Orientation
Getting Fully Prepared for Your Life- and Education-Enhancing Study-in-Ireland Experience
We could not have asked for better leaders. They poured knowledge into us! I am grateful for this eye-opening, mind-altering, unforgettable experience. I look forward to returning to Ireland again soon! — Susan Wright (Business Major • 2024 Participant)
Orientation Menu
You cannot travel without an up-to-date passport
In addition to studing in a superb heritage building, you benefit from off-campus EFEXes (Educational Field Expereinces)
You live in a modern, secure apartment complex with a fully equipped kitchen in every unit
You enjoy Wexford, where Viking and Norman legacies coexist with twenty-first-century science, business, and industry
You receive a warm welcome, not least because of the historic links between the county of Wexford and the city of Savannah
You fly with the group, and (by contrast with many study-abroad offerings) the program cost includes your airfare
Your health, safety, and wellbeing constitute the program’s highest priority
Your packing, money, and independent travel questions answered
Enhance your career prospects by participating in great-value, superior-quality study-in-Ireland programs from Georgia Southern University, a proud member of the University System of Georgia.
Irish road signs are bilingual. In Gaeilge (the Irish language), Wexford is known as Loch Garman.
Maps: Ireland is about half the size of Georgia. County Wexford occupies Ireland’s southeast corner. Picturesque, safe Wexford Town, the county seat, is 100 miles south of Dublin. Apart from Wexford Town (SE), the county’s principal urban centers are Gorey (NE), Enniscorthy (center), and New Ross (SW). Between 1848 and 1856, hundreds of Wexfordians emigrated directly to Savannah, Georgia, taking winter sailings from the ports of Wexford Town and Rosslare.
You Cannot Travel without a Passport
Obtain or Renew
Absolute Requirement
No exceptions: You need a valid passport to fly to and enter Ireland. The same applies to flying back to and reentering the United States. If you do not have — or you need to renew — a passport, apply immediately. The processing time can be lengthy. If you are a US citizen, be sure to handle passport requests through an official Department of State website (links below), not some third-party website.
Six-Month Rule
The Six-Month Rule (if you already have a passport): Your passport’s expiration date should be at least six months after your scheduled return date. Use the secure Wexford Campus homepage to identify the return date of your study-in-Ireland trip, then add six months. For example: Gus Marvin Eagle’s passport expires on November 1, 2025. Gus is returning Stateside (from Ireland) on July 25, 2025. Adding six months, Gus identifies December 25, 2025, as the truly critical date. Per the six-month rule, Gus needs to renew his passport now.
Visas
Currently, US citizens do not require a visa to visit and/or study in Ireland, so long as the trip lasts fewer than 90 days. If, while participating in a Wexford Campus program, you travel to Northern Ireland for a day trip or a weekend stay, you experience no passport or visa check when passing back and forth between Ireland and Northern Ireland. If you intend to use a free weekend to travel outside the island of Ireland (e.g., to London or Paris), confirm whether you need a visa for any of the countries that you will pass through or stay in. Few Western European countries require US passport holders to have a visa for visits lasting fewer than 90 days.
Remaining in Ireland beyond 90 Days
If a Georgia Southern student will be participating in an official, Ireland-based university program (e.g., an internship) that exceeds 90 days in duration, the Wexford Campus and the Global Engagement offices work with the student to secure an appropriate Irish visa, such as a WHA (Working Holiday Authorization) visa. In concert with the student, the offices coordinate with the necessary Irish government authorities, principally the Passports and Visas Desk of the Consulate General of Ireland in New York City, the Visas Division of the Department of Justice in Dublin, and the North America Desk of the Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin.
Non-US Citizens
Holders of foreign passports: If you are a full-time Georgia Southern student but not a US citizen, it is almost certain that you can still travel to Ireland with us. As soon as possible, we should start a conversation. Email irish@georgiasouthern.edu, using the subject line, “Wexford Campus: Non-US Passport Inquiry.” Even for study stays under 90 days, some non-US citizens need an Irish-government-issued visa. At the time of writing (September 2024), a non-exhaustive list of affected countries includes Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Columbia, Dominica, Georgia (the nation, not the US state), Honduras, Kosovo, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Micronesia, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Palau, Peru, Serbia, Timor-Leste, and Venezuela. Irrespective of whether your country is on or off the above list, email us now if you are not a US citizen.
Where You Study: The GS Learning Center
Learning Center: Heritage Building
The first cohort of Georgia Southern students studied on the Wexford Campus in 2022, enjoying its well-equipped, boldly decorated classrooms, which occupy a structure known as the Learning Center. Since then, we have added a variety of modern furniture, some of it café-style, to allow different rooms to serve different educational purposes, such as group-project work, brainstorming, and conventional lecturing. Technology in some classrooms permits real-time connectivity to classrooms on the Statesboro and Armstrong campuses. Constructed in 1812 (but with fast WiFi), the Learning Center is the oldest building in our university’s real-estate portfolio. Beautiful stained-glass pieces and other antique elements render the place a special learning environment. Student April Trepagnier remarked, “The campus complex took my breath away: just beautiful!”
>> Address of Georgia Southern University’s Learning Center: Block A, Spawell Center, Spawell Road, Wexford Town, County Wexford, Y35 E2FK, Ireland
Gatehouse
An ideal venue for photos commemorating your time in Ireland, a castle-style gatehouse constitutes the entrance to the Learning Center. A stylized rendition of the gatehouse serves as the official symbol of Georgia Southern’s Wexford Campus. (Our medium-term plan is to refurbish the structure as a Research Center, and we are actively seeking donors to help fund that project.) The gatehouse leads to the main building, which locals often call Old County Hall, for it was once Wexford County Council’s headquarters. Later, its principal room became a courtroom. Today, that space is designated the “Courtroom Classroom,” a superior location for lectures, performances, and other gatherings. Other classrooms are decorated to reflect the city of Savannah, the city of Statesboro, Georgia Southern’s bald eagle mascot, and Georgia Southern Athletics.
Community Engagement
During breaks, when Georgia Southern is not using the Learning Center, we sometimes make it available to friends, Community Engagement being one of our university’s five strategic pillars. For example: When, between August 4 and 11, 2024, Wexford Town hosted Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, a traditional music festival and competition (and Europe’s largest music festival), the Learning Center served as a strategic command center, playing a vital role in overseeing logistics as 650,000 attendees made Wexford Town their home for a week. During most of the year, Georgia Southern is very much present, and multiple professionals accept our invitation to present to our students at the Learning Center. A partial summary includes the Chairperson of the County Wexford Gaelic Athletic Association (speaking on initiatives to include autistic people in sports); the southeast regional director of the national Industrial Development Authority (speaking on Ireland’s’s attractiveness to global tech and biopharmaceutical companies); and the Director of Research at Teagasc, the national agricultural research and education agency (speaking on the history and future of Ireland’s extraordinarily productive dairy industry). The list goes on.
