The Inch house is an Irish Studies Centre built in the late 1600’s, located at Inch, Lough Swilly, Co. Donegal. The center is located near the cities of Derry and Buncrana. The program is run by Tony Johnston with help from his family and friends. The centre accommodates up to 36 students with a total of 6 bedrooms. All bedrooms have private baths and 6 beds. There is a large kitchen which Tony keeps fully stocked, but most meals are prepared by Tony and his wife for the visiting students and faculty. The house has everything one would need including a telephone, a living room with a TV and DVD, WiFi access for all guests, as well as a computer with internet access. Inch House also contains a classroom where lectures are given by various knowledgeable people including John Hume, Jon McCourt, John Guthrie, Tony, and several others.
Inch Island itself is beautiful. When you walk out of Inch House, you are greeted by a beautiful body of water, a view that Dr. Kimsey compared to the opening scene of P.S. I Love You. Anyone who runs should take advantage of the beautiful scenery and run to the beach to watch the sunrise. As far as transportation goes, a wonderful man by the name of Frank drives the bus to all the events of the day and will also drive students out at night if available for the small charge of about 2 Euros each. Derry and Buncrana are the main cities near the island and they both offer great night life options for all. Making friends with Jon McCourt is a must because he will tell you all the good hotspots and will make sure you are enjoying your stay in Northern Ireland. Overall, the accommodations are awesome and the people involved in the program are amazing people who everyone would be lucky to meet at least once in their lifetime.
