Arcadia Ireland

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

Registration opens in Passport opens Thursday December 3rd at Noon (EST) through to February 1 at Midnight (EST).

Regions!

Important: Arcadia events are planned regionally and are open to all 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 CÚIRT AR PHOBAL Weekend

THEME: LOCAL IRELAND
Required homestay - Dates vary by region/program 

An Cúairt ar Phobal meaning Visit to the Community is the Arcadia programme homestay weekend. All students 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 AND ANTRIM COAST WEEKEND

THEMES: GLOBAL/INNOVATION IRELAND; ACTIVE IRELAND; IMAGINED IRELAND; LOCAL IRELAND
ALL REGIONS – BELFAST STUDENTS REGISTER FOR INDIVIDUAL ACTIVITIES 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 City Center hotel with breakfast, 2 dinners, 1 lunch, bus transfers from Dublin, 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 activities separately on passport and join the rest of the Arcadia group for 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. 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.

Dublin weekend - Centenary of a nation rising

THEMES: IMAGINED IRELAND; ACTIVE IRELAND
REGION: DUBLIN UNIVERSITIES & MAYNOOTH UNIVERSITY STUDENTS; 

QUEENS UNIVERSITY BELFAST AND UNIVERSITY OF ULSTER STUDENTS

This semester as part of the Life of the Mind theme ‘Protest!’ we are bringing students together from Ireland, Scotland and London for a Centenary co-curricular weekend in Dublin. The Easter Rising in 1916 was a public event that shaped both Ireland and the Modern World. While armies collided on European battlefields, a small but determined band of Irish rebels assembled on the streets of Dublin to proclaim an independent Irish Republic. Now, a century later, we invite students to interrogate this ‘bloody protest for a glorious thing’ by participating in Arcadia’s Easter 1916 weekend. Students from Irish, Scottish and English programmes will tour Dublin battle sites, have an opportunity to visit Kilmainham Jail, view historical exhibitions, and attend a lecture on the role of women in the Easter Rising. Students will also take part in the "Waking the Nation"programme by attending a play commissioned by the world famous Abbey Theatre. Belfast students will also have 2 nights’ accommodation with breakfast included as well as their round trip bus ticket from Belfast to Dublin. This regional co-curricular activity is not to be missed!

TIN WHISTLE WORKSHOP

THEME: IMAGINED IRELAND
REGION: DUBLIN UNIVERSITIES & MAYNOOTH UNIVERSITY STUDENTS 

Music has always played a pivotal role in Irish life, from ancient times until the modern era. At the Arcadia Dublin Center, we host a workshop on the traditional Irish instrument, the tin whistle. Led by a local musician and teacher, this workshop will introduce you to the history, rhythm and importance of music to the Irish. Tin whistle is easy to learn and we are always so impressed by what students accomplish after just a few classes. The tin whistles are provided for students to keep, so you can bring them home to show off your new skills!

GAME OF THRONES FILMING LOCATIONS

THEMES: GLOBAL/INNOVATION IRELAND

REGION: DUBLIN UNIVERSITIES & MAYNOOTH UNIVERSITY STUDENTS 

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."

CORK FOOD TRAIL

THEMES: GLOBAL/INNOVATION IRELAND
REGION: UNIVERSITY COLLEGE CORK STUDENTS

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 bakeries, food halls, street markets, cheese-mongers, 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.

THEATRE – Juno and the Paycock

THEMES: IMAGINED IRELAND; LOCAL IRELAND
REGION: UNIVERSITY COLLEGE CORK STUDENTS

One cannot talk about Imagined Ireland without discussing the Irish theatrical tradition: from writing, producing, acting and staging, Irish drama is world renowned. Join Arcadia staff at the Everyman Theatre in the heart of Cork City for a production of "Juno and the Paycock", by Irish playwright Sean O’Casey. This black comedy centred around the Boyles family in Dublin city tenements has been reimaged with a Cork setting. Not to be missed!

BUNRATTY CASTLE & THE CLIFFS OF MOHER

THEMES: IMAGINED IRELAND; LOCAL IRELAND
REGION: UNIVERSITY OF LIMERICK STUDENTS

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 in Doolin, possibly Ireland’s cutest village, 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.