Kafé Konnect
Within the grounds of the Learning Center, Kafé Konnect has indoor and covered outdoor seating areas. Open between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday, it serves the biggest, best-value Irish breakfast in Wexford Town, as well as barista coffees. Overall, its breakfast, lunch, and snack choices are excellence, made form locally produced meats, vegetables, and fruits. The menu includes soups, toasties, paninis, savory pastries, scones, and cakes. All idea for a break between classes!
EFEXes: Educational Field Experiences
Key o your time in Ireland is carefully designed Educational Field Experiences (EFEXes) that, in addition to being interactive and invigorating, significantly deepen your appreciation of the country’s society and politics; culture and history; economy and entrepreneurship. The EFEXes also give you a keen understanding of Ireland’s relationships with the US, the UK, the European Union, the United Nations, and other critical entities. The above outcomes strengthen your résumé, making you truly competitive in respect to the job market and graduate-school applications. You participate in one to two mandatory EFEXes per week.
Popular EXEXes
Consider some examples of popular EFEXes. At the Dunbrody Emigration Experience, in the medieval river-port of New Ross in western County Wexford, you benefit from a curated exploration of Ireland-to-North America emigration. Centered on a full-scale reproduction of the barque (or three-mast vessel) Dunbrody, the Experience reveals pull and push factors (such as American industrial employment and the Irish potato famine) that caused around one million children, women, and men to leave Ireland in the mid-nineteenth century. (31.5 million Americans claim Irish ancestry.) Recently, Ireland’s Taoiseach (Prime Minister) cut the ribbon on a $823,300 upgrade of the site’s immersive Savannah Landing exhibition, which Georgia Southern student researchers developed, based in part on the fact that the original Dunbrody‘s maiden commercial voyage, in 1845, was to Savannah. Go Eagles! In the grain-malting town of Enniscorthy in central County Wexford, you dive deeply into the Battle of Vinegar Hill, which constituted the turning-point engagement of the United Irish Rebellion of 1798, a nationwide effort to render Ireland a sovereign republic, based on the US and French models. The equality principles of ’98, the bloodiest year in Irish history, continue as foundational to Ireland’s aspirations as a nation state.
Invaluable Exposure to Experts in Your Field
Course-specific EFEXes extend to participation by public health undergraduate, Master’s, and doctoral students in the Heathy Wexford initiative, which uses population health science to identify local health challenges and formulate and deliver ameliorative interventions. Regularly, computer-engineering students rank as their top study-abroad experience exposure to the multi-million-dollar super-computer housed at the Walton Institute for Information and Communication System Science on the Waterford Campus of Georgia Southern’s Ireland partner, South East Technological University. For their part, religious studies students inevitably declare themselves awed at seeing, in Dublin’s Chester Beatty Library, the world’s oldest extant manuscripts of the biblical Books of Numbers and Deuteronomy, the Gospel of St. John, several Pauline epistles, and the Book of Revelation. In 2024, a high-value, discipline-specific EFEX was the 90-minute dialogue that Parker College of Business students had with a global vice president of Microsoft, a corporation that, over two decades ago, chose Dublin as its research, manufacturing, and administrative HQ for the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) economic mega-region. In 2023, students majoring in political science and international studies had the life-altering opportunity to converse, at length, with Bertie Ahearn, the Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minister) who co-negotiated the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, considered one of the great achievements of international diplomacy for ending 30 years of ethno-sectarian conflict in Northern Ireland.
Next Up: Residential Center
When in Wexford, you receive a behind-the-scenes tour of the next ambitious, student-centered project to which Georgia Southern has committed as it develops its European Campus. To complement the Learning Center, the university is deploying philanthropic donations to sensitively remodel a remarkable edifice, a former convent, into a 50-bedroom Residential Center. A woman, Mary (“the Builder”) O’Connor, oversaw the convent’s construction in 1886. The university’s president, Dr. Kyle Marrero, commented, “The building is like Hogwarts. It has a Harry Potter feel!” Many Georgia Southern students — including building construction and interior design majors — are gaining valuable professional skills by contributing to this exciting endeavor. The goal is an April 2026 opening.
Take a Video Tour of the Learning Center & the Future Residential Center
Our Living Quarters
For Summer 2025 in Ireland, the Wexmester One and Wexmester Two programs open with three overnights in student accommodation at the University of Galway in Galway City (west coast), followed by two overnights in student accommodation at South East Technological University in Waterford City (south coast). During the remainder of each program, students and faculty members reside at Talbot Suites at Stonebridge, a modern complex of fully equipped, self-catering apartments situated on Paul Quay (“key’) by the harbor in Wexford Town. Talbot Suites is also the principal accommodation center for the Spring 2025 Honors College Global Scholars program.
>> Address of Talbot Suites: Paul Quay, Wexford Town, County Wexford, Y35 TR28, Ireland • +353-53-912-2566
Talbot Suites, Wexford Town: Security; Quality
Talbot Suites is a beautiful, secure property that uses keycards to regulate access. Front-door access is available only to residents, and individual-apartment access is available only to that apartment’s occupants. Each extended-stay apartment (“suite”) is finished to the highest standards and includes-floor-to ceiling windows, TVs in all living areas and bedrooms, and complimentary WiFi.
Kitchen
The kitchen in each apartment contains: an electric oven (hit the large red wall switch to begin); an electric or gas hob; a microwave; a refrigerator; a freezer; a dishwasher; an electric tea kettle; a pod coffeemaker; and plenty of cutlery and crockery, pots and pans, casserole dishes, and cooking utensils. Two good-value supermarkets — Adli and a huge Tesco — are a few minutes’ walk away, so to save money, we encourage you to self-cater most of your meals rather than eat out. Garbage collection is available daily: Using tied garbage bags, just leave your general trash and recyclables outside your apartment’s front door any time between 8:00 AM and 6:00 PM.
Laundry Equipment; Cleaning Supplies; Electrical Items
Another budget-friendly aspect of Talbot Suites is that each apartment comes with a clothes washer and dryer, plus a drying rack, an iron, and an ironing board. Thus, you can avoid time- and money-consuming trips to the laundromat! Please note: Every so often, you must empty the dryer’s water tank. Also supplied as standard: a vacuum cleaner; a mop and bucket; a long-handled brush; a dustpan-brush set; and a hair dryer. As Irish electrical circuits carry 240 volts (versus 120 volts in the US), do not bring small US electrical appliances, such as hairdryers and curling irons. They could easily go on fire. Tesco sells inexpensive but adequate models. A laptop computer is a “must-bring” item, and all types are capable of handing 240 volts. (Well in advance of leaving for Ireland, contact the program director if you do not own or do not have the use of a laptop.) To connect American plugs into Irish sockets, purchase at least two US-to-Ireland (or US-to-UK) travel-plug adapters, known as Type G adapters.
