Arcadia Ireland

Our innovative co-curricular activities in Ireland derive from the themes below:
Active Ireland - From hill walking to bog treks to the fastest sports on earth, Ireland is alive and kicking. Co-curricular activities under this theme will involve the outdoors, exploring the Irish landscape and experiencing Irish games.
Global/Innovation Ireland - Irish thought and particularly the Irish people beyond the Diaspora have made an impact all over the world. Fortune 500 companies base operations in Ireland; Ireland has a young and educated workforce; information technology and entrepreneurship continue to drive the Irish economy and lifestyle. This theme involves Ireland's innovative contributions to the Modern World.
Spiritual Ireland - Ireland has a rich tradition of spirituality and contemplation, from pre-Christian thought to contemporary secular methods of achieving enlightened well-being. Students will engage with both the sacred and the secular while pursuing this theme.
Imagined Ireland - Many communities -both imagined and real - call Ireland home. This theme explores the artistic and the creative energies in Irish culture - focusing on the literary, theatrical and the musical.
Local Ireland – Communities matter. This theme examines the relation between local elements as they fit together as necessary parts of the broader Irish community.

Next week will get things started when we visit Muckross House and Killarney National Park in Ireland's Kingdom County Kerry! This is a breath-taking place with variations of green you can only imagine. Over thirty students will join us for the day and explore the national park and Victorian mansion that this trip has to offer.

A few weeks later we will head off on a three-day trip with students from Arcadia England and Arcadia Scotland crossing the ‘official’ border between Scotland and England to see the remains of the world famous Hadrian’s Wall! We’ll visit Carlisle Castle, the Roman auxiliary fort of Vindolanda (occupied from approximately 85 AD to 370 AD), the Roman Army Museum, and learn about the Roman’s experience and interaction with the many peoples of Britain 2,000 years ago. We’ll walk up to what remains of the wall itself and also stop off at Alnwick Castle (aka Hogwarts!). In between seeing all of the above and making time for rest and meals there will be free time to explore the northern cities of Carlisle and Newcastle. 

Belfast and The Antrim Coast Weekend has always been a really popular student event! We will begin our two day trip with a visit to the Titanic Experience, which brings to life the Titanic story through full-scale reconstructions and innovative interactive features. This is followed by a trip to the scenic Giant's Causeway on Saturday and finally a walking tour on Sunday of Belfast City with a local academic, guiding your through the history of the 'Troubles' of Northern Ireland, visiting Nationalist and Unionist areas, as well as stopping off at the Peace Wall.

November will take us to Barcelona for a three day trip covering Brexit and Borders. The city of Barcelona has a long historical connection with Ireland and its people. Irish monasteries preserved canonical texts illuminated in the Catalonian capital, protecting them from barbarian hordes during the breakup of the Roman Empire. Now Barcelona and Ireland are both within the European Union and share a strong partnership in tourism and commerce; but these historical ties and modern commercial relationships are being questioned as the terms of Brexit come apparent and significant factions of Barcelona are pushing for independence from Spain. Students will be introduced to the shared historical and cultural connections between Barcelona and Ireland while leaning about the populist and nativist pressure to pull away from the EU and the Spanish crown. Arcadia's Academic Centre in Barcelona will host our students for part of this weekend. A city tour, overview of Catalonian food culture and free time to explore Barcelona are all include in this fabulous weekend.

The grand finale will be stepping back into the 1920s for Culture Night in Dublin- The Great Gatsby. Thirty of us will be guests at Gatsby's biggest party in Dublin. An incredible, interactive play, this night is one that we are all excited about! We will start our evening with a glamorous 3 course meal, and follow it up with a trip to The Gate theatre to attend a show like students have never experienced before. We will all prepare to be dazzled.

Excited yet? We are!