What’s Happening

On March 7th , 2024, Gaisce – The President’s Award was delighted to have the opportunity to present awards to two young people from CBS James's Street who completed their award with the School Completion Programme Liberties Dublin 8 Cluster (SCP). SCP is a targeted support programme for Primary and Secondary young people. This support [...]

Check out Latisha's Gaisce Stories video: Today, March 1st, 2024, Ireland celebrates Irish Traveller Ethnicity Day which marks the anniversary of the recognition of Travellers' ethnicity, first formally recognised in 2017. On this day, we celebrate the culture and heritage of Irish Travellers.  In honour of this landmark day, Gaisce – The President’s Award is [...]

Adam Donovan of Citywise Education is Gaisce-The President's Awards representative on the Shared Island Youth Forum. Adam shares his experiences over the last few months and his hopes for the future of our island here: Hi everyone! My name is Adam Donovan and I’m representing one of Gaisce’s nominated organisations, Citywise Education, at the Department [...]

PAL Spotlight - Helen Farrell Gaisce Stories' PAL Spotlight is an opportunity to promote the work and voice of our President's Award Leaders! We reached out to Helen Farrell, who recently attended the PAL Celebration Award Ceremony and was recognised for guiding and mentoring a Gold Awardee. Here is her journey so far as a [...]

PAL Spotlight is an opportunity to promote the work and voice of our President’s Award Leaders!

Gaisce Awardees visit Houses of Oireachtas for International Women’s Day

Sarah Malone’s Bronze Gaisce Award Journey

Pobalscoil Neasáin in Portugal – Gold Adventure Journey

Equal Access for All: Keeping the Adventure Journey Costs Down In April last year, Tullamore College students undertook their Gaisce Adventure Journey with a twist – an overnight sleep in the school. While Covid-19 restrictions were gradually being lifted throughout the 2021-2022 academic year, the President Award Leaders at Tullamore College were still concerned that [...]

Gaisce Gold Award Holder Lucy McGill from Dublin receiving her Gold Award from President Michael D. Higgins at a ceremony in St Patrick’s Hall, Dublin Castle on 10th December 2018. Photo: Maxwell’s We were delighted to have Gaisce Gold Awardee and Dublin native Lucy McGill share her Gaisce Journey with us at our Silver Ceremony […]

Gaisce, in partnership with the European Union Parliament Information Office, is offering Gaisce participants in DEIS schools a fantastic opportunity to travel to Strasbourg in January 2019 and experience what it’s like to be an MEP for a day. It brings together 500 16 – 18 year old students from all 28 EU Member States. […]

Last year Brian O’ Mahony visited Uganda for seven weeks. Packing his gear Brian travelled alone, meeting fellow kayakers along the way. He kayaked almost 50 days in a row and described his adventure ‘as probably the most life-changing experience of my life.’ Brian is currently in the final stages of completing his Gold Award […]

Annie Carr is a student at Limerick Institute of Technology (LIT), is the current President of the college’s Gaisce society and is working toward her Gold Award. “As part of the role of President I’d be charged with getting students to sign up to Gaisce. Organising fundraisers, organising trips and making sure the residential project […]

Dave Sheridan is a youth worker based in the Ballymun Regional Youth Resource (RECO) and has been a PAL with Gaisce for the past year, “It is not something that is new to BRYR. I took over as a PAL as our previous PAL had left her role and moved on.” Since Dave’s inception as […]

Amy Barrett, through getting involved with Gaisce, recently released her first single title ‘Emilio’. Amy chose recording as part of her skill and found Gaisce to be the perfect fit in terms of progressing her music. “I’d always been writing songs since I was about seven but I never really advanced as much as I […]

Kate Kelly is a Gaisce Ambassador who last summer represented Gaisce at the international Gold Event, she says, “I got to go to the international awards in Prague. I got involved with a load of charity events there and worked in an orphanage too.” Kate is currently studying law at University College Cork and explains […]

Evelyn Dore is from Tralee and is a Gaisce Gold Awardee who recently set up her own volunteer project called ‘Memory Boxes’. “The project started off as wanting to source pictures for older people in the community. Pictures that would bring back memories.” Evelyn found that the project quickly evolved in to a ‘memory box’ […]

Saoirse Hughes is doing her Gaisce Silver Award and has almost completed her journey. As part of her Silver Award Saoirse took up first-aid in her school at Trinity Comprehensive, Ballymun. “The course lasted three weeks. I wanted to learn more about helping other people.” As part of the course Saoirse learned various techniques and […]

Eimear Quinn is currently working towards her Gaisce Gold Award and is a third year nursing student studying at DCU. “I wouldn’t be in nursing without having got involved with the Gaisce programme. The community involvement activities have stayed with me from my Bronze Award in school right up until now and have helped me […]

This Easter President Award Leader Barry Caulfield will walk the Camino with eight students as part of their Gold Award Adventure journey. “The adventure trip is where I gave the most help. I suggested the Camino but the kids went off and done all the research and they came back and wanted to do the […]

Deirdre Coyle has been a PAL with Gaisce for over 15 years and firmly believes the programme plays a huge part in the development of students who take part. She says, “It gets them outside their comfort zone. Let’s say for a shy, quiet lad the community section can be really challenging. So it gets […]