Bedrooms & Bathrooms
>> Most apartments consist of two bedrooms, with each bedroom containing two beds and having its own full bathroom. Typically, two students share a bedroom and bathroom.
>> Please be aware that a few two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartments feature a one-bed bedroom and a two-bed bedroom. For one-bed bedrooms, we must give preference to students with demonstrable special needs that have been communicated to the program director well in advance of leaving for Ireland. Otherwise, roommates with a total of three beds in their apartment decide among themselves the allocation of beds.
>> In general, we are able to honor roommate requests.
>> So long as a bed is completely free of any personal possessions (clothing, bags, etc.), the Talbot Suites housekeepers change the bedsheets weekly. At the same time, they place a full set of fresh towels in each bathroom. If an apartment needs extra towels, communicate that fact directly to the program director. Note: Europeans tend not to use 8.5″ X 8.5″ facecloths, so you may want to pack some in your luggage.
Working Out
During your time at Talbot Suites, your program package gives you full, no-cost access to Talbot Fitness, the gym in the next-door Talbot Hotel. It features life-fitness equipment, cardio machines, a cable machine, a Smyth machine, a squat rack, free weights, machine weights, and more. In addition, you can avail of a 15-meter swimming pool (swim hats required). Gym hours: 6:00 AM – 9:00 PM, Monday through Friday (last entry 8:25 PM) • 7:30 AM through 6:45 PM, Saturday (last entry 6:15 PM) • 9:00 AM through 6:45 PM, Sunday (last entry 6:15 PM).
Talbot Suite Personnel
In Ireland, respect for and politeness towards all workers is a guiding social value. As our Georgia Southern culture espouses the same ethos, we anticipate a cordial relationship between our students and faculty members on the one hand and the Talbot Suites reception, housekeeping, and maintenance teams on the other. For our program, keeping rooms in a clean, tidy condition at all times is a top priority. We reserve the right to charge roommates a fee if extra cleaning and tidying is required in a given apartment. Should anything not function or function in a subpar manner, communicate the details to the program director, who will engage the maintenance crew.
Exit Requirements
During the final few days in Wexford, the program expects roommates to work towards leaving their apartment in an “as found” condition with the fridge, freezer, and pantry cupboards empty of foodstuffs; the dishwasher empty of dishes; all counters, floors, toilets, sinks, baths, and showers spotlessly clean; and the garbage and recyclables left outside the apartment front door in sealed plastic bags. We can donate to the Wexford Women’s Shelter unopened non-perishable foods (e.g., canned vegetables and soups; bottled sauces and dressings), as well as unused or partially used cleaning liquids and gels, toilet and kitchen rolls, shampoos and liquid soaps, and similar household goods.
Basic House Procedures
>> With the exception of a visiting parent (or another individual pre-approved by the program director), under no circumstances may a student bring an outside guest into their apartment or the greater Talbot Suites complex. Violation of the “no guests” policy may result in the offending individual’s being sent home at their own expense. The safety of all students is the program’s paramount focus.
>> Should you lose your keycard, report the loss to the Talbot Suites reception desk (9:00 AM – 6:00 PM, 7 days/week). After hours: Report the loss to the reception desk at the next-door Talbot Hotel (24/7). A new keycard can be coded for you.
The Neighborhood: Waterfront
The Talbot Suites complex sits on Paul Quay, a quay (“key”) or waterfront street, alongside Wexford Harbor. By crossing that street, you access a fully pedestrianized, 0.4-mile-long esplanade that is popular with walkers and joggers. Watch oyster-fishing boats come and go as you exercise. To treat yourself, visit one of the food pop-ups on the esplanade. Adored by Georgia Southern students, Scúp Gelato sells Wexford-made ice cream, winner of the 2022 Golden Fork award as the best ice cream in Britain and Ireland. Also enthusiastically reviewed: Cheeky Cod, which serves fresh, Wexford-caught fish and hand-cut chips (i.e. French fries). If a morning coffee and pastry is your vibe, Trough on Crescent Quay (next to Paul Quay) will be your “go to.” Nearby, The Bank bar and restaurant presents satisfying plates with polished service.
The Neighborhood: Main Street
One block west from Talbot Suites, you walk onto a portion of Wexford Town’s Main Street. Much of the long, relatively narrow street is pedestrianized, and the place buzzes with shoppers enjoying retail stores and boutiques, not to mention friends meeting in Continental-European-style cafés and traditional, unmistakably Irish pubs. Main Street restaurant favorites close to Talbot Suites include: the full Irish breakfasts at Staple Diet; the artisan pizzas at Crust; the curries at Holy Ground Indian; and the fish & chips and rissoles (fried potato cakes) at Premier. Among the fine neighborhood pubs, live music regularly features at The John Barry and The Sky & the Ground. A brief walk uphill to a parallel street delivers you to Ireland’s National Opera House, whose offerings span opera, light opera, musicals, pop music, folk music, theater, ballet, and stand-up comedy.
Getting to the Learning Center
From Talbot Suites to the Learning Center requires only a 10- to 12-minute walk, either along Main Street or the waterfront. A third route, by the Arts Center, the Norman wall, and Selskar Abbey is also pleasant. Allow yourself time to grab a coffee or tea on the way, perhaps at Wexford Coffee Roasters. Within a day or two, you will settle into a healthy rhythm, burning some carbs as you set forth to grow your knowledge!
Individual apartments may vary
About Wexford: Georgia Southern in Europe
Viking & Norman Town
Wexford is a town in the “Sunny Southeast” of Ireland, 100 miles down the east coast from Dublin. Around the year 800, Norwegian Vikings established Wexford Town, where the Slaney River (“river of health”) flows into the Irish Sea. Imagine: you will walk on narrow, ninth-century Viking streets — and along the town’s early-thirteenth-century Norman wall — on your way to classes at Georgia Southern’s Learning Center, part of our university’s emerging European Campus in Wexford Town.
Strawberries, Anyone?
Wexford Town gives its name to County Wexford, often known by its nickname, “The Model County,” due to the excellence of its farms, which produce the best barley for distilling Irish whiskey and a certain beverage called Guinness! And folks say that you haven’t really tasted a strawberry until you’ve popped a Wexford one in your mouth! In Ireland, meats, dairy, and produce come from family farms that do not use hormones or similar interventions to accelerate growth and/or yield. Thus, food is healthier than in the United States. Prices are comparable or even cheaper.
