Family Programme – English & Golf

Firstly, we would like to thank you for choosing Donegal English Language School for your English and Golf holiday.  Please find below further information on your stay

What to bring

As much as we love our green country the weather can be unpredictable so we recommend the following items 

• Water Bottle – It is possible to drink the water from the taps in Ireland
• Waterproof jacket
• Two swim suits/trunks
• Three pin adaptor (for charging phone lap top etc)
• Lock for your suitcase
• Photocopy of passport to be kept separate to your passport (in case of loss)
• One towel.  A towel is provided but it is recommended to take an extra towel
• Warm clothes i.e. jumpers, jackets
• A white t shirt/baseball hat (for drawing/spraying graffiti on)
• Pocket money approx. €50 per week (maybe a little more if you want to buy some presents).

For Class & School

• A copybook and pens
• A device – some classes are digital so please bring a phone/laptop

There are hairdryers in residential. Please contact a member of staff.

About our Golf Course

We offer quality coaching for beginner to intermediate golfers. The aim is to have fun and improve the student’s love of golf and technical skills. We believe we can help you achieve your golf goals by keeping groups small and providing personal attention to each student. Regular feedback is given to students to ensure progression at all times.

Facilities include

– Practice area

– Practice Green

– 18hole, Par 70 Golf course

About our Golf Course

We offer quality coaching for beginner to intermediate golfers. The aim is to have fun and improve the student’s love of golf and technical skills. We believe we can help you achieve your golf goals by keeping groups small and providing personal attention to each student. Regular feedback is given to students to ensure progression at all times.

Facilities include

– Practice area

– Practice Green

– 18hole, Par 70 Golf course

What to expect Golf

General Information

Contact

School Address: Donegal English Language School, West End, Bundoran, Co Donegal

Residential Address: Zephyr Lodge, West End, Bundoran, Co Donegal

Contact Number: 00353 719 84 12 88 / 00353 876 00 82 05

Arrival is anytime from 4 pm on wards

Laundry

Laundry facilities are available in the residential centre.  Please arrange a day once a week with your host family for laundry.

WIFI

WIFI is available at the language school, residential centre and is also available in most host families.

Bank Holidays

On Bank holiday Mondays (17 March, 13 April, 4 May, 1 June & 26 October 2020), there will be no English classes, students are offered an excursion/activity in place).  On August 03rd, the school is open as normal.

Insurance

It is compulsory to have a European Health Insurance Card.  This is free for all European countries and will cover any doctor or hospital appointments in the case of any medical issues.  It is also compulsory for all clients to have travel insurance.  For all non-European Citizens please take out private medical and travel insurance.

Residential Accommodation

Our residential accommodation centres are Zephyr Lodge and Casa Del Mar accommodation. They are situated less than one minutes’ walk from the Atlantic coast, 5 minutes from the language school and 5 minutes’ walk from the town centre.  Both houses have private and shared rooms, as well as self-catering facilities.

Continental breakfast seven mornings per week and lunch Monday to Friday is included on the English and Activity programmes, dinner is not included.  Students are offered a twin/triple room.  There are self-catering facilities in the accommodation.  A private room can also be offered at an additional fee. 

Host Family

Details on the host family are typically emailed to you around two weeks before arrival. If opting for host family, a private room, breakfast and dinner is included in your accommodation package.  Lunch is included Monday to Friday on English and Activity packages.  Lunch is provided at Zephyr Lodge. If you are not on an English and Activity Package, you can have lunch in one of the cafes in the town, at your host family or bring to the school. If you are not within walking distance of the school, your family will bring you each morning and you can then walk home or we have bikes on a first come first served basis.

Holiday Home or Apartments

Meals are not included in holiday home or apartment booking.  Please refer to the booking agent for more details on this type of accommodation. 

Social Activity programme

Most social activity fees are included in the overall price. Some entry fees are not included, you will be notified in advance of these fees. 2 Activities and one excursion are included.

Excursions

Excursions are organised every Saturday Easter and June to September and every two weeks thereafter. Students will visit a place of cultural interest and have some free time shopping. The fee for excursions is included in the family programme.

Important Travel Documents

Here is important information when travelling to Ireland with children under 18.  Please click here.

Please ensure that your son/daughter/student is travelling with the necessary documents.

Transfers

If opting for collection from Dublin airport

We are based 3 hours and 25 minutes by bus from Dublin airport.  For this reason, we group transfers together.  Typically, we have 2/3 buses at the airport on Sundays, this depends on arrival and departure times and number of students arriving.

The shared transfers are based on arrivals between 11 am – 6 pm and departures between 11 am – 6 pm.  Students will typically have a 1 – 3 hour wait before the bus leaves the airport.  These times may vary if there are flight delays, lost luggage by airlines etc.

