School of Histories, Languages and Cultures

Gaeltacht trip to Dingle, Co Kerry for Irish language classes organised by the Institute of Irish Studies, University of Liverpool, in association with Irish Cultural Centre, Hammersmith with support from the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.

Trip to Ireland’s Gaeltacht area for immersive language learning, cultural activities and exploration of local heritage, including an optional trip to the stunning Blasket Islands, an important site in the cultural and literary history of the Irish language and home of writers including Peig Sayers, Muiris Ó Súilleabháin and Tomás Ó Criomhthain.

PLEASE NOTE: This trip is only available to current students on the Institute of Irish Studies/Irish Cultural Centre Hammersmith Irish language classes.

PLEASE ALSO NOTE: This is a non-refundable student contribution towards the cost of the trip.

Please see the "more information" tab for important information about the Blasket Island trip, which is now optional.

Blasket Island Ferry ticket for 2026 Dingle Field Trip

Please book your space on the 2026 field trip before booking the ferry - see https://payments.liv.ac.uk/conferences-and-events/events-at-liverpool/school-of-histories-languages-and-cultures/gaeltacht-trip-to-dingle-2026

Non-refundable (unless trip is cancelled due to bad weather).

We are thrilled to welcome you on a guided tour of some of Merseyside’s ancient Viking settlements. Along this journey, we will visit some of the sites featured on our ‘Viking Age in the North West’ app, such as Thor’s Stone in Thurstaston. Download our app to discover a list of sites across the North-West, the research for which was led by Professor Clare Downham of the Institute for Irish Studies.

In the middle of the day we will visit the University of Liverpool Experimental Archaeology Research and Teaching Hub (EARTH) at Ness Botanic Gardens, a space to get hands on with and explore ancient technologies, and to test ideas about the past, in the present. EARTH has installations for pyro technology and food production and Dr Pete Hommel (Department of Archaeology, Classics and Egyptology) and his team will be both demonstrating and explaining the art and science behind some of the crafts of the Viking age.

The Viking tour will culminate at National Museums Liverpool for the Treasure: History Unearthed exhibition, research for which was contributed to by Clare Downham of the Institute for Irish Studies, and Nicola George, Matthew Ponting and Ruth Watkins of the department of Archaeology, Classics and Egyptology (ACE) in the Elizabeth Slater Archaeological Research Laboratories.