Dunmore East Summer School (Ages 11-17)

 “The Dunmore East School summer camp was recommended to me by a parent overseas, during a discussion of programs abroad in which children could experience a real full immersion in English during the summer. This particular mother said that her child had attended this program, and that it had accomplished exactly that. When I looked into it, I was pleased to find some very appealing aspects of it. To begin with, it takes place in a picturesque village in Ireland, and is surrounded by the type of coastline scenery for which that country is famous: the wide expanses of emerald green grass, traditional thatched roof cottages and typical pubs, fishing boats, a lighthouse, ruins of ancient buildings, and a rocky shoreline with beaches and coves. It is a perfect destination for children and teens for the fact that it small, safe, and as a holiday destination, filled with things to do over the summer. Dunmore East English School is small and offers only 36 places on this program, guaranteeing a high level of attention to its campers. In addition to the English course, the program is packed with activities that are typical of the area, like horse riding in the open and water sports. The accommodation is with local families, and the absence of other language schools in the area ensures that the families work only with this one and are personally known to the owner. Additionally, families living in Irish holiday destinations very often offer their homes also to tourists, and are accustomed to giving very kind, friendly and hospitable service to persons staying with them. The camp also integrates local Irish children in its activities, giving the foreign participants the opportunity to dialogue with native speakers their own age and make friendships that will continue even after they have gone home. Then, in terms of program quality, it also was recommended to me by agents in other countries whose clients had returned happy from there. For my own clients in Italy, by far the biggest advantage I have found with this program is that it does not accept large groups of participants (and with its small number of places, would not have space for them anyway) rendering it of little interest to large agencies who, as a business model, flood summer programs in Ireland with Italian children, as I have found on every other program I have seen in that country. Parents who book their children on this one can be assured at least for now that their child will be one of a very few who speaks the language, if not the only one in certain periods. For Ireland in the summertime, that opportunity is practically unheard of.”