RUGBY MATCH

THEMES: ACTIVE IRELAND; GLOBAL/INNOVATION IRELAND
REGION: UNIVERSITY OF LIMERICK STUDENTS

Join Arcadia staff for an evening of Munster Rugby at Thomond Park, the home ground of Munster Rugby and one of the most successful and best supported rugby clubs in the world. You cannot leave Limerick without an appreciation for this sport and what it means to the region and the hearts and minds of its people.

CULTURAL CAPITAL – INNOVATION IN OLD IRELAND

THEMES: IMAGINED IRELAND; LOCAL IRELAND; SPIRITUAL IRELAND; INNOVATION/GLOBAL IRELAND
REGION: NUI GALWAY AND BURREN COLLEGE OF ART STUDENTS

Get a genuine insight into Irish culture and nature in the Connemara Gaeltacht! Focusing on sustainability and innovation, Arcadia students and staff engage in a wide variety of activities in a restored 17th century farm house. Students learn about the origins and beauty of the Irish language, though song and poem. This evening includes an introduction to the concept of foraging (gathering wild food supplies), local foods, herbs and seaweeds and their uses, as well as a brown bread making demonstration and tasting.

Students will have an opportunity to engage with nature and ecology; learning about the Irish bog-land formation, turf harvesting, sphagnum moss and its uses. You will also be introduced to rush-craft and how to make a Brigid’s Cross. Finally, students will experience Irish music, traditional instruments, sean-nós songs and participate in a Irish (céilé) dance! An all-round fantastic night!

CROAGH PATRICK PILGRIMAGE

THEMES: SPRITUAL IRELAND; ACTIVE IRELAND
REGION: NUI GALWAY AND BURREN COLLEGE OF ART STUDENTS

Engage with the sacred and secular! Join us for an Arcadia Adventure up Croagh Patrick – one of Ireland’s most famous and sacred mountains. Croagh Patrick is best known for its association with Saint Patrick, Ireland’s patron saint, who is said to have fasted for 40 days and banished snakes from the land at the summit in 441 AD. Locally known as "the Reek", Croagh Patrick has been a pilgrimage destination since pre-Christian times. Each year thousands of Pilgrims climb to the summit, many of them in their bare feet. Don’t worry we’ll be keeping our shoes on! Croagh Patrick is more of a hike than a climb, is accessible for people of all ages and the rewards at the summit are well worth the trip!

THEATRE – History of the peace (accordin' to my ma)

THEMES: IMAGINED IRELAND; LOCAL IRELAND
REGION: QUEENS UNIVERSITY BELFAST AND UNIVERSITY OF ULSTER STUDENTS ONLY

Ireland, North and South is renowned for its theatrical tradition and home to some of the worlds foremost actors. Join Arcadia staff in the Grand Opera House for a production of "History of the Peace (accordin’ to my Ma)" a comedy centred on Karen Reid, an East Belfast community worker making her way through a new and uneasy peace.

Giant's Causeway

Theme: Active Ireland
REGION: Queens University Belfast and University of Ulster students only

In the footsteps of giants... Flanked by the wild North Atlantic Ocean and a landscape of dramatic cliffs, for centuries the Giant's Causeway has inspired artists, stirred scientific debate and captured the imagination of all who see it. Why not experience the Giant's Causeway for yourself? Visit the world-famous basalt columns along with experienced tour guides, Arcadia staff and fellow students.

City Tour of Belfast & Presentation on the Troubles in Northern Ireland

Theme: Local Ireland
REGION: Queens University Belfast and University of Ulster students only

Join Arcadia staff and program participants as we take you into various areas of Belfast with political significance. We will drive along the Peace Wall, erected to separate nationalist and unionist areas of the city, and provide you with useful information and facts on the violent period known as The Troubles in Northern Ireland and the award-winning path to peace. This tour will be followed by an informative lecture on The Troubles of Northern Ireland by Prof. Bill Rolsten from the University of Ulster.

Titanic Experience

Themes: Imagined Ireland; Global Ireland
REGION: Queens University Belfast and University of Ulster students only

The Titanic Experience is an incredible exhibition, which brings to life the Titanic story through full-scale reconstructions and innovative interactive features; from the shipyard to the maiden voyage to the final sinking of the ship, this is a must-see museum.

Important

Arcadia Dublin Center will also add free events throughout the semester. Past student events include; Photography competitions, Cookery Competitions , Pancake Tuesday, 1-Second a Day Competitions, Hot Chocolate mornings, Poetry Competitions, 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 Spring activities is February 1st.

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