School Football Tour to Dublin

Just a short hop across the Irish Sea, Dublin offers the opportunity for your students to explore an entirely different sporting culture to the one they've grown up with.

Firstly, the football. They'll love taking on local opposition, exposing them to different styles and tactics and giving them the chance to bond with their Irish peers over a shared passion for the beautiful game.

A unique element to this tour though, is the opportunity to explore the history and culture of traditional Gaelic games. Hurling, Gaelic football and handball - they'll have the chance to try them all under the guidance of expert coaches. They'll also find out the history of these sports and will explore the role they play in Irish culture.

Later, they'll explore the legendary Croke Park Stadium, where they'll also have the chance to visit the GAA Museum.

On top of all that, there are a number of other cultural visits you could throw in to make this a well-rounded tour packed with educational value.

Suggested Itinerary

Day 1

Morning

Meet at school in the early hours

Board executive coach and travel to Holyhead

Afternoon

Take the ferry to Dublin

Arrive in Dublin and check in to accommodation

Evening

Evening meal at accommodation

Day 2

Morning

Breakfast at accommodation

Learn the skills of hurling, handball and Gaelic football with expert coaching, hands-on drills and insights into the history of Ireland's national sports

Afternoon

Step into the heart of Irish sporting history with a visit to Croke Park and the GAA Museum, where you'll explore the interactive exhibits, view historic memorabilia and take a behind-the-scenes tour of the iconic stadium that has hosted Gaelic games for over a century

Evening

Evening meal at accommodation or restaurant

Day 3

Morning

Breakfast at accommodation

Explore Temple Bar and visit the statue of Molly Malone and Ha'penny Bridge

Afternoon

Explore Ireland's history at Glasnevin Cemetery, the final resting place of key figures like Michael Collins and Eamon de Valera.

Guided tours offer fascinating insights into Ireland's past, from revolutionaries to poets, making it a compelling educational experience.

Evening

Play a fixture against a local team

Evening meal with your hosts or at a local restaurant

Day 4

Morning

Breakfast at accommodation

Check out of accommodation

Enjoy your final few hours in Dublin, snapping some selfie and picking up souvenirs

Board coach and head back to the port

Afternoon

Take the ferry to Holyhead

Continue journey back to school

Evening

Arrive back at school

3 nights' half-board accommodation
Return executive coach travel
Ferry crossings (Holyhead - Dublin)
Motorway tolls and taxes
Free staff place ratio 1:8
Itinerary planning service
Detailed final information pack
Vamoos travel app - giving you access to all your trip documents on your phone or tablet
VAT at current rates to tour operators

Accommodation

Abbey Court Hostel

The Abbey Court Hostel offers your group the opportunity to stay in the heart of Dublin! Right next to the iconic O'Connell Bridge, you'll be just a stone's throw from O'Connell Street and Grafton Street, close to all the main attractions. The hostel boasts fantastic facilities, including a TV lounge and a games room equipped with a pool table, table tennis, PlayStation, table football and vending machines. Breakfast is included and WiFi is available throughout.

Excursions

Experience Gaelic Games

Get a real taste of Irish sporting culture with a half or full-day Gaelic sports experience.

GAA Museum and Skyline Tour - Croke Park

Visit the GAA Museum at the world-famous Croke Park to learn all about the history and culture of Gaelic games, including Gaelic football and hurling.

Glasnevin Cemetery Museum

Glasnevin Cemetery was opened to the public in 1832 and is the largest non-denominational cemetery in Ireland.

Supporting you every step of the way

Creating your perfect sports tour

Your quote will be put together by an experienced Tour Adviser who’ll be an expert in school sports tours and will know the destination really well too. They’ll work with you to create a tour to suit your group’s needs and meet your tour objectives.

Launching your tour to parents and students

The next step is to get your tour approved and then get students signed up to it. Our ‘Trip Launch Pack’ will help you with this step. Here you’ll find loads of resources (all free to download) designed to make your life easier at this crucial point in the planning process.

After you’ve booked

Once you’ve booked, your dedicated Itinerary Coordinator will start working on the finer details. They’ll make sure your itinerary makes the most of your time and they’ll take on most of the admin tasks for your tour (making the whole process a lot less stressful for you).

Support while you’re away

While you’re out on tour, we’ll be at the end of the phone 24 hours a day to provide support should you need it. We’ll also send you a final info pack before you go and you’ll be able to access all your tour documents via the free Vamoos app.

After your trip

When you return from your sports tour, we’ll ask you to complete a detailed feedback survey, which helps us continue to improve the service we offer. And we can start planning your next tour too, so you can give parents plenty of time to pay for it (and so it’s less stressful for you).