Please also note that for departures, if you flight is before 1.30-2 pm, you will leave Bundoran around 4.30 am in the morning, this allows for adequate check in time at the airport (you need a minimum of three hours check in time in the summer) and then 3.25 hours to reach Dublin. 

Collection: On entrance of arrivals in Terminal 1 please make your way over to the right.  You will see a sign saying Meeting point.  Under or around this sign will be a Donegal Language School representative waiting to meet you with a Donegal English Language School Sign(see below).

If you are flying into Terminal 2 (Aer Lingus) please make your way to the right and one of our representatives will be there to meet you.

They will have a sign showing the DELS LOGO

 Airport sign will look like this

If opting for public bus from Dublin airport

There is a direct bus from Dublin airport to Ballyshannon every two hours. To arrive at the bus stop, walk out of arrivals from terminal 1 and cross the road, go through the tunnel and you will see a spar shop on your left, walk outside and to the left is the bus stop. Please go to zone noted beside Dublin Airport on this link. We then offer free transfers from Ballyshannon to Bundoran between 10.00 am and 8.00 pm daily. For transfers outside of these times we can arrange a taxi for you. The taxi fee is around € 15

If we are collecting you from the bus in Ballyshannon, please send us a SMS to 00353 876 00 82 05 once you get on the bus in Dublin and then again when the bus reaches Enniskillen.  It is really important that you do this as sometimes the bus is late, and it ensures that our driver is not waiting a long time to collect you. 

Boarding Cards

Please put the airline app on your phone and you can then check in online prior to arrival and departure.  If you need boarding cards to be printed, please email info@ donegallanguageschool.com before 4 pm on Friday evening. Please note that the office email addresses are not manned after 5 pm on Friday evening.  If received after 4 pm, we will not be able to print for you. 

If travelling by car

• Please phone on 00353876008205 when you arrive in Sligo/Enniskillen (30 – 40 minutes before your arrival in Bundoran) so I can arrange for someone to meet you at the centre and show you the accommodation.

• The address is Donegal English Language School, West End, Bundoran.  Our GPS directions are 54.4773° N, 8.2996°

Good Conduct

Students must not be disrespectful or act in a threatening manner to fellow students or staff of Donegal English Language School or any members of the community. This includes raising their voices, using foul words or foul gestures, broadcasting music with explicit lyrics, being argumentative towards others or being disruptive in class. Discrimination based on sexual preference, race, physical or mental ability, religion, age or ethnicity is not tolerated. Items which promote or encourage discrimination or illegal activity will be confiscated. Smoking and chewing gum is not permitted in the school buildings. Food and drinks are not permitted in classrooms.

The student is responsible for any damage he or she may cause to buildings, furniture, fittings, individuals, host family property etc. while registered with DELS. Should a student behave in an unseemly and/or inappropriate manner that may bring the school or its agent into disrepute or cause damage to its reputation or standing in any way, either real or imagined, he or she will be asked to leave.

Should a student break other school rules or behave badly he/she may be withdrawn from activities until behaviour improves.

If gross misconduct occurs, i.e. bullying or breaking an Irish law (including drinking of alcohol, stealing or drug taking), the student will not be welcome to participate further in the course and will be removed immediately from the programme). Parents must make arrangements for the students to leave the campus/host family promptly/within 2 days.

Free Time

Students will be walked to town and allowed to go to the different shops, amusements or supermarkets for one hour one evening per week. Students must go as part of a group. No student is allowed to go alone without prior permission from the coordinators. If you do not wish for your son/daughter to do this, please let us know in advance of their stay. For residential students only – there will be free time on Sunday . Students are allowed to visit the town unaccompanied between 10 am – 3pm. Students aged 11 will be accompanied, students aged 12+ will be unaccompanied.   If you wish for your son/daughter not to go to the town centre unaccompanied, please contact us

What happens on my first day?

Arrivals for students are generally on a Sunday.  All students are welcomed and shown to their accommodation followed by a short introductory meeting. This meeting will go through the first day and any questions that may arise. On the first day of school, students take a test covering reading, writing, listening and speaking to ensure that they are placed in a level most suitable to them.

If the students have opted for one of the activity packages, their chosen sport takes place in the afternoon/morning. Student Coordinators are on hand to help and assist all students through their first day.

Please click on the links to log on to facebook or instagram for regular updates on campus life @ DELS.

Parents hereby commit to undertaking full financial responsibilities if their son/daughter, is dismissed early from the programme in the event of bad behaviour.

Looking forward to meeting you

Kind regards, Gina and all the staff.