Friendly & Safe
Nowadays, safety is a high priority. Friendly, relaxed Ireland is the third safest county on earth. In fact, members of Ireland’s national police force do not have to carry guns. Some have characterized Wexford Town as the perfect Goldilocks town: not overwhelmingly big but cosmopolitan enough to offer a rich café, pub, and restaurant scene, as well as plenty of theater, concerts, and seisiúin (live traditional music sessions in pubs). We get to tour a signature building on Wexford Town’s skyline: the Irish National Opera House, the site (each October and November) of the Wexford Festival Opera, one of Europe’s premier opera festivals.
EXEXes • Travel • Buddy System
While studying, you travel lots! Regards of your courses, the program emphasizes EFEXes: Educational Field Experiences. By private, WiFi-equipped coach, we take you to sites in and beyond County Wexford that are either “must see” for visitors to the region or are directly relevant to your area/s of study. Bonus: These activities expose you to some of Europe’s most Instagrammable locations! EFEXes are mandatory, for they are integral to the program and its courses. We attempt to keep weekends free; and to allow you to pre-plan independent weekend travel, we distribute a detailed class-and-activities calendar well in advance of departure. Please be aware that University System of Georgia regulations demand that “independent travel” — and all other activities — be undertaken under the buddy system, meaning that no fewer than two (and preferably three or more) students travel, walk, or go out together. A more detailed discussion of independent travel features elsewhere on this page.
Connect to Dublin, Ireland’s Capital
The Spring Honors program features EFEXes (Educational Field Experiences) in Dublin, and each of the Summer Wexmester programs offer an option to participate in a group trip to Dublin. However, in addition, you and a buddy or buddies can easily — and at low cost — travel independently to Dublin via Wexford Bus or Expressway Bus (services almost every 30 minutes) or via Irish Rail. Many consider the views from the Wexford Town-to-Dublin train some of the loveliest among world rail journeys.
Your Instagram Feed
After the Vikings, Ireland was invaded by the Normans. Yes: those medieval knights in shining armor! Sailing to Ireland from Wales, the Normans first landed in Ireland in County Wexford, which has an east and a south coast. No part of Ireland boasts a deeper Norman heritage, some of it due to William Marshal, “the greatest knight who ever lived.” In 1200, he built Tintern of the Vow Abbey, which we visit. And a highlight: you climb to the top of Marshal’s Hook Lighthouse: the oldest intact continuously operating lighthouse in the world. That’s a wow!
Ideal Landing Spot
With a yearlong mild climate and summer temperatures averaging in the high 60s, County Wexford is hard to beat for a full lived experience. Students quickly feel at home as they familiarize themselves with its vibrant culture, exciting sports, and gorgeous landscapes. Did we mention the beaches? One of Europe’s finest sandy strands, the seven-mile-long, blue-flag (i.e., ultra-clean) Curracloe Beach — ideal for swimming and sea kayaking — is just minutes away from our campus in Wexford Town! Heading to the north of the county, the Blackstairs Mountains remind us why Ireland is called the Emerald Isle. As Ireland sits at a northern latitude, summer days are long, with sunrise occurring before 5:00 AM and sunset a little before 10:00 PM. Once instructional sessions end for the day, summer students still have hours of full daylight available.
Ireland & US • Wexford & Savannah
Love for America
County Wexford loves the USA! During the American War of Independence, George Washington appointed Wexford native John Barry to the post of Commodore, meaning that he is known as “Father the United States Navy.” A statue of Barry in Wexford Town complements memorials to him in Philadelphia, PA; Annapolis, MA; and Washington, DC. America’s independence struggle inspired the United Irish Rebellion of 1798, whose most intense fighting occurred in County Wexford.
An Ongoing Relationship
In 1845, Frederick Douglass declared, “I am your brother,” as he delivered two anti-slavery speeches to full-house audiences in Wexford Town. In 1963, US President John F. Kennedy said, “I am proud to be here,” as he made an official visit to the Model County, his ancestral home. Today, Atlanta-based Coca Cola maintains a highly secret flavorings and formulas research center in Wexford Town. Nearby, Massachusetts-based Waters Technology develops and manufactures early-disease-detection screening devices that have saved the lives of tens of thousands of newborn infants worldwide.
Why Such a Warm Welcome?
Ireland is proud of its reputation as the “land of a hundred thousand welcomes.” One of our 2023 participants, Ben Dasher, reflected, “The Irish are the friendliest bunch of people ever!” Going over and above, however, County Wexford holds a special place in its heart for Georgia Southern students. Councilor George Lawlor, the Mayor of Wexford Town, has put the situation this way: “Welcoming the students and faculty from Georgia Southern is a case of welcoming our cousins back home.” The simple reason for the affection is that between 1848 and 1853, when Savannah’s Irish-born population doubled, 56.1% of direct arrivals originated in County Wexford. Family names common in Savannah — Corish, Kehoe, Rossiter, Stafford, and more — are seen in Ireland as Wexford names.
Wexford & Savannah: A Unique History
Almost 180 years ago, a direct trade route emerged between County Wexford, Ireland, and Savannah, Georgia. Sailing vessels from Wexford Town in the county’s east and New Ross in its west made the 40-day non-stop trip across the North Atlantic Ocean, seeking oak and pine that had been harvested along the Ogeechee River and brought to Savannah’s wharfs. Soon after, hundreds of Wexfordians took advantage of the route and emigrated to Savannah, the Hostess City. Savannah is certainly the “most Wexford” city in the United States.
From the Past into the Future
The historical connection — plus Ireland’s highly advanced modern economy — made Wexford the smart choice when Georgia Southern decided to become the first American public university to establish a bricks-and-mortar presence in Ireland. (Such major American private universities as Notre Dame and Boston College have long had campuses in Ireland.) Parallel to the education track (which embraces teaching, research, and internships), the Savannah Economic Development Authority co-directs an initiative called TradeBridge, which fosters trade and investment between Savannah-Coastal Georgia and Wexford-Southeast Ireland. On March 16, 2022, the City of Savannah and the County of Wexford signed a Partner Communities agreement. On August 8, 2024, the $5 million super-pub, Wexford: Savannah’s Irish Pub, opened in Savannah’s City Market. And on August 30, 2024, Ireland’s Taoiseach (Prime Minister) cut the ribbon on the $832,600 upgrade to the permanent exhibition, Savannah Landing, at the Dunbrody Emigration Center in New Ross, County Wexford.
