs do. Learning and growth are considerable but are accomplished in a non-classroom manner that is based on living within the Irish culture itself. We believe the best learning experiences come from getting your feet wet and your shoes dirty - literally! You will return from Ireland with wonderful memories and new friends. The way you see the world will be forever changed.
Ireland For Teens is designed to be nothing less than the most memorable trip of a teen's life. The raw natural beauty of Ireland's west coast will cultivate a new appreciation for Mother Nature's magic and offer lessons about environmental values. 
Spend your first days surfing, sailing, kayaking, rock climbing, canoeing, hiking and other fun activities at an Adventure Center in the northwest region of Ireland. The abandoned village, where you will spend mornings, is at the top of a cliff overlooking the ocean. The setting is spectacular.
For the next three days, we will swim, surf, kayak, windsurf and snorkel on some of the most beautiful beaches in Europe, 5 of which enjoy the status of Europe's top rated "Blue Flag" beaches. This rating is given only to the handful of beaches evaluated as superior for both beauty and safety.
Participants have the choice of activities each day. Surfing lessons are very popular and you can take a memorable hike through the peat and fields to see Lord Boycott's house. Seakayaking takes us through rock bridges (where we climb up and jump into the sea) and into unique caves in the sides of the cliffs. We can rock climb, do a little archery, or go canoeing. In addition to the beach activities, participants may fish or bike.
We will be learning Irish step dancing. This unique and traditional aspect of Irish culture, now on everyone's radar screen due to the popularity of Michael Flatley's "Riverdance," is fast, elegant and fun. Our local experts make Irish history through the ages come alive. From prehistoric dwellings, to the early clans, to the Vikings, and on to the conflict between the English and the Irish, this is history everybody loves. 
Our experience focuses especially on the Great Famine of the mid-nineteenth century, during which Ireland lost half its population. It is an understanding that goes beyond Ireland, extending to the concept of genocide wherever it may occur. We will explore a town abandoned during the Great Famine, as well as an abbey and other representative Irish cultural sights, fleshing out our understanding of the evolution of the culture in which we are now living. We take a drive at sunset along cliffs looking out to sea, where the scenery is so gorgeous it will utterly captivate you.
One day you have a choice of hiking to the summit of one of Ireland's tallest mountains, Croagh Patrick, or you can visit a center for traditional Irish life, and come away awed by the determination of the Irish and the hardship of their life in the Ireland of the past. This region of Ireland was hit extra hard by the Famine. Our very own Irish storyteller is onboard to make the most of the drive to the fascinating estate which serves as the center. It features photos and documents that further our understanding of the misery of many Irish citizens during this time. 
In this region we have a choice of hacking cross country on Irish Cob horses or of spelunking (exploring subterranean caves with an expert guide marveling at stalactites while using miner's hats) at yet another Adventure Center. This is the activity most mentioned as the trip favorite by participants.
The Aran Islands beckon all travelers to the West Coast of Ireland. From Galway we will boat over to Inishmore and begin learning the unique history and way of life of this astonishing, hauntingly beautiful island where life is essentially as it was for hundreds of years.
Then, you are in for a wonderful and spectacular last evening at an authentic medieval banquet in a 14th century castle. The dancers and singers double as servers at long tables laden with medieval food and drink, and we experience authentically what a feast day was like in those times.