Arcadia Ireland

One of the best things for the mind is to take a break. A break from the normal hum drum of everyday life and a chance to explore, engage and rejuvenate. In that spirit of taking a break but also in learning about rural Irish culture, this week we are preparing for our Ealu (meaning get-away or Escape) weekend. Staff and students are buzzing with excitement as we plan for our journey to the west of Ireland. We have a weekend of hearty traditional Irish food, surfing, fairy forts and stones, traditional Irish music, beautiful landscape and of course some Irish dancing ahead of us. In true Arcadia style, we will also raise our glasses to the Arcadia Community in Ireland! 

Central to the weekend is the Ceili! In its oldest form of Irish, a Ceili means “a social gathering” which could include traditional dance to Irish music. In our modern era the association of a Ceili with traditional dance has become more closely tied to its meaning. Especially in the rural parts of Ireland, Ceili celebrations are an important part of cultural festivals. This year our students will get to experience their own Ceili and dabble in the art of Irish dance while we are in the countryside.

Come with us on our journey of Éalú and take time to reflect a little. We are halfway through the Semester (believe it or not). There is no better time to step away from your new homes in Galway, Cork, Limerick, Dublin, Kildare and Belfast and take in the fresh air of County Clare. 

Anyone looking for sneak peak of the Ceili experience planned for out Ealu weekend can take a look at our Instagram page to see a video of our past celebrations. Don’t forget to tag us in your adventures with #arcadiaireland to be featured on our Instagram page. Cheers!