Arcadia Ireland

With spring 2018 fast approaching it’s finally time to announce Ireland’s excursion line up. This semester we are taking you outdoors. Ireland’s beauty rests in the history steeped hills and breath-taking arrays of green so be prepared for seeing a new and innovative Ireland with an outdoors twist.

Making sure you get experiences with us that you would otherwise struggle to find when living here, this semester’s events are slightly off the beaten track. Bring your walking shoes and waterproofs and get ready for an adventure. Tying in our themes of innovative, spiritual and active Ireland to name few, we will make sure you get the best out of what this country has to offer.

When you’re signing up, make sure you check where an event is leaving from. If it is not close to your programme you will have to make your own way to the pickup point. Alternatively, make a weekend of it and stay where the pickup point is for a couple of nights. We will help with picking transport options and hostels once you get here.

Before we being exploring, please keep in mind that the DEADLINE for events is Wednesday, 24^th January 2018.  You MUST have signed up for all events before this date. Sign up early to avoid disappointment.

Berlin Regional Event.

Our first event of the semester teams us up with Arcadia England and Arcadia Scotland as we head to one of Europe’s most important capital cities. Berlin was literally torn in two during the Second World War and remnants of this fraught past are still clearly visible. This trip includes: Round trip flights, accommodation and breakfast for three days, a walking tour of Berlin and entry to the concentration camp Sachsenhausen. You will also get the chance to explore Berlin’s more contemporary culture and music scene.

Leaves from Dublin (students must make their own way to the airport for an early afternoon flight.) As this is a 3 night trip, students are responsible for any academic clashes that may occur.

Giant’s Causeway meets Game of Thrones.

There is no doubt that if you Google things to do in Northern Ireland The Giant’s Causeway is one of the first to appear. Join us on our private tour and get a chance to see the Causeway and learn the history of a war torn nation while taking in some stunning scenery. This doesn’t sound like enough? No problem! Fan of Jon Snow? Game of Thrones Season 8 will be filming in Northern Ireland all through the Spring of 2018 and we want to take you as close to the action as possible. On this excursion we will also be visiting some very famous filming locations from the HBO series. See the Dark Hedges (a.k.a King’s Road) before getting to visit the Iron Islands to name a few. Still not sure if there’s enough in here? Well how about adding a short stop in Belfast, the beautiful capital of Northern Ireland before heading back to Dublin. A jam-packed day, use it to take the chance to see a snippet of Northern Ireland’s best-bits on this one day tour.

Leaves from Dublin. Please keep in mind that this is an EARLY start- a hostel in Dublin the night before may be necessary and you will have to book this separately (with our help of course!)

Killary Adventure Weekend.

Remember I said ‘off the beaten track’ and mentioned the active Ireland theme? Well this weekend is the pinnacle of that combination. This is the biggest trip of the semester and we can assure you that it will be jam-packed. Meet up with Arcadia students from around the country and enjoy a weekend of activities: hiking, kayaking (there will be wetsuits, don’t you worry!) high ropes, archery, gorge walking and raft building to name a few. Top this off with locally sourced hot home-made meals, nights filled with ‘craic’ (fun) and all set within the backdrop of the Maamturk Mountains and this is a weekend not to be missed. We will have a themed night and an awards ceremony to make sure you get the most out of this Arcadia community weekend.

Weekend includes 2 nights stay, all meals and transport to and from Killary (stops in Dublin and Galway-students in other areas must make their way to either collection point.)

Muckross House and Killarney National Park.

The question I probably get asked the most in this job is ‘where is your favourite place in Ireland?’ It’s a tough one, but every time I think about it the answer remains the same- Killarney. Killarney is in Co. Kerry, and people from Kerry like to refer to it as The Kingdom. One things for sure, it lives up to its name. Join us on this excursion to explore Muckross House and Killarney’s National Park. Collecting from Cork, our coach will make the trip to Muckross House where we will then get a tour of nineteenth century Victorian mansion. Following this, we will set off on a hike around the stunning Killarney National Park with our guide Julie who will be able to answer any and all questions about the park and its wildlife. Learn about active, spiritual and local Ireland on this beautiful day out.

Leaves from Cork. Students are responsible for getting to Cork/staying in Cork. We advise staying in Cork if you’re travelling- it’s well worth the visit.

Limerick’s Recipe for Success.

One of the skills you’ll inevitably learn during your study abroad experience is how to cook. Although a daunting task, it’s something that every Irish student has to get to grasp with when they first leave home and so it can be a fun (and sometimes disastrous!) experience to go through together. Food is also the ‘man of the moment’ in Ireland lately and so things like Limerick’s famous Milk Market are becoming some of the most popular places to spend weekends. Ensuring that we are staying with our local Ireland theme, this excursion will bring us to an evening of food and fun. You’ll have mastered how to boil an egg, and for this evening you’ll learn how to become as Master Chef. A cookery class using locally sourced produce followed by a delicious tasting will leave you inspired to woo your friends and family when you get home. Evening Event. Leaving from UL’s main campus.

Culinary Life and Culture in Kinsale.

If you’re in UCC (or you fancy a trip to Cork) this trip is a must. Kinsale is a harbour town about 40 minutes away from Cork City. Quaint comes to mind when thinking of Kinsale, and quirky is the only way to describe Dermot, our Corkonian guide. Dermot has won awards for his historical tours of the small town and his humour is second to none. Top the evening off with a 3 course meal in the towns famous Dino’s restaurant and you’ll go back to the city refreshed and with a better sense of the county you’re living in.

Evening Event. Leaving from Cork housing.

Dublin Food Trail.

Food is Ireland’s most popular entity at the moment and it is a booming trade around the island. Long gone are the days of boiled meat and spuds, and in their place are specialty cheeses, organically reared meat and fresh fish galore. Food is most certainly fashionable and on this tour we will stop at numerous restaurants, cafes and specialty food shops to see what Dublin has to offer. Tasty treats and the interesting culinary history are served up along the way on this 3 hour wander around the streets of Dublin.

Evening Event. Meeting in Dublin City Centre.

Croagh Patrick Pilgrimage.

Our last event of the semester is certainly one of our most spectacular. The end of April will see you in the midst of essays and exams. The hype of exam time can be stressful and so we invite you to take a break and set a different sort of challenge. Leaving from Galway, this excursion will bring you to Ireland’s most famous mountain. Croagh Patrick is Ireland’s second highest mountain and the top boasts some of the most spectacular views in the country. Originally a pilgrimage for religious retreats, this mountain now attracts tourists from far and wide to its challenging peak.  Take the day off, get outside and explore one of the country’s most spiritual treks.

Full Day Event. Bus leaving from Galway EARLY in the morning. Students responsible to making their own way to pick up point.

 London Weekend. 

Hosted by Arcadia in London, this excursion is another chance to get to know the wider Arcadia community. Arcadia students from all over Europe are invited to join the London staff for three nights in England’s most vibrant city. Along with having free time to explore the city, you will be guided through certain aspects of the city with Londoners on hand. A theatre trip, a walking tour of London including street art and South Bank, a visit to the Tower of London and tasty meals like afternoon tea, fish and chips and a curry in Brick Lane are some of the amazing things you’ll get up to. The cost of this trip also includes three nights’ accommodation and an Oyster Card for travel around the city.

**N.B** This trip does NOT include your flights from Ireland to London. You will need to make your way to the London centre. You MUST be there by 1pm on Thursday.

And that’s a wrap! Each of these excursions offer something that you won’t find on a simple Google search. Experiencing Ireland through the eyes of Arcadia, our thematic approach and our handpicked experts ensures that you’ll get the best out of each of our tours.