Dublin
Dublin over the last few years has become on of the “most desirable” cities in Europe – likely because of the great atmosphere. In addition, Dublin is a comparatively safe and comfortable city. It is unique as a national capital by being small enough to find your way around easily. It has a great night life and many restaurants. There’s a well balanced combination of the old and the ultra modern. For example, the old Temple Bar district with its live music and traditional pubs. On the other end of the city, now referred to as the “digital hub”. In this area are many of the famous international companies. Companies such as Google, Facebook, and many other IT and robotics companies have built up their European headquarters here in Dublin.
The people are nice, chatty, and humorous like in the rest of Ireland. There is a good public transport system, or for the more active, bicycles can easily be collected and dropped off at one of the many stations around the city, so it is easy to get around as a visitor. There are plenty of places to see, such as Trinity College, Stephens Green, and its markets, the live music pub scene of Temple Bar, and plenty of cheap eats and events.
Schools:
In Dublin we have 2 centers where different courses will be held. One is in the city of Dublin. The other in Dublin Dun Laoghaire is about 15 minutes by train to the city (please refer to courses and dates).
Dublin City Campus
The school is right in the center of the city. From here you can explore everything around the city right on your doorstep! Courses held here: teacher refresher courses: (ALM) CLIL, English for professionals and university staff, General English
Dublin
Teacher refresher course– for English language teachers and educators
2 weeks intensive course
Target: English teachers, secondary, vocational (teachers further education), university lecturers
Dublin City Campus – Residence Accommodation:
Self catering. Residences have kitchens, you cook yourself or go out to restaurants
There is a supermarket and restaurants nearby.
Dublin Residence: What wasn’t possible for many years because Dublin is small and living space is very scarce and expensive – we finally have new accommodation in Dublin city this year! (Images: residential example of the Host Point Campus residence, Dublin City.
Commonroom
Fitness Studio – most residences have a Fitness Studio or room either free of charge, or for a fee.
Roof terrace
Dublin Residence rooms are compact, but with shower/Toilet, Bed, shelves and a writing desk
Photos above: Housing example: Host Point Campus, Dublin City. This student residence is new and a very nice option! If you always find “modern” to be a bit cold – our Dublin residences are not – they are designed in a special way to be cozy and homely. Student residences are of course still student residences, but of the highest standard in their accommodation class. Host Point has a fitness studio, several lounges, cinema, launderette, you will have a single room with bathroom and desk. This residence is about 10-20 minutes by bus from the inner city and 20-30 minutes from the school. Buses and trains are in the immediate vicinity or bicycles can be rented everywhere in Dublin City.
Most other residences are of similar distances, but some are further away.
Single rooms in Dublin are generally small but bright in all residences, with private bathrooms, high speed internet connection, desks.Common rooms are spacious, modern kitchen, comfortable living and dining area (for self-catering).
Other residences in Dublin are also located 1-5 km from the school and can be reached on foot or by public transport in around 10 – 35 minutes.
Host Family Accommodation in Dublin city:
Please see information on host families below. Most of the host family accommodation for the Dublin city campus is between 30-60 minutes traveling distance from the school. For Dublin city we therefore recommend the residence accommodation. If you would like a host family closer to your school, we
recommend choosing a course in Dublin Dun Laoghaire, Cork, or Galway, where the host families are much closer.
Dublin Dun Laoghaire Campus
Dun Laoghaire offers the ideal balance of vibrant capital and the unspoilt countryside without having to miss out on good infrastructure at your doorstep.
In the area you can also go horse riding, golfing, or enjoy the spectacular countryside. The villages and towns offer a wide selection of shops, malls, restaurants, pubs, and evening entertainment with music, theatre, and cinemas.
Host Families in Ireland:
Host family accommodation is available with all our courses. We highly recommend host family accommodation in Ireland.Living with an Irish family provides students with an opportunity to practise their English skills, to meet ordinary Irish people, to share their way of life, and to immerse into their culture.