Air Travel: Outbound & Return
Program Cost Includes Air Travel with One Checked Suitcase
By contrast with many study-abroad offerings, Georgia Southern University’s Wexford programs include round-trip air travel in the cost. (The one possible exception is the spring semester Honors College Global Scholars program.) Often, the flight itinerary is Savannah to Atlanta and then Atlanta to Dublin, Terminal Two, on the outbound journey (SAV > ATL > DUB) and the reverse on the return journey (DUB > ATL > SAV). We may use other itineraries, such as a single, direct ATL to DUB flight. Check your specific program for details. You sit in coach class, which provides a full meal early in the transatlantic flight and a snack about an hour before landing. In each direction, your reservation/ticket includes: (a) one free checked suitcase, weighing under 50 pounds; (b) one free carry-on luggage item, such as a small or medium backpack; and (c) one free carry-on personal item, such as a pocket book. Ensure that each of the three items (a, b, and c) displays a luggage label with your name, phone number, email address, and home address.
Medicine Must Be Not Be in Your Checked Suitcase
When flying, carry your passport and phone on your person, being always mindful to keep them secure. Consider storing those two artifacts in a zip pocket on a pair of pants or other piece of travel clothing. It is absolutely critical that you pack all medicines (for the entire trip) in either your carry-on luggage item or carry-on personal item, not your checked suitcase. Well in advance of departure, coordinate with your pharmacy to ensure that you have a sufficient supply of prescription medicines to last the length of the trip, plus an additional week (in case of a delayed return). You should also pack the following in your carry-on luggage item: your laptop computer and other electronic devices; charging cables and plugs for your computer, phone, and other electronic devices; and at least one US-to-Ireland Type G adapter. If you have headphones, they, too, should go in your carry-on luggage item. On the transatlantic flights, you can use personal headphones while watching the movies and TV shows provided by the airline; however, the cabin staff will also distribute free earbuds. Please note: During all flights, your phone must be in airplane mode, meaning that WiFi and internet will likely not be available. As soon as the aircraft touches down, you can exit airplane mode.
Liquids & Gels
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) limits the size of a carry-on liquid or gel container to 3.4 ounces (or 100 milliliters). All such containers that you bring on board (e.g., a mini-tube of toothpaste; a mini-bottle of hand sanitizer) must be housed in a single, quart-size, clear-plastic, zip-lock bag that you can access easily to show to an airport security officer. Although you can pack larger liquid or gel containers in your checked luggage, we recommend waiting to purchase shampoo, conditioner, and similar products until you arrive in Ireland.
Passport: US-to-Ireland (Outbound) Flight/s
You can neither fly to nor enter Ireland without an up-to-date passport. On the day of departure, get to the originating airport (e.g., Savannah) at least two hours before the scheduled flight time.* When checking in for your first flight (e.g., Savannah to Atlanta), show your passport to the airline (e.g., Delta) desk agent at Departures. That individual then issues you with your boarding passes for the entire outbound journey. They also check your suitcase through to Dublin, your final destination. Next, process through airport security, where you: (a) show your passport and first-flight boarding pass to a TSA officer; (b) send your carry-on bags, your electronic devices, the contents of your pockets, and your belt and shoes through a security scanner; (c) undergo body-scanning yourself; and (d) walk to the boarding gate. If your first flight is from Savannah to Atlanta, the flying time is under one hour, so no food-and-beverage service is possible. Please note: In order to board the transatlantic flight (e.g., Atlanta to Dublin, Terminal Two), you may need to show your passport, in addition to your boarding pass, at the boarding gate. Increasingly, boarding-gate agents are also using biometric photo identification. You simply look into a camera so the agents can verify your identity.
* If your itinerary consists of just a single direct flight (e.g., Atlanta to Dublin or Charlotte to Dublin), get to the originating airport at least three hours before the scheduled wheels-up time.
Arriving in Dublin Airport: Immigration
Upon deplaning at Dublin Airport, Terminal Two, pass along the jet bridge and any stairs/escalators until you arrive in the main corridor (where there are toilets). Wait in the corridor until all members of the Georgia Southern group have assembled. When the program director indicates, move as a group to Irish immigration control, veering to the right (i.e., the lane for non-European Union citizens). When your turn arrives, an immigration officer will call you — or perhaps a set of several students — forward for passport inspection and stamping. Each student will have with them an official Georgia Southern letter confirming the location, duration, and purpose of the trip, plus other pertinent details. Should an immigration officer ask, present the letter to them.
Arriving in Dublin Airport: Baggage Claim; Customs
After immigration, you enter the baggage-claim area, where you retrieve your checked suitcase from the carousel associated with your transatlantic flight. Next, you pass through Irish customs, choosing the green lane (as opposed to the blue or red lane). Rather than interact with you and your luggage directly, customs officers usually observe activity through one-way glass. Finally, you enter the Terminal Two Arrivals Floor. Filter to the right and determine a group-assembly point near Fitzgerald’s café. Once everyone is ready, the program director leads the group to a private coach to load luggage and settle in for the journey to the first destination of your educational stay in the Emerald Isle.
Passport: Ireland-to-US (Return) Flight/s
You can neither fly to nor enter the US without an up-to-date passport. Because you process through US customs and immigration at Dublin Airport (DUB), Terminal Two, the Wexford program ensures that you arrive at DUB at least three hours before the transatlantic flight (e.g., DUB to ATL). Lest you face a fine and/or detention, do not attempt to bring to the United States any fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, soil, or rocks. When checking in at DUB, show your passport to the airline (e.g., Delta) desk agent at Departures. That individual then issues you with your boarding passes for the entire return journey. They also check your suitcase through to your final destination (e.g., Savannah). Next, process through airport security and enter The Loop, Dublin Airport’s duty-free retail and food-court zone.
Departing from Dublin Airport: US Preclearance
In The Loop, keep an eye on a Departures monitor. When the monitor indicates, “Proceed to US Preclearance,” follow the signs downstairs to the United States Department of Homeland Security area, where you show your passport and Ireland-to-US boarding pass to a security agent and then enter a line for a passport inspection, biometric photo verification, and brief interview, all conducted by a US Customs and Border Protection (US-CBP) officer. By this point, your checked suitcase will have undergone a behind-the-scenes US-CBP inspection. Next, go to the boarding gate. Please note: In order to board the transatlantic flight (e.g., Dublin, Terminal Two, to Atlanta), you may need to show your passport, in addition to your boarding pass. Increasingly, boarding-gate agents are also using biometric photo identification.
No Need to Process through Immigration & Customs after Touching Down in US
Having been cleared by the US-CBP officer, you are effectively back in the United States, although still in Dublin Airport! When your transatlantic flight touches down at its destination US airport (e.g., Atlanta), you simply disembark from the aircraft and make your way to the gate for the next leg of the journey (e.g., Atlanta to Savannah).
Non-Group Flying
If you have personal or family air miles or another mechanism to fly independently of the group, contact the director of your program, who can coordinate with you about your travel days and times and organize a reduction in the program cost to take account of your being exempted from the group-travel arrangement.
