Courses
Below you will get an idea of what it is like to spend a day on one of our week-long courses
Morning
Gaelturas’s course structures are based mostly on conversational Irish. Class sizes are limited to a maximum of 12 to allow students as much contact time as possible with our language mentors. Our mentors are trained educationalists who are steeped in the local language and traditions. The Irish language element of the course is delivered over three levels, basic, medium and higher. The majority of the beginner and medium level classes are conversational while higher level classes would be a mixture of advanced level conversation and written grammar and literature units.
Early Afternoon
In the early afternoon learners will have the opportunity to continue with language classes or to take part in a range of additional classes including, set dancing, sean-nós singing, story-telling or music classes. These classes will be conducted bilingually with an emphasis on learning the given subject while continuing to learn Irish in a practical environment.
Afternoon (3-6pm)
The afternoons on a Gaelturas holiday are all about getting outdoors and experiencing the wonderful natural beauty of this part of Donegal. Each afternoon we will take learners to some of the lesser-visited areas to discover the history, nature and culture of this beautiful place. We will take you on nature walks around the coastline and beaches, we will take trips to the beautiful islands of Gola, Inis Bó Finne and Inis Meáin and learn how people existed for thousands of years in this wild Atlantic environment, and we will take walks on beautiful mountain paths and learn the history, and mythology of the entire area. These activities are guided by local people who will tell you the story of Gaoth Dobhair in both Irish and English. Click here for more information on our outdoor activities.
Evenings
The social element to our courses is very important. Learners get the chance to meet mentors, local people and of course each other in a very informal environment to practice their Irish and relax. There is lots of social entertainment in Gaoth Dobhair during the summer with most activity centred around the famous Teach Hiudaí Beag located in An Bun Beag. Here you will find a friendly staff who will be patient with learner’s of Irish and local people who are we used to conversing with holiday makers in their native tongue. Traditional music sessions are held frequently during the summer along with concerts and ceilidhe.