Activities
Learning Irish is fun at Coláiste UISCE. Come and learn in our outdoor classroom. We are Ireland’s number one Gaeltacht with adventure sports. Our innovative approach to teaching our water sports through the medium of the language coupled with interactive classes results in students returning home with a new found ‘Grá’ for the language.
Learning Irish is fun!
Surfing, windsurfing, kayaking and sailing are just some of the fun sports we have to offer at UISCE. Students will spend half their day learning Irish through adventure activities on land and on the water and the other half in the classroom with fully qualified Irish teachers. Because of our low student teacher ratio each individual gets the attention he/she needs to excel at sport and at Irish.
Sailing
The shelter of Elly Bay is the perfect location to learn how to sail. Our sailing instructors are accredited by Irish Sailing. We offer all levels of training on the water and follow the syllabi of Irish Sailing and adhere to their high safety and teaching standards.
Returning students may build on skills they learned the previous year and get their log books stamped by our senior instructor.
We use open boats here at UISCE which ensure quick progression in sailing. These are readily available in centres throughout Ireland so students can practise what they learned here at home.
Catamaran Sailing
Our Catamarans, the Dart 16 and the Hobie Cat, offer fast, exciting sailing for you while you fly through the water of Elly Bay on one hull and reach exhilarating speeds. As part of the course students will be taken on trips around the bay.
Windsurfing
Windsurfing is one of our most popular sports at UISCE. Beginners can take advantage of sheltered Monaghan’s Cove until they feel confident enough to sail in the adjacent Elly Bay. The bay’s horseshoe shape makes it ideal to sail in whatever the wind direction. On the other side of the peninsula, minutes from UISCE, there are perfect conditions to attract advanced windsurfers. The rolling waves of the Atlantic and consistent winds have attracted competitors throughout Ireland for the final of the National Wavesailing Championships.
This exciting sport combines the best features of surfing and sailing into one sport. It allows you the freedom to perform inverted loops, spinning manoeuvres and jumps that no sailing craft can allow.
Surfing
Elly Beach is one of Ireland’s best loved surf spots. Located minutes from the centre this beach offers students the perfect surfing conditions for beginners during the summer months and big swells for seasoned pros from September until April.
Students really enjoy the thrill of thrashing around in the wild Atlantic and mastering this sport. The surfing culture has grown extensively in Ireland and it seems that everyone, young and old, wants to be a part of it.
We offer a surf specific skills course at the end of August. Students get to explore other surf spots on the peninsula and finally get to surf that all important green wave.
Climbing Wall
If we experience adverse weather conditions there is always something exciting to do at the coláiste. UISCE boasts an indoor climbing wall which is a popular activity to shelter students from the rain, wind and cold. With little tuition from our instructors, students can traverse our coloured routes (beginner to intermediate) with ease. After an introduction to the safety equipment, ropes, karabiners, harnesses and helmets, students advance up the wall on routes both basic and challenging. Our experienced instructors have a collection of games and challenges to improve techniques and sustain a high level of competition.
Indoor Archery Centre
Archery is a fantastic sport for all ages and abilities. In UISCE we offer both outdoor and indoor archery. Our skilled instructors have games and competitions to entertain shooters as well as to develop skills.
Other Activities
At UISCE we like to emphasise the importance of team building and communication amongst students. We have a huge portfolio of activities which the students thoroughly enjoy:
Orienteering
Basketball
Football
Tag Rugby
Guided Walks
Uas Fhriosbaí – Ultimate Frisbee
Treasure Hunts