Health, Safety, Wellbeing: Priority #1
Culture of Mutual Respect
The health, safety, and wellbeing of our Wexford Campus learning community constitute a constant priority and a shared responsibility. With enthusiasm, rigor, and integrity, we advance learning and discovery; community engagement; care for one another; and gratitude towards our Irish partners. All Wexford-based teaching, research, and internship programs insist on a culture of mutual respect and support; friendliness and politeness; and cooperation and adaptability. Upholding Georgia Southern’s values and principles — and its rules and regulations — we grow both ourselves and others. At all times, be aware that you are representing Georgia Southern University, the State of Georgia, and even the United States. How you act and speak will resonate with the Irish people whom you meet.
Ireland: World’s Second-Safest Nation
According to the respected Institute for Economics and Peace, which assesses countries in terms of their levels of peace, safety, and stability, Ireland ranks second in the world (2024), with Iceland being first, Austria third, New Zealand fourth, and Singapore fifth. Social order and decorum are such that members of the Garda (Ireland’s national police force) do not carry firearms. Hospitality pervades Irish life: you cannot visit a home without being offered a cup of tea and a bite to eat; and the enjoyment of fellowship, known by the Irish-language word craic (pronounced “crack”), is a core aspiration.
Secure, Limited-Access Accommodation & Classroom Complexes
Our accommodations center, Talbot Suites, is a high-quality complex in a safe, in-town neighborhood with swipe-key access for the exterior doors, the lobbies’ interior doors, each floor-entry door, and each apartment-entry door. No more than four students share an apartment, and only they can open their apartment-entry door. Non-Georgia Southern individuals are strictly forbidden from joining our students anywhere in the Talbot Suites complex. For its part, Georgia Southern University’s Learning Center (located 0.8 mile from Talbot Suites) also boasts a safe neighborhood, and the three walking routes between Talbot Suites and the Learning Center — the quays (i.e., waterfront), Main Street, and High Street — are also safe, whether in daylight or after dark. Entry into the Learning Center requires punching a code into an exterior-door lock and another code into an interior-door lock. Professional security companies provide 24/7 monitoring of both Talbot Suites and the Learning Center.
Garda (Police), Hospital, Ambulance, Emergency Services
The Wexford Town Garda (police) headquarters is a four-minute drive from Talbot Suites. And the full-service Wexford General and University Hospital is a four-minute drive from the Learning Center. The hospital grounds contain the regional command post of Ireland’s national ambulance/EMS service. Garda, fire, ambulance, and other emergency services are available 24/7 by dialing freephone 999. For non-emergencies, you can contact the Garda via a confidential helpline: freephone 1-800-666-111. Georgia Southern University maintains strong relationships with high-ranking professionals in the security and emergency services. Furthermore, we communicate with the local Garda (police) chief the dates of — and the number of students and faculty members participating in — each program.
Physical Health
When applying to a Wexford program, we gather full details of your health history, including: (a) the names, street and email addresses, and phone numbers of your two principal emergency contacts and those of your general and specialist physicians; (b) the names and doses of your medications; (c) your allergies; and (d) any other physical and/or psychological health information you wish to share. By law, all Irish restaurant menus are coded for the top 14 allergens. Any time that you feel sick, however mildly, inform the program director. For low-level sickness, a good strategy is to visit a pharmacy (also know as a chemist) for a free consultation with the duty pharmacist, who may recommend an over-the-counter medication. The program director keeps a supply of covid-testing kits, and we are able to isolate and take care of covid sufferers until their recovery.
Doctor & Hospital Care
In cases of more severe or persistant sickness, a member of the program staff accompanies the sufferer to either the Emergency Department at Wexford General and University Hospital (open 24/7) or the Wexford Primary Care Center (open 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM, Monday to Friday). Both facilities are run by the Health Services Executive, Ireland’s national health system. A visit costs €100 (approx. $115), which the Wexford program either pays for on site or reimburses the student for through the mandatory health-insurance packet included in the program cost. Please note: The €100 fee covers an entire treatment, except medications prescribed upon release. During Spring 2024, one student’s visit to the Emergency Department resulted in his being hospitalized for three nights for gall-bladder treatment. No invoice other than the initial €100 fee was or could be delivered to either the Wexford program or the student, a circumstance radically different to the US, where the average daily rate for a hospital stay exceeds $2,880.
>> Address of Wexford General and University Hospital: Newtown Road, Carricklawn, Wexford Town, County Wexford, Y35 Y17D, Ireland • +353-53-915-3000
>> Address of Wexford Primary Care Center: Grogan’s Road, Townparks, Wexford Town, County Wexford, Ireland, Y35 DA39 • +353-53-911-4201
Mental Health & Emotional Wellbeing
Should you find yourself concerned about your mental health and/or emotional wellbeing, you can talk in private to the program director and/or another member of the program staff. The staff always includes at least one female and one male member. They can help you secure appropriate professional assistance, whether within or outside the Georgia Southern care family. If suicidal, self-harming, or other severely depressive thoughts are affecting you, we recommend either of the following respected, confidential services: (a) Samaritans Ireland, whose 24/7 freephone number is 116-123; (b) Pieta, whose 24/7 freephone number is 1-800-247-247. Pieta’s no-charge crisis therapists are available by texting HELP to 51444. Alternatively, you can make an appointment for its free, non-crisis, 1:1 therapy by calling 0-818-111-126. Pieta has a physical location just south of Wexford Town, a six-minute drive or bus ride from Talbot Suites: M.J. O’Connor Building, 1st Floor, Rochestown, Drinagh, County Wexford, Y35 E76D, Ireland (+353-53-912-2787). The hours are 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM on Monday; 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Tuesday and Wednesday; 1:00 PM to 9:00 PM on Thursday; and 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM on Friday. Another excellent resource is the Wexford Mental Health Association’s guide to support services, which provides contact information for over 30 organizations, including the HSE Drug & Alcohol Helpline and Jigsaw, a provider of free mental-health support for young adults under 25. To complement the guide, the Wexford Campus and the university’s Counseling Center have created a webpage detailing Wexford- and Ireland-based mental-health and wellbeing services.
Access to Georgia Southern Health Resources
When studying on the Wexford Campus, you continue to have access to many of Georgia Southern University’s Georgia-based health and counseling services, whether for physical or mental health needs. The best place to start is the Health Services homepage, which has information about making telehealth appointments. You can also call +1-912-478-5641; or email health@georgiasouthern.edu.
