Donegal Surf School:Donegal
Surf School is an outdoor sports training and education centre in
Donegal, Ireland. We specialise in surf and watersports coaching and
training. We offer semester and gap-year programmes for students
wishing to become outdoor sports instructors. Our overseas students can
also do internships and study Irish culture while working towards
world-recognised qualification in surf coaching, lifeguarding, ropes
& climbing, kayaking and first aid. Overseas students are welcome
to avail of excellent rates for semesters and gap-year options which
include full accommodation in Ireland plus all equipment required.
Courses / Programs:
Our courses run from 1-week for local and domestic students to semester
and academic year-long courses for overseas students. Our courses focus
on outdoor sports, with particular attention to surfing, lifeguarding
and climbing. Internships and cultural courses are also offered to out
overseas students.
Email: Contact us here Courses / Programs:Our
courses run from 1-week for local and domestic students to semester and
academic year-long courses for overseas students. Our courses focus on
outdoor sports, with particular attention to surfing, lifeguarding and
climbing. Internships and cultural courses are also offered to out
overseas students.
Surf in Ireland? You are kidding me! And isn’t it cold?:No,
not kidding, the west coast of Ireland is the very first landing point
for those Atlantic swells, Ireland has terrific surf conditions, many
many surf beaches and lots of uncrowded waves. The Gulf Stream currents
keep the water between 12-15 degrees all year round: Yes, you need a
wetsuit, but it’s a small price to pay for the cleanest, greenest water
you will ever surf.
I’m a bit older- a college graduate. Can I do this trip?
Yes.
Anyone over the age of 18 is welcome, and there is no age limit or
preference at the top end. If you are doing the surf/sports experience,
you need to be able to swim.
What’s the accommodation like?
You
get your own room in a cottage, sharing the house with one or two other
people. All of the cottages have all mod cons; these cottages have been
given a four star rating by the Irish accommodation approvals board.
There’s a kitchen and living room, TV and video. Your heat and light is
included in the fees. The cottages are two minutes from the centre, and
four minutes from the waterfront, beaches and Main Street.
Adventure Sports Program:
This is a two to ten-week
stay in Ireland. You will live here in the tiny coastal village of
Bundoran, and you will be with other USA, Euro & Irish people.
Four
days a week, from 10am-4pm, we take beginner enthusiasts and we train
them and prepare them to become surf instructors, beach lifeguards, and
outdoor instructors. The training includes work experience with the
groups that come into our busy outdoor centre & surf school every
day. Most days, you will be surfing or climbing or doing something
outdoors- to begin with, you are not expected to be able to surf, and
yes, this is a cool course for someone who likes the idea of learning
how! You do need to be able to swim, but everything else we will teach
you & coach you. We provide all you need- wetsuits, boards, etc…
you need enthusiasm!
This is a fun experience, and if you pass
your assessments, you will have several world-recognised qualifications
which you can add to your resume – you can also go to any beach in the
world and get a job ! It is not a boot camp- we encourage everyone to
do their best, but we do not force anyone past that. Almost everyone
loves the fun of doing these kinds of activities with a group of peers,
and that is what the course is about.
More serious candidates
can train and become level 1 surf coach, RLSS Beach Lifeguard, - we
also do a special course in Child Protection, we do an approved course
in occupational First Aid, we do modules in outdoor leadership &
management, and we do kayaking, climbing & team building
activities. The real aim of this course is to enable people to be
confident working with groups, to enjoy a healthy lifestyle, to enjoy
the beautiful natural landscape of Ireland in the best possible way-
and for many, it is a bit of time out from the academic pressure of
high school, college, …just taking a different path for a while! The
instructors are friendly and fun - patient and very approachable, and
always professional.
The location of these activities is
spectacular. Bundoran is a famous surf town, and there are three main
surf breaks right in the town – the scenery is amazingly beautiful, and
the county of Donegal is steeped in Irish culture & history. Close
by, you have the counties of Sligo, Leitrim & Galway, and this is
the part of Ireland that is famous for its warm welcome and truly
remarkable culture.
To surf, kayak, climb, walk in this area is more than an activity- it is an amazing way to visit Ireland.
Location and Facilities:
Donegal is one of Ireland’s most scenic, beautiful counties. Steeped in
history, many famous characters, past and present are associated with
the county, St Colm Cille , Red Hugh O’ Donnell, William Allingam , The
Four Masters, Brian Friel,- the county is a living museum of culture in
Ireland. Dramatic mountain scenery sweeps down to a rugged Atlantic
coastline of perfect waves, and white sands. This is a county where old
meets new: Peat fires burn in the rural areas, surfers build their
barbeques at the beaches. Gaelic is spoken in many of the Gaeltacht
areas as a first language, but broadband has arrived to make the area
truly multicultural. It is a county which has always been noted for its
welcome: a county that makes the tourist comfortable with the most
modern facilities: but the music, the soft rain, the purple mountains
and the green ocean are still an irresistible lure for those wishing to
visit the real Ireland.
Bundoran is a small surf town, between the cities of Sligo &
Donegal, overlooking the Atlantic. It is a popular seaside destination
with a lively atmosphere. It is a town which offers spectacular
resources: three fantastic surf beaches, a lively music scene, a
multiplex cinema, stores, library, plenty of bars and restaurants &
the most beautiful views in Ireland. Many international visitors travel
to Bundoran to surf, play music or just enjoy its amazing location. It
is a combination of the bohemian, the contemporary and the traditional,
and offers the visitors the best of every world.
Travel to cities of Galway and Dublin is easy and inexpensive, and as
Ireland is a small island, it is possible to visit all corners during
the semester. Ireland is also an excellent gateway point to inexpensive
short breaks to other European cities.
