Arcadia Ireland

We have some excellent co-curricular activities planned for the Fall 2016 semester! Take a look at what's on offer within your program and other regions.

Registration opens Wednesday, August 10 at 12 noon (EST) in your Arcadia Passport, and closes on Thursday, September 15. 

All events have limited spaces to sign up early to avoid disappointment!

Regions!

Important: Arcadia events are planned regionally and are open to students on Arcadia Ireland programs. If attending a co-curricular event outside of your study region, you will be responsible for your own transportation and accommodation costs, and you will need to make your own way to collection points. If attending events in your region, the event will either take place close by or transport will be included. Events are only open to Arcadia program participants. Please note that dates, times and prices are subject to change.

AN CÚAIRT AR PHOBAL

Theme: Local Ireland

Region: Open to All Regions; No registration required

An Cúairt ar Phobal meaning a Visit to the Community is the Arcadia programme home-stay weekend. All students are invited to participate in this co-curricular activity, where they have the opportunity to spend two nights with an Irish family away from their programme locations. This activity not only allows students to feel a part of an Irish family but allows opportunity to engage in a range of host community exploration tasks and reflect on the weekend with a co-curricular learning certificate. This weekend is all about experiencing a typical weekend with a typical Irish family, a fantastic and truly authentic experience. It is a great chance for students to interact with Irish people, to get a real sense of rural Ireland, its customs and its simplicity. An Cúairt ar Phobal weekend is not so much about doing a lot of activity; it’s more about experiencing something. This experience can be as simple as sitting in front of the fire, drinking tea and chatting with your Irish hosts.

Belfast & Antrim Coast Weekend

Themes: Global & Innovation Ireland, Active Ireland, Inagined Ireland, Local Ireland

Region: Open to All Regions; *Queens University Belfast will register separately

Always the most popular activity of the semester, this weekend reunites the Arcadia community from across the Island of Ireland for a fantastic weekend in Belfast. Students travelling from the Republic of Ireland will enjoy 2 nights’ accommodation in a hotel with breakfast, 2 dinners, 1 lunch, bus transfers, and entry to the Titanic Experience, a trip to the Giant ’s Causeway, a City Tour of Belfast and a lecture on the Troubles of Northern Ireland. We welcome all Belfast students to register for the weekend separately on passport and join the rest of the Arcadia group for all activities and meals. Nestled on the north coast below Cave Hill and the Black Mountain, Belfast is a dynamic city where the hospitality is legendary and the warmth of the people is genuine. We will visit the Titanic Quarter, where the tragically-fated streamliner was built.

Irish Programmes Manager Jodi Killackey writes 'My favourite element of Titanic was standing in the virtual tour room with floor to ceiling screens and to watch as it takes you floor by floor, through each level of the ship and to feel like you are standing in the actual rooms on the Titanic'

You will also have time to explore the Queens University neighbourhood. The spectacular landscape of
Ireland's North Coast, highlighted by a visit to the Giant's Causeway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, will show you first-hand the culturally rich heritage and beautiful landscape of Northern Ireland. You will be introduced to the political and social history of Belfast city through a fascinating talk on the internationally-renowned murals of Belfast as well as an exciting tour of the city led by local academics.

The Story of Irish Food

Themes: Local Ireland, Global & Innovation Ireland

Region: Dublin & Maynooth

Join us for an exploration of Irish Food! This walking tour will bring you around Dublin city, charting the development of Irish foodways in the context of fashion, economics and European society. Together you will explore themes such as monasteries and food, war, revolution and food, restaurants, food and class, additives and spices, and of course….the potato! We will kick things off with a quiz to test your knowledge and there will be a few tasters along the way too. This is a great opportunity to get familiar with your new city and learn a few foodie secrets of Ireland!

Arcadia Culture Night

Themes: Imagined Ireland, Local Ireland

Region: Dublin & Maynooth

Get cultured with Arcadia at Dublin’s most famous theatre! We will begin with a pre-theatre meal in a popular Dublin restaurant, followed by a production of 'Donegal' by one of Ireland’s greatest modern playwrights Frank McGuiness. 'Donegal' is a new musical play, centred on a renounced Irish music family, whose world is thrown upside down when their son returns home from America.

Game of Thrones Filming Locations

Themes: Global & Innovation Ireland

Region: Dublin & Maynooth

Game of Thrones is now one of the most popular and highest grossing series of all time and Northern Ireland is one of the main filming locations for the series!This tour involves trekking from Winterfell to one of Walder Frey's Twins, past Robb's Camp in the Riverlands and on to where Brienne confronted three Stark soldiers. The afternoon trek is into Tollymore Forest, to the bridge where the Starks found a dead direwolf and her pups, finally ending up in Winterfell.

Director of Arcadia Ireland, Tom Kelley writes "Ireland is a great location for "Game of Thrones". The landscape, the weather, the sky all contribute to the imagined Westeros. And Westeros is just Ireland flipped upside down, just compare the maps."