Our families are carefully chosen for heir friendliness, hospitality, and interest in their foreign visitors. Standard Host Family Accommodation: Single room with a shared family bathroom. Breakfast & evening meal Monday to Friday. Most host families will provide full board Saturday & Sunday
Options: En suite host family Accommodation: With some host families we can provide a single or double room with a private bathroom en suite.
people even in the large cities like Dublin live in a house and fewer in apartments so there will be plenty of space. Some of the houses are very new and some are traditional and older. Host families provide a comfortable home away from home.
• As an adult, you need not worry that you will be imposing on or live as part of the family. You are still a guest and you can come and go as you like as long as you let the host know if you are going to be there for dinner or not. The Irish are easy-going by tradition and they make you feel at home without imposing on your either.
• The cooking? The Irish cook very well indeed! They eat loads of vegetables, nice breads, and spreads. The country has excellent quality meat and fish – so much that even the French buy from them! And the Irish breakfast? You will love it!
Catering for Special Diets: In all cities we have host families catering for special diets such as for diabetes, gluten or lactose intolerance, vegetarian or vegan. For some of the special diets, there might be an additional fee. Options are subject to availability so book early!
Galway
Galway is a small and quaint city known as the capital of music and art in Ireland. Throughout the year, in particular in the spring and summer, there are music and art festivals, theatre performances, and live music. Galway, in that respect, is the cultural hub of Ireland. It is here where you can meet the locals, go to an Irish pub, listen to Irish music all year round, or go to a festival and enjoy a nice meal in one of their many low-cost restaurants with your newly found friends from the course.
Accommodation available in Galway: Host family and residence
The nice thing about Galway is that you are not far from the loveliest countryside and beaches of Ireland. You can explore renting your own car, join a tour, or hire a bike to explore the city, beaches, and lovely countryside. If you are into sports, there is swimming, fitness, golf, kayaking, horse riding, tennis, cycling, and walking. You can take the train to Westport or go on an excursion to the cliffs of Moher,
Achill Island, Aaran Island, or simply take a stroll along the shopping streets buying a lucky charm, the famous irish leprechaun, or just a leisurely cup of coffee in one of the tastefully done-up coffee houses.
There are several activities offered by the college as well such as going out at night together or on excursions, cycling and walking tours, and festivals to make friends.
There will always be a lot to do in Galway! You may find that 2 weeks will be too short!
Residence Accommodation Galway:
The residence is located in Galway, close to the city centre and school. Students have their own single room and share other facilities such as living room, kitchen, and bathroom (limited en suite rooms available so please book early). The accommodation is self-catering. You have a fully equipped kitchen and supermarkets nearby. Internet access is available in most apartments and there is full internet access in the school.
Travel distance to school: Approximately 15-20 minutes on foot. Pictures: Galway residence.
Host Family Accommodation Galway: Please see the information above. Traveling distance Galway school/city to host family: approximately 5-20 minutes walking or a short bus ride. We highly recommend staying with host families in Galway.
Luxury Apartments: In Galway we also offer studio and luxury apartments. If you would like to stay in style and have your own apartment, please contact us for a quote.
Cork
Cork is the second largest city in Ireland, a bit more relaxed ta Dublin, somewhat more traditional, and very attractive. The infrastructure, itself, however, is just about as big as Dublin – comparing the shopping streets, markets, night-life, live music and art festivals. Cork is more of a big student town due to its many universities.
Education, therefore, has been a priority and a tradition in Cork for a long time. Our cooperation language school has been right in the city of Cork ifor over 20 years and offers an excellent quality of courses and teacher seminars with highly experienced staff.
Another nice thing about Cork as a large city, is that the inner city is small enough to walk from one end to another. Nothing is really far away in Cork. If you don’t like walking, there is a good public transport system with buses to just about everywhere including the countryside and some of the best beaches in the
south such as Hop Island. www.hopisland.com.
