26 Things That'll Give Irish People Gaeltacht Flashbacks

    It was a rite of passage.

    Louise Bruton
    by Louise Bruton

    BuzzFeed Contributor

    1. The awkward bus journey down.

    Rebecca Hendin for BuzzFeed

    You boarded a bus full of strangers before you set off for three weeks in the wilderness. Hardly anyone spoke, it took an eternity to get there, and you only stopped once for a toilet break.

    2. Meeting your housemates.

    3. Getting to hang out with interesting people from distant places.

    4. Being absolutely terrified of your Bean an Tí.

    Rebecca Hendin for BuzzFeed

    Unlike summer camps, most Irish colleges housed their students in family homes in the area. The Bean an Tí (the woman of the house) fed you, while the Fear an Tí (the man of the house) was a silent figure.

    5. And being even more scared of the Leabhar Béarla.

    6. Being on a digital detox before you knew what a digital detox was.

    Rebecca Hendin for BuzzFeed

    On the first night, you had to hand over your Nokia 5210, your Walkman, and everything else fun. Wah.

    7. Learning new dances for the ceilí.

    8. Dressing up almost every night of the week.

    9. Loathing your cinnire.

    Rebecca Hendin for BuzzFeed

    Your cinnire (camp leader) was in charge of everyone in your house. They were normally 16, and had a massive power trip every time they blew their whistle.

    10. Going on long walks along stone walls.

    11. Going to the shop being the most exciting thing ever.

    12. The radio on the school bus being your only connection to the outside world.

    Rebecca Hendin for BuzzFeed

    If your house was far away, you'd get the bus every day. This is where you listened to the Top 40 and caught up on real world gossip.

    13. Feeling like you were in paradise when the weather was nice.

    14. Having parties on the beach if it didn't rain.

    15. So. Many. Meals.

    Rebecca Hendin for BuzzFeed

    There was bricfeasta, a three-course dinnéar, tae, and suipéar after the ceilí. And lots of tea.

    16. Feeling homesick.

    17. The heartbreak of someone being sent home.

    18. Having your first kiss.

    Rebecca Hendin for BuzzFeed

    Ah, your first kiss in the Gaeltacht. Or if you hadn't kissed anyone yet, you'd say you kissed a boy or girl when you went to the Gaeltacht alone. No one would ever know.

    19. Sneaking out after lights out.

    20. This song. THIS SONG.

    View this video on YouTube
    youtube.com

    Niamh Chinn Óir (sea!),
    As Tír na nÓg,
    B'í an bhean ab áille gné, a chas ar Oisín Óg (cad a rinne sí?),
    Mheall sí é le breáthacht (níos measa),
    Is mheall sí é le póg (lean ar aghaidh),
    Is mheall sí é, gan aon agó
    Go Tír na nÓg.

    21. Roaring the one line of the national anthem that you knew.

    22. Fancying the local kids.

    Rebecca Hendin for BuzzFeed

    The local kids were the object of your desires. They had an air of mystery because their accents were so difficult to understand, and they were normally called Seán Pól (Sean Paul). That's why Irish people find Sean Paul so funny.

    23. Signing everyone's notebook.

    24. Getting emotional at the Ceilí Mór.

    25. Going home and feeling so alone...

    26. ...until you arranged a reunion every week until you went back to school.