Ben Letterey Youth Hostel
Ben Lettery Youth Hostel, Ballynahinch, Connemara, Co Galway H91 Y796 0852062262 stay@benlettery.ie http://www.benlettery.ie Social Media About Ben Lettery Hostel is a small friendly Irish-owned independent hostel in the heart of beautiful Connemara. We’re all about great value, a great vibe and the great outdoors. We’re sandwiched in beauty – at the base of a mountain and overlooking a lake. You won’t find a more idyllic spot. If you’ve been searching for the perfect hostel in Connemara, then your search has come
Gaisce Spring 2026 PAL & Participant’s E-Zines are here!
We’re delighted to share that Gaisce’s Spring Participant and PAL Ezines are now live! As 2026 gets underway, both editions are packed with fresh updates, inspiring stories, and essential information to support every step of the Gaisce journey, whether you’re a Participant setting new goals for the year ahead or a PAL guiding and empowering young people in your community. The Spring Participant Ezine encourages readers to refocus and reconnect with their Award journey, offering challenge area ideas, upcoming events, and opportunities like the Gold Portfolio supports and the new Silver Adventure Journey experience. Meanwhile, this season’s PAL Ezine
Join Our Team – Content Creator
Join Our Team! We’re hiring for a Content Creator to join the communications team at Gaisce – The President’s Award! The Content Creator role is central to bringing our impact to life online and offline and connecting with Gaisce stakeholders. This role ensures our content and digital presence is creative, authentic, and engaging- telling the stories are relevant to both youth and adult stakeholders. The role requires specialist and independent decision-making in relation to content creation, optimisation, and platform use bringing technical, analytical, and creative thinking. If you’re interested in applying for this exciting opportunity, check it out here:
Roots and Shoots: Gaisce Gold Residential – Weekend 2
The second and final weekend of the Roots and Shoots: Gaisce Gold Residential in partnership with Student Volunteer Ireland and supported by Irish Aid took place in Connemara, Galway, from 16th to 18th January 2026. We welcomed back 16 fantastic young people to participate in workshops and hear from some incredible guest speakers, all focused on sustainable development goals (SDGs). One standout moment of the weekend was the participants’ project presentations, where they mapped the Sustainable Development Goals within their own communities. This exercise highlighted the wide range of organisations, initiatives and spaces already working towards positive social, environmental and economic change across Ireland. Advocacy and global citizenship were central themes of the weekend. emphasised in an
President Catherine Connolly Celebrates Remarkable Achievements of Ireland’s Young People at Gaisce Gold Award Ceremony
President Catherine Connolly will today present 50 young people with the Gaisce Gold Award at a ceremony in Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA Venues), Royal Hospital Kilmainham. This year’s celebration is especially significant, marking both the 40th anniversary of Gaisce and President Connolly’s first time hosting the prestigious Gaisce Gold Award ceremony. The Gaisce Gold Award ceremony celebrates the remarkable personal development and community impact demonstrated by these young people, who have completed the highest level of the President’s Award. Today’s Awardees join a four-decade legacy of participants who have shaped and strengthened communities across Ireland through
Roots and Shoots: Gaisce Gold Residential – Weekend 1 at Ratra House, Phoenix Park
The first weekend of the two-week Roots and Shoots: Gaisce Gold Residential kicked off at Gaisce HQ in Ratra House, Phoenix Park, from 9th – 11th January 2026. Sixteen young people from all over Ireland joined us from across Ireland, including Meath, Roscommon, Offaly, Dublin, and Westmeath. This group of young people brought an infectious energy and set the tone for an unforgettable weekend. The Gold Residential is often a highlight of the Gold Award journey for Gaisce Participants. It’s an opportunity to step out of your comfort zone, meet new people and take on new challenges during a
Wild Atlantic Adventure Centre
Tullagh, Clonmany, Co Donegal F93 AK37 00 353 86 3585588 info@wildatlanticwayadventures.ie https://www.wildatlanticwayadventures.ie About We are a family owned and run centre located at the foot of the Urris Hills at Tullagh Beach, on the Wild Atlantic Way. We are one of the very few centres where you can experience the crash of the ocean waves and the scent of the heather from the mountains while you stand in one place. We provide safe and fun adventure based activity programs allowing participants to
Joy Winston and Conor Dillon on 92.5 Phoenix FM’s Disability Matters
Joy Winston, Gaisce’s Development Officer for North Dublin and Wicklow, and Conor Dillon, one of Gaisce’s first Youth Ambassadors, recently joined John Comiskey on 92.5 Phoenix FM’s Disability Matters show. They discussed Gaisce’s inclusive, adaptable framework supports young people of all abilities and Conor’s Gaisce Award journey. Also available on Mixcloud: (Start: 32:45)
Sonya Naumova (Gaisce Youth Ambassador) on Connemara Community Radio
Gaisce Youth Ambassador Sonya Naumova joined Fiona Scullion on Connemara Community Radio to discuss all things Gaisce – from being part of the first Gaisce Youth Ambassador panel, their recent visit to the European Parliament in Brussels with MEP Maria Walsh and Gaisce’s 40th Anniversary. Audio courtesy of Connemara Community Radio: https://www.connemarafm.com/ Airdate: 28 May 2025
Gaisce Youth Ambassadors Visit the European Parliament
March was an exciting month for the Gaisce Youth Ambassador Panel, with the group getting the opportunity to travel to Brussels from Tuesday, April 21st, to Thursday, April 24th, for an exciting visit to the European Parliament. We were thrilled to be hosted by MEP Maria Walsh, who met with the panel to hear their views on the issues affecting young people in Ireland today and gave the ambassadors a tour of the parliament, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness democracy in action in the heart of our European democracy. The Youth Ambassadors had the opportunity to meet and