Packing & Money • Independent Travel
Avoid Packing Too Many Clothes
A venerable traveler’s adage states, “Pack, Unpack, Half, Repack, Double.” The phrase means the following: Pack your suitcase. Then unpack it and place the contents on a table or a bed. Next, re-pack the suitcase, taking half as many clothes and twice as much spending money! Without doubt, most people bring far too many clothes to the Wexford Campus. Remember: Each Talbot Suites apartment has a clothes washer and dryer, making wardrobe management a cinch! Should you find yourself in need of a T-shirt, socks, a swimsuit, or a similar item, both Penneys and Dunnes in Wexford Town sell garments at good-value prices.
Think Layers of Clothing
The watchword for clothes-packing is “layers.” Ireland’s being a relatively small, North Atlantic island means that weather systems tend to blow in and out quickly. Conditions can change from showers to sunshine and from cool to warm in a matter of hours. Due to the North Atlantic Drift, which originates in the Gulf of Mexico, Ireland has a milder climate than most regions at the same latitude. In County Wexford in March, the average low temperature is 41º Fahrenheit and the average high 51ºF. As for July and August, the average low is 55º and the average high 65ºF. Packing layers, such as a couple of lightweight sweatshirts (or hoodies) and a lightweight, breathable rain jacket, constitutes a smart strategy. The overall sartorial (i.e., clothes) vibe in Ireland is casual, even in houses of worship and restaurants; however, you should bring one “nice” outfit for going out and/or meeting high-level politicians, business people, and the like. Students taking courses from the Parker College of Business must pack at least one business-casual outfit (e.g., blazer, smart pants, and a shirt and tie for a man). If you intend to use the free gym facilities at Talbot Fitness (beside Talbot Suites), pack appropriate workout gear. Use of a swim hat is mandatory in the facility’s pool.
Footwear
You will certainly rack up plenty of steps in Ireland, which is much more pedestrian-friendly than the US. People walk all the time, and significant sections of central Wexford Town and central Dublin are pedestrian-only zones. We cannot over-stress the importance of bringing strong but comfortable walking shoes, preferably waterproof ones. A single pair of such shoes should suffice for your entire trip, but if you are into hiking, do consider packing, in addition, a non-bulky pair of waterproof hiking boots. (Ireland abounds in superb hiking trails, especially mountain ones.) In the unlikely event that heavy rain persists, some students may choose to purchase Wellington (i.e. rubber) boots. Available at Penneys and other outlets for around €15 (approximately $17) per pair, they are easy to rinse off; however, they can become sweaty and uncomfortable if worn for an extended period of walking. For Honors College Global Scholars students studying sustainability in agriculture, Wellington boots constitute a great choice for visits to farms and agricultural-research stations.
Important: Clothing with Logos
During your time in Ireland, you act as an ambassador for Georgia Southern University, which likely will be supporting you by means of a scholarship or gift. Even if you dress casually, your clothing, demeanor, words, and deeds must reflect the standards that Eagle Nation espouses. Under no circumstances should you wear apparel that promotes a school, college, or university other than Georgia Southern. Similarly, you should not bring items that display the logos of non-Georgia Southern sports teams (e.g., the Atlanta Braves, the Savannah Ghost Pirates); external organizations (e.g., a sorority or fraternity, a band, a business); or an external cause or event (e.g., Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Savannah). The exceptions to the Georgia Southern-only rule are: (a) plain clothing with minimal manufacturer/brand identification marks; (b) Wexford-specific clothing, such as purple-and-gold Wexford GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association) gear. For purposes of photography, please pack at least two items of clothing that promote Georgia Southern. Protect the Nest! GATA! For certain activities, the program will require you to wear Georgia Southern apparel.
As a participant in a Wexford Campus program, you are obligated to join a program-specific WhatsApp group. Particularly in scenarios where group members may become separated from one another (e.g., moving through airports), WhatsApp — which is widely used in Ireland and Western Europe — provides an ideal means of communicating. Free to join, the service is encrypted (i.e. safe and secure); furthermore, it allows you to text or call, at no cost, another WhatsApp user, regardless of that individual’s physical location on the planet.
Phone Plan
Well in advance of departure, contact your phone provider about the most cost-effective time-limited add-on to your plan for your time in Ireland. For example: Verizon offers a $10/day international option that permits unlimited calls and texts to both US and Irish numbers and, in addition, supplies generous amounts of high-speed internet access, regardless of whether or not you are on Wi-Fi. Of course, if Wi-Fi is available (the case at the Georgia Southern Learning Center and Talbot Suites), you should take advantage of it. The international calling code for the US is +1 (e.g., +1-912-478-8424) and for Ireland is +353 (e.g., +353-53-478-8424).
Credit Cards
In common with most Western European countries, Ireland uses the Euro currency. However, Northern Ireland uses the British pound (also known as sterling). We recommend that you deploy cash only sparingly, for most Irish retailers accept US Visa and MasterCard credit cards, which provide greater security than carrying cash can. In Ireland, American Express is not much accepted, and Discover hardly at all. The best-case scenario is to have a US Visa or MasterCard that does not impose a foreign transaction fee (FTF) on purchases made in Ireland. You can confirm how your credit card stacks up by calling the freephone customer-service number on the card. Acting as soon as possible gives you time to transfer to a zero-FTF card, if necessary. US News maintains a webpage with information about zero-FTF credit cards; however, our pointing it out does not constitute an endorsement of its contents.
Obtaining Euro Cash
Avoid purchasing Euro cash at an airport money-exchange counter (also known as a bureau de change). The commission charged by such entities can be extreme. Preferable strategies are: (a) ordering Euro from your US bank (several weeks before departure); or (b) using your US debit card (Visa or MasterCard) while in Ireland to withdraw Euro cash from an ATM operated by either Bank of Ireland or Allied Irish Banks. Those two banks are government-regulated, so they can only charge a fixed commission on the withdrawal, which we recommend should be €100, €150, or €200. Best practice is to make the withdrawal from an ATM inside the bank premises, during business hours. Likely, you will receive the money in €50 notes (bills). You can ask a clerk to consider giving you some €10s and €20s in exchange for at least one of the €50s. Sometimes, they agree; sometimes they do not. Certain hairdressing salons, barber shops, and taxi services only accept cash, so having cash on hand can prove useful, even if the majority of your transactions occur via credit card.
Cost of Living
In Wexford, the cost of living is roughly the same as in Coastal Georgia. Gasoline (petrol) is an exception, due to high Irish gas taxes; however, Irish food tends to be slightly less expensive, even though its quality is better. (E.g., Irish beef and dairy cattle are pasture-raised.) Having a fully equipped kitchen in your Talbot Suites apartment allows you to save money on restaurant bills. When you eat out, go to a pub, or hire a taxi, no tip is sought or required because Irish labor law requires that employers pay service providers a living wage. The Wexford program takes care of many in-country expenses: group airport pick-ups and drop-offs; all program-related transportation; all admission and guide charges for Educational Field Experiences; all speaker fees; the welcome and farewell meals; and health insurance. Each program’s cost covers the two biggest expenses: round-trip transatlantic airfare (which can exceed $1,800 per traveler) and all accommodation charges, whether in Wexford Town or another location where the program is overnighting.
