• Hello Garry,
  Just a brief note to thank you for looking after "our wee Kelsey" while she was in Ireland. Kelsey loved her "Irish Experience". - the accommodations were great, the food was very good, the teachers were excellent and she made some very nice friends. All in all, a great experience, and one that we would recommend to our family and friends.
  - Christine Hamilton
• Dear Garry,
  We would like to thank you so much for Sara’s wonderful “Irish Experience.” She had a fabulous time, and just fell in love with Ireland. She enjoyed the gr. 11 English course and said all the teachers were terrific. She loved every minute of her trip. We greatly appreciate the effort that you and your staff put into this excellent program
  - Heather & Rob Stonehouse
• Hi Garry:
  Just a quick note to thank you for the incredible experience that Dalyn has had in Ireland this past month. She is so full of stories, I can hardly wait to hear them all, she wants to go back already. My son is now
  trying to save up money to be able to go next. Fantastic experience all around!!!
  - Cheryl Stevenson
• We just wanted to thank you for organizing such a wonderful trip. Annie has been bubbling with stories for the past week and only has positive things to say about the whole experience.
  Thank you, also, for taking such good care of our daughter. We knew she was in good hands.
  - The Costellos
• We wanted to let you know that Jill's trip to Ireland was very positive. She raved about all the teachers and I hope you will pass along our appreciation. Hopefully they too enjoyed their time, but we realize that it also was a tremendous amount of work and responsibility. Jill made some lasting friendships and gained considerable confidence - the travel bug has definitely bitten, but future destinations will have a lot to live up to. She thought that Ireland was beautiful. Thank you again for making the opportunity available to students.
  - Jean and Bruce Knight, London
• Dear Irish Experience Team (Garry, Donna, Angela, Brendan, Valerie and Sandy),
  Thank you so much for providing such a wonderful experience for Marley. She had the time of her life. She said she worked really hard but also saw so many amazing sights and made many new wonderful friends. We appreciate the guidance, teaching and warmth shown to these young people. It definitely was the trip of a lifetime! Marley is looking forward to the reunion in the fall. Thanks for everything!
  - Cam and Leslie McKay, Wasaga Beach
  

Student Comments

• Hi Garry,
  The most exciting experience I've ever had. Truly, it was the best time of my life. I was kind of nervous at the start but I think everyone was. By the end, I had made so many new friends from across the continent. The classes were actually enjoyable and I rarely enjoy English. Once again, thank you for a wonderful trip that I will never forget.
  Harley Thwaites, Vancouver
• The accommodations and food were amazing. I had a great time.
  Cara Brereton, Mississauga
• It was an amazing experience living away from home for a month and sharing with friends.
  Anja Price, Mississauga
• The last month was one of the best times of my life
  - Joel Brown, Ottawa
• The Gaelic Football Game, The Kinsale Arts Festival, The Macnas Parade in Galway. I basically loved it all.
  - Marley McKay, Collingwood
• My favourite trip was to Kinsale. I really loved the town and the ocean
  Kate Clark, London
• I would recommend this trip to anyone.
  Gill Kivell, Mississauga
• I have never had better teachers. I learned more in the month than I would in a semester in school.
  - Erin Humes, Mississauga
• Kinsale, the Cliffs of Moher, the ocean, the people, the freedom. In fact, the whole trip.
  - Erin Johnson, Effingham, Illinois
• Kinsale, Cork and Galway are so beautiful. I met so many nice people and made great friends.
  - Dalyn Stevenson, Hanna, Alberta
• T’WAS AWESOME!!!!
  - Jennifer Sailes, Richmond Hill
• I wouldn’t change anything about this trip. It was perfect.
  - Julie McKinnon, Allen Texas
  

• All the trips were great, especially the mountains in West Cork
  Elaine Burke, Mississauga
• Cork was beautiful. Cycling on the Aran Islands was great fun.
  Alan Hay, Ottawa
• Meeting the best people the world has ever seen, really great trips.
  Bella Defesche, Austin, TX
• Most friends I’ve made on one trip, great teachers, best month of my life
  Chris Boomhour, Mississauga
• Galway was fabulous, but Cork was definitely the best. Great Excusions.
  Julia Greig, Toronto and Sean Abraham, Mississauga.
• Gaelic Football game was one of the highlights. I had a wonderful time and wouldn’t change a minute of it.
  Monique De Pace, London, ON
• The only way to make this program better is to make it longer
  Danyse Golick, Toronto
• Really hip teachers!!
  AJ Crammond, Mississauga
• The rooms in Cork and Galway, the trip to Kinsale, the concert, the play, the beach, the outdoor ceilidh (irish dancing) the Cork campus, the shopping. Everything was fantastic.
  Sydney Gautreau, Toronto
• The Festival Parade in Galway and the Aran Islands were amazing!
  Amy Parks, Calgary
• Playing football at the fort in Kinsale was one of my highlights.
  Nick Smith, Mississauga
• Everything about this trip was awesome.
  Mena James, Pleasant View, Tennessee.
• Climbing Bray Head, Concert in Kinsale, Making new friends, Seeing The Hairy Ape, everything was great.
  David Brayley, Toronto.
• Going to Blarney, the Galway Arts Festival, the Cliffs of Moher, the Aran Islands, everything was amazing
  Melissa Latter, Ottawa
• The ice cream!!!! Swimming in Kinsale, the Cuban music concert, walking the boardwalks in Bray, meeting the locals,
  Jessica Munshaw, Holland Landing, ON
• Hi Garry - Just wished to extend a formal thank you for Mauri's wonderful trip. It was Mauri's first experience overseas and frankly her first "independent" travel of any degree. She enjoyed herself immensely and returned greatly expanded as a young person. Mauri had many very favourable comments particularly for the teachers and their interest, enthusiasm and personal guidance. Well done. Thanks for bringing her home safely.
  Best regards
  Thomas Brethour, parent of Mauri