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The school building is right in the city centre. The accommodation and host families are not far away.
You can walk or take a short bus ride from the city.
Art and Culture
Cork is also a major city for art, theatre, dance, music, film, and visual arts. Please see the websites below for more information on the upcoming events.
www.museum.ie
www.irish-architecture.com
www.everymanpalace.com
www.corkoperahouse.ie
Accommodation available in Cork: Student Residence for host family
Student Residence
We have several student apartments in Cork. They are large apartments with 3-7 bedrooms. Some student residences are like a student boarding house. In all residences, students have a single room (double room kitchen available on request). Most have en suite bathrooms. Students share the living room with TV, kitchen facilities for self catering, internet, coin operated washing machines, and dryers. The apartments are basic but very comfortable and brightly furnished.
Pictures: Student apartment example – Copley Court.
Distance to school: 10-20 minutes
(pictures)
Host family accommodation in Cork:
We highly recommend the host family accommodation in Cork! Every year we get excellent feedback from participants who stayed in Irish host families in Cork. Airport pick-up from Cork airport is included in the price if you choose host family accommodation. Please see more information on host families above. Host families in Cork distance from school: approximately 5-30 minutes walking or a short bus ride.
Donegal
Donegal is located on the beautiful west coast of Ireland. It is a popular holiday destination for the Irish. There are lonely beaches to swim or surf in the summer. Even in midsummer you can still find a quiet spot… Donegal is about 20 minutes north of Sligo, a quaint, typically Irish town with a lot of history, tradition and life music.
Donegal is a little insider tip in Ireland! A beautiful environment with lots to do and see, with good infrastructure such as restaurants, cafes, pubs with live music and Irish culture, great beaches and nature and – pure Ireland!
What only a few insiders know: The north-west coast of Ireland is ideal for surfing. This place is THE surfing place in Ireland! Thanks to its gently sloping, huge sandy beach, both surfing (wave riding) and kite surfing are possible here.
But also for the “unsporty”: The place is located in Ireland’s beautiful and mystical surroundings by the sea, perfect for relaxation, perfect to recharge your “inner batteries”… but also to refresh, learn and improve your English.
The following courses are offered:
- GEN Englisch History & Irish Culture – Workshops Arts and Crafts
- GEN English & Surfing
The following courses are offered:
Donegal also means: unwind…go for a walk by the sea…swim, hike, relax – improve your English and get to know nice people!
Also possible: hiking, horse riding
Course participants have the choice between various residences and homestay accommodation.
Photo: historical residence, living example “Old Farmhouse” with beautifully furnished rooms and a homely atmosphere. After renovations last year, the owners lovingly call it “Casa del Mar” (because it’s blue, the decor is like a beach house and it’s by the sea… and it’s beautiful!) Limited availability. Please book early!
Residence accommodation Donegal:
Accommodation in Donegal is in beautiful residences in the Old Farmhouse (pictures above) or other similar houses, in cozy – if smaller single rooms or more spacious 2-3 bed rooms. Double room for couples. Rooms have a plasma TV, ensuite bathroom. A shared kitchen for cooking yourself is available. Set meals are also available. The prices on our website include full board. And it’s worth it! The Irish cook well, healthy and with lots of variety!
The residences have comfortable loungerooms, free internet, outdoor areas with a garden or terrace, and parking. School and town are within walking distance from the accommodation.
Another nice accommodation is the Zephyr Lodge:
Housing example below: Zephyr Lodge
Accommodation includes full board, breakfast, lunch (usually sandwiches) and dinner. If desired, a stay without meals is possible. Residences with self-catering kitchens are available. Supermarkets are nearby.
Accommodation in a host family: Host families usually live in typical Irish houses close to the school. Most are within walking distance, other hosts drive participants to the school. Living with an Irish host has many advantages: you learn more about the country’s culture and can „chat“ and practice „learning to speak“ in the evenings and weekends. The Irish cook well, tasty and plentiful and are talkative.
