Once you've arrived in Dingle Town you'll feel it: this isn't your average study abroad encounter.  The SHU in Ireland program is about the community.  Experiencing céilís (impromptu Irish musical sessions)...Participating in Celtic festival celebrations...Visiting archaeological sites...Engaging in storytelling, traditional music and singing, and set dancing...Speaking Irish (and English) with the locals.  As one SHU in Ireland student puts it, “When you talk to other visiting students in places like Galway and Dublin...who haven't heard any Irish, know few Irish natives, and rarely hear a traditional music session…you realize how lucky you are to be in Dingle and completely immersed in the culture.  You become part of the life here."

Everything about the experience is set up to make students feel at home – to give them fascinating options (both activities and excursions), as well as to educate and entertain.  In class you'll learn first-hand about Irish music, then later see your professor perform at a local pub and even join in with classmates, singing in Irish.  You'll be invited on trips to the Great Blasket Islands and the Ring of Kerry go on overnight excursions including a weekend in Galway and a three-day trip to Dublin and Belfast.  And you'll be thrilled by a never-ending array of leisure pursuits: horseback riding, kayaking, golf, cinema, sailing, hill climbing, windsurfing, and even swimming with dolphins, just to name just a few.

Of course, some days, you may just want to follow the advice of the road signs here: “Tóg Bog É” – and just “Slow down.”  You can breathe in the fresh air, survey the beauty of the scene, and relax over some great Irish literature.  It's all doable here in Dingle: the perfect home base.

Click here for answers to "Frequently Asked Questions" about the SHU in Ireland semester abroad.