About high school in Ireland

As an exchange student in Ireland, you will experience Irish high school life. The education system has a strong reputation and attracts a large number of foreign students every year. As an exchange student, you will most likely be enrolled in a Transition Year.

Transition Year

The Transition Year is the first year of the “Senior Cycle” in Irish high schools. This year is usually not as demanding as the other years, which suits exchange students well. Since the classes are not too demanding, it leaves time for discovery and extracurricular activities.

Your spare time in Ireland

This depends on the location of your host family home on exchange. You may, enjoy live games of hurling in the bustling city of Limerick, visit the beautiful lakes of Killarney or watch the big wave surfers in Mullaghmore. One thing that is certain is that you will have lots to do and discover as an exchange student here.

Sports & music

The Irish high schools usually do not offer any extra-curricular activities such as sports. If you play a sport, we highly recommend you contact local sports clubs on arrival. Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) is huge in Ireland, where hurling and Gaelic football are the two dominant sports. Why not contact your local GAA club to try it? It is a fantastic way to immerse into the Irish culture and to meet the locals.

Art and music are usually classes you can take in school. Playing an instrument is common among the Irish youths and students are encouraged to join in. If you do not play any instruments, take the opportunity to learn how to play, for instance, piano, violin or bodhrán, an Irish frame drum.

Staying with an Irish host family

In Ireland, the family is a huge part of the culture. Your host family will not see you as a guest, but as a part of their family. When staying with an Irish family, you will experience the Irish culture and the family life up close. The families here are often large and love spending time together. Make sure you join all your host family’s different activities, especially at the beginning of your exchange. They highly appreciate you showing interest in them and their way of life.

You and your host family will also get to know each other over several Irish stews and boxties, which are typical Irish potato pancakes. You will also experience Irish holidays such as St. Patrick’s Day or “Lá Fhéile Pádraig” as it is called in Irish. It is a unique holiday and celebration you will never forget.

Howya! Tá Gaeilge agat?

Your host family in Ireland will speak English, but a large part of the population speaks Irish as well. Some good Irish words to know are “howya” (hello), “tá Gaeilge agat?” (do you speak Irish?),”sláinte” (cheers), “the jacks” (toilet), and “gas” (funny)”.