Killarney National Park

Themes: Imagined Ireland, Active Ireland

Region: Cork & Limerick

Voted 'Ireland’s Best Day out' a trip to Killarney National Park is not to be missed. It is home to 26,000 acres of lush mountains, aboriginal forest, walkways, rivers, stately homes, cycle paths, disused mines, golf courses, waterfalls, bat caves, and islands populated by swimming deer, well-preserved castles and the country’s tallest mountain range. This trip begins with a tour of Muckross house; a beautiful 19th century Victorian mansion with expansive gardens in the centre of the park. This will be followed by a guided two hour hike around the picturesque Killarney Lakes.

Cork Food Trail

Themes: Global & Innovation Ireland

Region: Cork

Known as the culinary capital of Ireland, Cork city has some fabulous food on offer! Join Arcadia staff on this award-winning Cork Tasting Trail. We will visit a range of restaurants, food halls, street markets, cheesemongers, delicatessens and other speciality shops. You'll meet artisans whose families have traded for generations producing great food as well as new arrivals to the food scene bringing new international tastes and food ideas to the Irish table. Those familiar with the city will be amazed to discover food outlets and tasty modern surprises they never knew existed and visitors will leave with an insider and up-to-date knowledge of the best of what is happening in foodie Ireland.

Bunratty Castle & The Cliffs of Moher

Themes: Imagined Ireland, Local Ireland

Region: Limerick

Bunratty Castle is the most complete and authentic medieval fortress in Ireland. Built in 1425 it was restored in 1954 to its former medieval splendour. Visitors are invited to wander through the castle and battlements, view the historic bedrooms, dining rooms, great hall and banquet hall. The castle is encircled by the Bunratty Folk Park, a living construction of the homes and environment of old Ireland. Stretching over 26 acres, the park is designed to imitate and present a typical Irish village 100 years ago. After a quick lunch stop, we visit the Cliffs of Moher, aka "The Cliffs of Insanity". The Cliffs of Moher are one of the most outstanding coastal features of Ireland and are located in County Clare on the Burren’s edge. Rising slowly from Doolin they ascend to over 700 feet (213 metres) stretching south for nearly five miles (8km) to Hag's Head. The Cliffs of Moher are home to one of the major colonies of cliff nesting seabirds in Ireland.

The Aran Islands

Themes: Local Ireland, Active Ireland

Region: Galway & Burren

The Aran Islands are located just off the coast of Galway in the Atlantic Ocean. These spectacular and scenic islands are an excellent break from the hustle and bustle of the main land. Famous for the ''Aran sweater' these islands are also one of the few places where the Irish language is still spoken.

Assistant Director, Grainne Hand writes "The best part of the Islands is getting on a bike and cycling to Dún Aonghasa fort stopping off along the way to maybe walk along the shore or have a picnic. It’s a Gaeltacht part of Ireland, meaning that the people living there speak Irish mainly. This helps create such a traditional feel to the place. When you step off the ferry it’s like stepping into a different world''.

Seafood Cookery Class

Themes: Local Ireland, Global & Innovation Ireland

Region: Galway & Burren

Ireland produces some of the best seafood in the world; and the fish in Galway is the best of the best! Galway Bay Seafood boasts Ireland's only dedicated Seafood Cookery School. Situated in the heart of the Galway Docks, their state of the art kitchen is the perfect place for you to release our inner chef by taking part in a Seafood Cookery Classes. The best part is when the dishes are cooked; you can sit back, relax and enjoy your creation!

Crumlin Road Gaol

Themes: Local Ireland, Imagined Ireland

Region: Belfast

One of the main attractions in Belfast, this former prison tells a unique story of Belfast life and history. On a guided tour you will hear about the prisons history dating back to 1845, stories of the inmates including women and children, as well as the segregation of republic and loyalist prisoners. You will have the opportunity to travel through the underground tunnel connecting the jail to the Crumlin Road Courthouse, where you can sit in the Governor’s chair and explore this historic building.

Derry Day Trip

Themes: Local Ireland, Imagine Ireland

Region: Belfast

Join Arcadia for a trip to Derry in one of Belfast’s famous Black Cab tours! This day long trip will give you a personalized insight into the second city of Northern Ireland, as well as a deeper understanding of the Troubles of Northern Ireland, its people and its path to peace. You will visit the ‘Bogside’; the site of Bloody Sunday, walk along the famous Derry city walls, take in the political murals and visit the Museum of Derry.

Important

Arcadia Dublin Center will also add free events throughout the semester. Past student events include; Photography and Video competitions, Hot Chocolate mornings, Creative Writing Competitions, Giving Tuesday, Career workshops, Charity Fun Runs and Exam Stress- Buster walks.

Remember most events are regionally run! You are invited to attend events outside of your region but you are responsible for your own transport to the pick-up point.

Please note: There is a limited number of attendees on each event and the registration deadline for all Fall activities is Thursday September 15th .

Learn more about Co-Curricular Themes & Excursions in Ireland.