ACTIVITIES
It's Time to Start Your Adventures
Maratacht
Gaeltacht Residential Summer Camps 2025!
Even in the vast and mysterious reaches of the sea we are brought back to the fundamental truth that nothing lives to itself.
Rachel Carson – Silent Spring
activities
KAYAKING
Your own personal watercraft which will get you to unique places, see seals, dolphins, caves, a sea arch and sometimes basking sharks or whales!
MARINE ECOLOGY
Guided session which will explore, examine and record observation of flora and fauna of Cape with an emphasis on maritime habitats. Local expert ecologists and ornithologists will lead these fascinating modules.
SNORKELLING
Also called free diving, this is the most expressive and sublime way of exploring the marine environment. It's also brilliant fun!
SLACKLINING
This needs a stillness and concentration to get walking on it and you'll certainly feel your core muscles in keeping balance!
COASTEERING
Clamber & climb along Cape's rocky shore - fall or jump into the sea! Exhilarating! Great for improving stamina, spatial awareness and fitness. Bring shorts and old runners and soon you'll be climbing as high as possible to jump into the water, or letting yourself get swished around in the swell. It's great, active fun with many challenges!
STAND UP PADDLEBOARDING
Probably slightly more challenging to stay dry than kayaking for some but it doesn’t take long to get the hang of it and the ‘walking on water’ feeling is the reward!
IRISH LANGUAGE PRACTICE
Is Gaeltacht í Oileán Chléire so beimíd ag baint úsáid as Gaeilge uaireanta i gcomhrá. Tabhairfimíd misneach duit úsáid a bhaint as an Gaeilge - pé leibhéal atá agat - ní bheidh aon bhrú! Cape Clear Is. is officially a Gaeltacht so we will use conversational Irish. Everyone will be gently encouraged to use whatever level of Irish they can, no pressure.
Why Maratacht
- Experience: Your time with us will be most challenging, fun and rewarding.
- Reputation: Our 25 years in business speaks for itself.
- Instructors: National Governing Body Qualified
- Unique Location - Ireland's Only Offshore Adventure Centre.
- Value for Money - Instruction, activities & accommodation
- Public Liability Insurance
What You Get
- Top Quality Instructors
- Transportation - Walking on the island; Local bus used if weather dictates. Ferry from Baltimore - fare included in course fee.
- Outdoor Equipment Provided: Buoyancy Aids, Wetsuits, all kayaks, SUPs, snorkel gear etc.
- Great Facilities: Accommodation based on the shoreline, commercial kitchen & chef used for teen camps;
- Portfolio: Results of facilitated Teamwork, Critical Thinking, Research on sea / on shore; Physical & Online.
- Topical Issues: Curriculum & UN SDG Linked topics - Ocean, Sustainability & Climate Change
- Irish / Gaeilge: Maratacht is a combination of 'Mara' for 'sea' and 'tacht' as in Gaeltacht. Irish supported, learned & practiced throughout.
What You Bring
- An energetic, 'give it a go' attitude! Be curious, be kind agus labhair Gaeilge an méid is féidir leat!
- Day pack for lunch; notebook, pencil/pen;
- Enough clothing for sun and rain; spare shoes / boots;
- Sun hat, sunscreen SPF30 minimum; any medications;
- Personal Accident Insurance recommended.
- Residential: Changes of clothes for 7 days of watersports, sun and rain! Bring notebook, pen & pencil, personal toiletries & any meds.
Accommodation is dormitory style in a hostel on the edge of South Harbour / Inbhéar on Cape Clear Island. It’s called Tír na nÓg and provided accommodation for Irish Coláiste kids for years. Participants will share single sex rooms, with bunk, up to max 4 in any one room. Duvets, sheets and pillows are provided. A dining room / common room is available for meals, debriefing sessions or for work on projects and portfolios. Participants will be expected to set & clear tables. All food is provided including snacks during the day (fruit mainly!). Lunch will probably be packed each day but our location 50m from the strand means we most often simply sit and eat outside as we’re probably still in wetsuits and the view is fantastic! There is 24/7 supervision with plenty of space for everyone to do their own thing. Cinnirí (leaders) will sleep in adjacent rooms at night.
Activities start at 10.00 until 17.00. There is usually an evening activity after evening meal (walk / night paddle or swim to see bioluminescence and bed at 22.30.
Meals are in a communal dining room. Everyone helps to set / clear tables. In the morning we have a briefing before activities and a debrief once everything is put away after the day just to see how everything is going and to deal with anything that might have come up. A general plan will be discussed on the first day once everyone has arrived and got to know each other and everyone will have input at that stage as to what they like etc.
It’s a pretty busy week with lots of getting wet so plenty of non-cotton clothes, togs and old shoes / water sandals for during activities. If they have their own wetsuit – great but we have plenty. Everything else is provided.
There is very limited internet reception so the implications of that have to be absorbed in the first couple of hours. It usually gets better in the evening when project / portfolio work is being done or contact with home needs to happen. 😉
Participants will be met in Baltimore (return ferry price is included in camp cost). A member of staff goes to Baltimore to meet participants and introduces the island and sea in context as they travel in to Cape on the boat.
Max number of participants is 25 pax.
Irish language is going to be the main language of communication in an informal and supportive way. We simply ask that participants use whatever Irish they have, they will certainly learn more words when they’re here but there’s absolutely no pressure. They’ll be encouraged and we’ll practice speaking together.
Beidh Gaeilge á n-úsáid i rith an gcampa – beimíd ag tacú le rannpáirtithe í a úsáid i tslí neamhfhoirmeálta, gan aon bhrú. Beidh fóclóir breise i ngach teanga foghlamtha ag gach aoinne ag deireadh na tseachtaine!