Irish Gap Year Student Housing
Irish Programs: Portbeg
Students on our Gap Year programs in Ireland will be living in the Portbeg Homes. The homes are located on the West End of Bundoran, just 1.8 kilometres from downtown Bundoran and 1.4 kilometres from Bundrowes House. The Houses are adjacent to a paved sea-cliff walk that takes you directly into the downtown area of Bundoran.
The houses are finished to a high specification and contains all of the modern conveniences that you would expect to find in a family home such as washer/drier, wi-fi, a full kitchen and en-suite bathrooms.
Most of our student houses at Portbeg are duplexes, each containing four bedrooms, three bathrooms, a living room, a large kitchen and dining area and a lovely garden area with mountain views. The houses are less than a two minute from the Atlantic and wonderful walkways along the coast.
Irish Gap Year Hub: Bundrowes House
Students on Irish Gap Year programs are warmly welcomed to Bundrowes House, a 19th Century sea-side estate with unparalleled panoramic views of Donegal Bay and the surrounding country-side.
Bundrowes House is home to Irish Gap Year’s Art Studio and acts as a hub for workshops, events, movie nights and large group meals.
Bundrowes is set on 3 acres of pristine coastal land and is located on its own small island on the banks of the Drowes River, which borders counties Donegal and Leitrim. The house is located just 1.5 miles from the vibrant town of Bundoran in Southwest County Donegal.
Here, students have ample space to explore, socialise and reflect in private.
Bundrowes contains everything you would hope to find in an noble Irish country house including high lofted ceilings, wood burning stoves, large bay windows and horses in the adjacent fields.
Bundrowes is a home away from home and our students have plenty of room to relax in front of the wood burning stove, make art in their free time or whip something up in the kitchen.
History of Bundrowes House
Bundrowes House was built in the 1890’s by the aristocratic Hamilton family as a country house and hunting lodge.
In the front garden of the house lay the remains of Bundrowes Castle, which is believed to have been built in the year 1420. The castle was built on the ford of the Drowes River and was a strategic entrance to the ancient province of Ulster. The O’Connor Clan of Connacht, the O’Donnell Clan of Donegal and the O’Connor Clan of Leitrim fought many battles here in ancient times due to the strategic location. As such, the area immediately surrounding Bundrowes is rich in archaeology and is protected.
European Programs: Student Housing
Students on our European Gap Year program will be staying in a combination of country homes, self-catering guesthouses and high-end hostels.
Accommodation on our European programs is centrally located, chic and vetted by Irish Gap Year for safety and quality. Most of our accommodation will have wi-fi and laundry facilities.
One of the pleasures of traveling in Europe is learning about the rich history of the buildings and architectural heritage. Many of the places that you will call home throughout our European programs are repurposed, older building that have been through several lives over the years. For example, in Amsterdam we will be staying in a hostel that was originally a Victorian Library, in Norway we will be staying in a traditional Norwegian Farmhouse from the 1840’s and in Italy we will be staying in a 19th Century Villa turned artists retreat.
Supervision of Student Housing
Students on all Irish Gap Year programs have the 24/7 support of our team and may call on us at any time in case of an emergency.
On our Irish Programs, students live together in the student housing without Program Leaders. The majority of the Irish Gap Year team lives within 2 miles of the student housing making this a safe and supportive set-up that promotes independence while offering peace of mind to students and parents.
On our European Program, Irish Gap Year Program Leaders are travelling and staying on-site with our gappers throughout the program.
