Arcadia Ireland

We are so excited to see so many of our Fall 2021 students already sign up for our Co-Curricular Events! 

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.    

First up is the Cliffs of Moher and Doolin tour 

The Cliffs of Moher (Aillte an Mhothair) are one of Ireland’s most popular visitor attractions. Their natural beauty has inspired artists, musicians, and poets for generations, as well as absorbing scientists and geologists, drawn by the unique landscape in which they sit. These amazing sea cliffs are named from the ancient Gaelic word ‘Mhothair’ (Moher) which means ruined fort. They rise to a jaw dropping height of over 214 metres (700ft) at their highest point. The ferry sails right beneath this point just north of O’Brien’s Tower. The furthest point of the cliffs from Doolin is Hags Head in Liscannor. Here you can find the 1st century fort, Moher Tower, that it is named for.

In the morning we will travel from Galway City and towards the Cliffs of Moher.  We will walk the safe, paved pathways and view the famous Cliffs on Europe’s western frontier and enjoy the spectacular vistas over the Atlantic Ocean and the Aran Islands.  You will have a chance to drop into the visitor Center before we head to Doolin for lunch. 

You’ll have built up an appetite so we will take you to lunch in lovely Doolin. 

On our drive back to Galway we will go by the coast road to Caherconnell Stone Fort plus the nearby Poulnabrone Dolmen.

This Co-Curricular event and exploration of one of Ireland's most scenic places will leave you awestruck, creating memories that will stay with you forever.

Next, we head up to the North of Ireland for our Belfast and Titanic Tour 

Ever since travel bible Lonely Planet named Belfast as one of the best locations to check out in 2018, the vibrant city has gone to the top of everyone’s must-visit list.

We will begin the tour in pre-industrialized Belfast and see how essential the shipyard was to the prosperity of the city. We will learn about the people who worked there; over 15,000 people were employed there when the Titanic was built!

Through the Shipyard ride we will see how they built the Titanic; The Harland and Wolff shipyard was at the cutting edge of engineering at the time, they didn’t just build the Titanic, they had to invent new ways of ship building to make it possible.

We will see the ship, which is brought to life with 3D holograms of the passengers, and an ''experience the Titanic'' 3D feature where you get to travel though each level to see firsthand what it was like. 

In the end, we will see how it was destroyed, listen to accounts of survivors and watch how 70 years later it was once again found 2.5 miles under water.

After lunch our afternoon will be devoted to a tour of Belfast City. Before we begin, we will get an overview of the Northern Ireland Troubles, allowing us to understand the significance of what we would be looking at in the Nationalist and Unionist areas.

There will be a chance to learn about and sign the Peace Wall (the wall that acts as a buffer between the two communities).  By the way, the Dali Lama and Bill Clinton posted messages there!

Our tour will end through the bustling city centre; filled with majestic Victorian buildings, a modern vibrant shopping district and Queen's University (which basically looks like Hogwarts!)

We hope you will join us on these events as we truly engage with the culture!