You will get a lot of local stories as well as the actual culture of the country. We make sure that we recommend families who are comfortably furnished and are also interested in hosting participants and getting to know new cultures themselves. The Irish are very open and hospitable. However, if it doesn’t work out with the family, you can change on site.
Important Information:
Arrival on Sundays, departure on Saturday or Sunday. Group airport transfers only on Sundays. Intensive English and Business English are available all year round. English and surfing in spring, summer and autumn (not in winter)
What else is possible in Donegal:
Young learners english courses in the summers holidays teenagers aged 12-17:
English and surfing and English and horse riding
In Dongal we have been offering rated English programms for teenagers for over 30 years! English and surfing and English and horse riding are the main activities.
We also cater for groups: Language courses for your own school students are possible. Erasmus projects for your students
Holiday houses: We also rent out holiday houses in town. This way you can combine your teacher course with a family trip and rent a holiday home instead of the residences or host families.
Because the holiday homes are quite expensive, it’s worth it for groups of 4 or more people. But in this way, people who are not taking an English course can also take part.
Photo: Lessons for young people in front of the school building
Kerry
The school in Kerry has been going for over 25 years. What started as a small, local community project in cooperation with the local high school is now one of the most efficient, diverse, and holistic method of English language learning world-wide! The school is family run by Colm and Adi who have vast experience travelling and teaching and teacher training.
Courses:
- Modern Irish culture
- General English
new in 2020:
- Teaching Environmental Issues – Future on Earth –
They have build a brand new school: a retro-fitted eco-building complete with community garden, hedge school, and yoga and meditation space in the centre of town. The school is a member of MEI-RELSA and is recognised by ACELS – a service of quality and qualifications in Ireland – for English language education. Course directors Colm and Adi have taught thousands of students in Ireland and Italy, teaching English, NLP, Teacher Train the trainer courses, Yoga, as well as building up social work projects in India.
Colm and Adi give their personal guarantee, that yo will feel welcome and at home for the duration of your visit.
History of the town: St. Brendan the Navigator – St. Brendan is reputed to have crossed the Atlantic Ocean from here to America in the 6th century, in search of the Garden of Eden. He discovered that great continent long before Christopher Columbus earned his place in the history books. St Brendan lived from about 484 to about 577 AD, and was one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland.
source:: www.kerrydarksky.com
The school’s mission in Kerry is to provide a happy, healthy environment where both adults and younger learners can develop their language skills. The integral and transpersonal classroom and extra-curricular activities with carefully selected host families and teachers provide an enjoyable, friendly, and relaxing environment for the language learner.
And all this in the most beautiful setting: an authentic, vibrant, friendly Irish town surrounded by mountains and sea (check out the „Dingle Bay“ area on google maps). It is blessed with stunningly beautiful scenery and a strong tradition of live music, Irish dancing, Gaelic sports, and local heritage.
other sports and leisure activities you can do in the area: cycling, Surfing, horseriding, swimming, golf, tracking, yoga.
Check further information about the area: www.kerrydarksky.com
Wild Atlantic Way: www.wildatlanticway.com
www.gokerry.ie/locations/skellig-coast-region
Host Family Accommodation is highly recommended if you choose a course at this school!
Great families, tidy homes, good food, life and let life attitude…
Distance from school: most of the host family accommodation are 5-20 minutes walk from school. There is a shuttle bus bringing students from the further host families to school and back.
Self-catering accommodation is limited and not always in walking distance to the school. We recommend, that you either hire a car or come with your own vehicle if you are choosing this type of accommodation!
Courses held in Kerry:
1. Modern Irish Culture for Teachers
2. General English for Educators
3. Teaching Environmental Issues, Environmental EU Projects in schools and universities, preparing your students for an environmentally friendly future, what to do now to save the planet, improving your English.
Please refer to course description.
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