When Aoife started out on her Gold Gaisce journey she never imagined finding herself on a boat with 40 strangers sailing the seas of New Zealand. “Every day we would wake up at 6.30 and go for a swim in the sea. Then we’d have breakfast and clean the ship.” Aoife admits the experience was […]

  Gaisce is delighted to welcome DLR Leisure as an official Gaisce Challenge Partner.   DLR Leisure was established in 2009 by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, they have 4 centres in South Dublin: Dlr Leisure Meadowbrook,  Dlr Leisure Loughlinstown, Dlr Leisure Ballyogan and Dlr Leisure Monkstown along with two golf courses at Stepaside and Marlay. DLR Leisure provide […]

I really enjoyed my Gold Gaisce Journey. I did the hike with my brother (as he had hiked the route before) and two of my friends. We hiked from Marlay Park in Dublin to Hollywood in Wicklow. We hiked for four days and stayed in three hostels. We brought a large rucksack each which we […]

My name is Kate Kelly and I’m from a small rural village in South Kilkenny. I started my Gaisce journey in 4th year in secondary school, all the way back in 2011. From the moment I started my Gaisce journey I knew I would strive to complete my Gold Award. While the gold takes a […]

Glen is from Athy, Co. Kildare. Having been involved with Gaisce since he was 15, attaining both Bronze and Silver Awards, he recently completed his Gold Award. He says his decision to ‘go for gold’ stemmed from his Gaisce experience, which taught him to always see things through, no matter how difficult. For his Personal […]

Jamie is from Dungarvan, Co Waterford and has completed both his Bronze and Silver Gaisce Awards. Jamie was first introduced to Gaisce while in Transition Year, and his aim from the outset was to complete all three awards. For the Community Involvement aspect of the award, Jamie chose to become involved with the 11th Dungarvan […]

Cuisle, from Galway City, obtained her Bronze Award during Transition Year in Colaiste Iognaid. In 2008, she graduated as a physiotherapist from Trinity College Dublin and the progressed with her PhD. Having completed her doctoral studies, Cuisle went on to become a lecturer in the American University in Kosovo. For her Community Involvement, Cuisle volunteered […]

A native of Galway City, Christina had already achieved her Bronze Gaisce Award when she decided to complete her Gold Award with the help of her PAL Lorraine Tansey. Christina, who has a love of the sea,  undertook a degree in Marine Science in NUIG. For her Community Involvement, Christina became NUIG Development Officer for […]

Cork-based Mary Angela is currently training to become a health care assistant in a nursing home. Mary Angela has achieved both her Bronze and Silver Gaisce awards while being a member of Scouting Ireland, and completed her Gold Award with the help, support and guidance of her PAL, Damien Nation. For her Personal Skill, Mary […]

Currently based in Somerset, South West England, Kerri-Anne Cully is originally from Co Cavan and recently qualified as an occupational therapist (OT). While reading her local newspaper, she came across an article featuring a principal of her local national school, who had just completed her Gold Gaisce Award. Kerri-Anne was inspired to meet up with […]

Christopher is from Belfast but moved to Dublin four years ago to work with Citywise, an educational charity that he has been a member of since he was eight years old. Having completed his Masters in Education in NUI Maynooth, Christopher, looking for a new challenge, decided to do his Gold Gaisce Award, which he […]

Andrew travelled to Ireland from Australia in 2008 and once settled, sought out new challenges. Andrew had already completed his Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award in Australia six months before moving to Ireland and so, starting on the Gaisce journey felt like a natural choice for him. Andrew completed his Silver Award while in 4th […]

Avril completed her Bronze & Silver awards while at Colaiste Bride in Enniscorthy, along the way she learned how to play guitar, played tag rugby, coached tennis, volunteered in a hockey club, and trekked across Oulart Hill. Moving to Dublin for college, she had trouble finding a PAL in NCAD, but after getting in touch […]

A student in NUI Maynooth, Michelle began her Bronze award in 2010, she received her Silver award in 2011 and had her Gold completed by 2013! Michelle loves nothing better than a challenge and decided to start her Gold award while still doing her Leaving Certificate. For her community involvement section, Michelle was an active member of the Arklow […]

“I gained so much more from it than I put in, and would recommend the award to anyone” Tommy completed his award at the age of 21, while studying in Trinity. He has been a member of the 1st Bagenalstown BP Scout Troop since the age of 16. He acknowledges that his PAL, Ann O’Halloran, put in mountains […]

Julie first encountered Gaisce in Transition Year, and achieved her Bronze award in 2007. Almost a year later saw her achieve the Silver award. Difficulties in finding a PAL at Marino College led to Julie starting her Gold award in her second year of college, in 2011. There were more problems to come, as her […]

A student of St. Muirdeach’s College Ballina, began his Bronze award at the age of 15, and completed his Silver award in Transition Year. His love of the outdoors, adventure sports, community work, first aid, and fitness have been central to his Gaisce journey. On his journey, he had a helpful & supportive PAL in Jane McGee. Stephen wanted […]