• Everything about the program was fantastic
  Amanda Capasso
• the best month of my life
  Ashley Graziano
• the trips, the accommodation, the classes – all great
  David Balawan
• My teacher was brilliant. I actually enjoyed classes
  Keilanii Etzkorn
• Dublin and Galway were great, but Cork was amazing. The people are so friendly and there is so much to do
  Cameron Kearney-McManus
• The Hurling game in Cork was spectacular
  Cameron Hickling
• The open air concert in Kinsale was one of the highlights of this amazing trip
  Amanda Capasso

• I came here alone, but now I’m leaving with lots of new friends.
  Natalie Bosc 
• Garry, Thanks for such an amazing experience. I will never forget it. You Rock!!.
  Eleni Papadakis
• Best summer I ever had; Ireland is amazing.
  Nikki Kennedy
• Garry, thanks so much for this amazing experience. You made it so much fun,
  Lily Solomon-Harris
• Garry,
  Please keep these programs going because it is an amazing opportunity and I know that I will miss Ireland and all my new friends so much.
  Laura Huggard
• Thanks for an awesome time, Garry. I really enjoyed golfing with you.
  Brent Guit
• An experience of extreme awesomeness.
  Allana Scott
• Ireland rox; I had so much fun and I can’t wait to come back.
  Rachel Dyck
• Thanks for an awesome time in Cork.
  Regam McDonnell.
• Everything was absolutely awesome. I probably learned way more that I would in a whole year.
  Meghan Stuart
• The combination of work and play was perfectly balanced and even going to class was fun. Mr. O’Reilly was a really good teacher.
  Bronwyn Kelly
• The program helped me to open up and be more independent. The teachers were amazing and the trips and activities were awesome.
  Aimee Faith 
• I don’t want to go home!!!
  Candace Westman
• My teachers made the classes a terrific unique experience
  Sarah Lahey
• I loved all the daytrips. Swimming in Kinsale was the best!!
  Laura Hynes
• Kissing the Blarney Stone, the Arran Islands, the weekend trips, the nightlife
  Sophie Golets
• The accommodation in Cork was amazing
  Chris Mudie
• The teachers are so cool and we love all of you.
  Andrea Harquail
• I enjoyed the excursions the most especially the Blarney Stone and the jail. I also liked how the literature was integrated into the program.
  Holly McGill
• Mr. Doyle, thanks for making the lessons so interesting.
  Chris Mitchell
• Kissing the Blarney Stone, seeing the Book of Kells, the residences in Cork, Mr Doyle – the best teacher I have ever had.
  Laura O’Marra

Dear Garry:
Tim and I just wanted to email you to say a big thank you for giving our daughter Holly such a wonderful Ireland experience! She is in love with Ireland but she especially fell for Cork and its citizens. We also want to thank you for arranging some horseback riding for her – she said it was “brilliant” being able to horseback ride and see Blarney Castle in the distance!
Thanks again for everything and we hope our paths cross again!
Sincerely,
Kathleen and Tim McGill

• The absolute best experience of my life. I wish I could do it all again.
  Danielle Barbuzzi
• The Kila concert at Charles Fort in Kinsale was a true celtic learning experience.
  Ciara O
• Everything was great; the trips, residence, my teacher, Ms. Connors. Best experience of my life
  Scott Biggar
• Greatest summer of my life. Ms. Connors is the best teacher ever
  Tong-Tong Shao
• Excellent excursions, especially, Blarney Castle, Killarney, the Hurling game. Even going to class was fun.
  Heather Hawks
• Having such a good teacher (Ms. Sacchetti) made the course so enjoyable. Everything was great.
  Emily Marsh
• The views on the trip to West Cork and Killarney were so incredible that I had to keep reminding myself that this is real.
  Gina Baran
• This whole month has been a life-changing experience. I wish it would never end.
  Ivy Buttigieg 
• A great opportunity to have freedom with responsibility.
  Brittanie Sweetnam
• The best experience of my life. I wouldn’t change a thing.
  Lauren Carpman
• Ireland was awesome
  Jishelle Chakkalackal
• The whole trip was amazing. It gave me a chance to discover more about myself and make so many new friends. I would recommend this trip to everyone.
  Bryana Gleeson
• Pretty much the best month of my life
  Craig Knight 
• A heartfelt thank you on behalf of my husband and I for the amazing experience you helped provide for our Maryanne this summer. She had a wonderful time.
  On the downside (for me anyway), she is considering going back to Ireland for university. If she does it will be part due to the positive experience she had with you.
  Heather and Paul Sheehy, parents of Maryanne, 
• Hi Garry
  I have not yet had the opportunity to thank you for organizing the Ireland trip. My daughter had a wonderful time. Laura was very impressed with Mr. Doyle's teaching style and as a result she did very well. It was definitely a worthwhile experience for her. I plan on sending my son Kenneth this summer.
  Joan Tschernow, mother of Laura,

• Seamus attended your program last summer (2004) and enjoyed every single part of it, especially the friendships he made.
  Patti M.
• I wanted to thank you for a great program. Our son has nothing but praise for the course. He worked hard but played hard. He described the experience, including the course and his travels around Ireland as very interesting, productive and rewarding. He came back a young man, and is enthusiastic about the future. Thank you.
  Susan F.
• I absolutely LOVED my summer in Cork. I was just reading through my journal from that summer... :-) it was so much fun. I'll never forget it!
  Cyndi T.