Your Personal Budget
You need to budget for groceries, non-program travel, personal recreation, and incidentals, but little more. Often, the initial Ireland days of a program unfold with team-building, sightseeing, and field learning at a venue (such as Galway City and its rural hinterland) away from the Wexford Campus. You should plan to spend more money on food during those days, for your access to a self-catering kitchen may be limited or non-existent. Throughout your program, its director and staff will suggest plenty of no- and low- cost recreational opportunities for students. In Dublin, all branches of the National Museum are free, as in the National Gallery, the National Library, the National Museum of Modern Art, the Hugh Lane Gallery, and the Chester Beatty Library. Throughout Ireland, seisiúin, traditional music sessions in pubs, are generally free. On certain weekends and even on some weekday evenings, every program attempts to offer low-cost, faculty-led recreational opportunities, such as hiking trips.
Independent Travel, Using the Buddy System
Whether shopping, exercising, or going to a restaurant, pub, concert, show, or other venue in Wexford Town or elsewhere, you must observe the buddy system, which means keeping company with at least one or (preferably) two or more other Georgia Southern students. The buddy system also applies to any in-county or out-of-country travel undertaken independently. Irrespective of all other considerations, independent travel must be pre-approved by the program director and the director of the university’s Office of Global Engagement. A single, straightforward application form is available, which the prospective travelers can submit jointly. The form captures such details as transportation, accommodation, and itinerary. Should parents or legal guardians be visiting, the program can waive the buddy requirement; however, permission must be negotiated with the program director, giving at least seven days’ notice.
Clean, Safe, Good-Value Public Transport
>> Wexford Town offers three transportation links to Dublin: Irish Rail (Iarnód Éireann); Expressway (Bus Éireann); and Wexford Bus. On-board, each offers free WiFi, although we have found the signal on Expressway to be spotty. The train service has bathrooms, but the bus services do not. Whether train or bus, the services stop in town centers along their respective routes. For passenger pick-up and drop-off in Wexford Town, all three services are clustered at or beside O’Hanrahan Train Station on Redmond Square, a straightforward, 10-to-12-minute walk from Talbot Suites or a four-minute walk from Georgia Southern University’s Learning Center (see map below). Please note: Timetables vary, depending on the day of the week. In general, the Monday-through-Friday timetable is different from the Saturday timetable, which is different from the Sunday timetable. In Ireland, public holidays are called bank holidays, and they usually follow the Sunday timetable.
>> TRAIN • Northbound from Wexford Town, the Irish Rail route terminates in central Dublin, at a station called Dublin Connolly. If you are going to Croke Park, Dublin’s 82,000-seat sports arena, Connolly is your best choice. It is also the station for directly transferring to trains for Belfast (northeast), Sligo (northwest), and Longford (midlands). From Connolly, you can take the Red Line of the Luas (tram) service westward across the city to Dublin Hueston, the departure station for trains to Waterford, Cork, County Kerry, Limerick, Galway, and County Mayo. If your intention is to explore Dublin’s city center, the best station for alighting from the Wexford-to-Dublin train is Dublin Pearse, the northbound stop before Dublin Connolly. Pearse is close to Trinity College Dublin (home of the Book of Kells); Merrion Square (location of the National Gallery and an entrance to Leinster House, the seat of government); and the main museum and shopping districts.
>> Using the Irish Rail website, you can buy a roundtrip train ticket and even select your outbound and return seats (e.g., outbound: Carriage B, Seat 20). One-way tickets are also available. On the train, your name displays above your seat. Pay with a Visa or MasterCard credit card. The ticket appears in your email. When traveling, have the email available so the ticket inspector can scan the QR code that it contains. When making your purchase, choose “Wexford O’Hanrahan” station as one end of the journey and “Dublin Pearse” station as the other end. Please note: The Dublin-bound train will indicate “Dublin Connolly” on its exterior electronic signage. The Wexford-bound train will indicate one of the following three terms: “Rosslare”; “Europort”; or “Rosslare Europort.” The journey takes approximately two-and-a-half hours. Many seasoned travelers consider the river and sea views from the Wexford-Dublin train to be some of the most beautiful among rail journeys anywhere on earth.
>> BUS • The train service provides fewer daily runs than do the two bus services. Between them, the latter provide a run in either direction almost every half-hour. A run takes approximately two-and-a-half hours. Visa and MasterCard credit cards are usable to buy a one-way or a roundtrip bus ticket, whether from the Wexford Bus website or the Expressway website. The ticket appears in your email. The driver scans it as you board the bus. (During the journey, a ticket inspector may also seek to scan it.) Wexford Bus gives the designation Route 740 to its Redmond Square, Wexford Town, to Dublin Airport service. A few times each day, that service operates as Route 740X (Express), which omits many stops, other than those in the south Dublin suburbs, Dublin City Center, and Dublin Airport. For its part, Expressway gives the designation Route 2 to its O’Hanrahan Station, Wexford Town, to Dublin Airport service.
>> The northbound Expressway and Wexford Bus routes terminate at Dublin Airport, having made several stops in central Dublin. Upon reaching the airport, they drop off at Terminal Two (all US flights), followed by Terminal One. Wexford Bus begins its southbound return to Wexford Town from Zone 14, Dublin Airport, outside Terminal One. Expressway uses Zone 13, beside Zone 14.
>> If you arrive in Dublin Airport Terminal Two (from the US) and have to travel from Dublin Airport to Wexford Town without the Georgia Southern group, follow the “Terminal One” directional signs from the Arrivals floor in Terminal Two. Upon reaching Terminal One, take an elevator/escalator down one story to the street-level floor in Terminal One. Exit Terminal One; cross the street to the carpark underpass; walk through the underpass; and cross the next street. You will readily see Zones 13 and 14. Strictly speaking, you do not have to pre-purchase a bus ticket. You can pay the driver by credit card or in cash as you board. Just ask for a “single” (i.e. oneway) ticket to Wexford Redmond Square. if your journey substitutes for a trip required by the program, keep your receipt. The program will reimburse you.
>> If you are traveling by bus with luggage, you need to store your suitcase in the luggage bay, accessible from the outside of the bus. At each stop, the driver opens the luggage bay. While you will sit in the bus’s main cabin without your suitcase, rest assured that it will be perfectly safe. Needless to say, never store medicine or high-value items in a suitcase.
Last updated: 10/23/2024