2025 Galloway Ireland Civil Rights Program

Accommodations

Premier Inn Dublin City Centre (The Liberties)

Located in the city centre and a short walk away from St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Premier Inn offers the perfect location during our time in Dublin. This is a newer property, and all rooms have air conditioning and access to free wifi.

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Premier Inn Belfast Cathedral Quarter

The Cathedral Quarter was traditionally the home of Belfast’s trade associations and warehouses, and still has some of the city’s oldest buildings. The Premier Inn is located in the heart of Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter, just a five-minute walk from Victoria Square shopping centre. Free wifi is available throughout the property and all rooms have air conditioning.

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Premier Inn Derry / Londonderry

Premier Inn is just a short stroll across Peace Bridge to Millennium Forum’s big events, close to lively Ebrington. Recently renovated, the hotel offers free wifi throughout the property as well as air conditioning.

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Group Flight

Once your flight schedule has been confirmed, the itinerary will appear here.

Walking Tree will secure a seat on the group flight for each participant unless otherwise instructed.

Travelers are responsible for checked baggage fees. Please visit the airline’s baggage webpage to learn if you should expect to pay anything.

We will provide a group manifest – complete with reservation codes and ticket numbers – to the Group Organizer/s before departure, and travelers will need to check in at the airport in order to receive their boarding pass and have documents verified. We recommend arriving no later than three hours prior to the scheduled departure, but contact your Group Organizer for specific details on exactly where and when to meet on the day of departure.

FLIGHT INTERRUPTION, DELAY OR CANCELLATION 
Air travel can be unpredictable.  Regardless of proper planning, there may still be instances when a flight is delayed or cancelled due to staffing shortages, weather, mechanical problems, etc.  Please note that in such an event, Walking Tree Travel (WTT) is not financially responsible for unanticipated costs incurred by travelers en route.  Our programs officially begin and end in the destination country, and because our staff doesn’t fly with the group, Group Organizers (the traveling faculty member/s) become the front-line advocate for the group in the event of a delay. In most cases of cancellations or delays, the airline will be the one who re-books travel or possibly arranges a hotel and food the night.  Our primary role will be to  keep families updated and provide support to the Group Organizer to reach a  quick and effective resolution.

Host Community and Project Details

Packing List

What follows is a sample packing list but you know yourself better than we do so please adjust accordingly. We recommend you bring a larger piece of luggage like a roller, duffel bag, or backpack, as well as a smaller backpack that you can bring on daily outings, weekend excursions and shorter activities.

“Less is more” is a packing tip we encourage for all our travelers. The list below should cover everything you would need, but know yourself and what you are comfortable traveling with.  We suggest bringing only as much as you would be able to carry on your own.

Finally, we recommend consulting a weather forecast for your destination. 

CLOTHES 

• Underwear
• Socks (a mixture of good hiking socks and casual socks)
• T-shirts
• Long sleeve shirts
• Light rain jacket
• Warm jacket, scarf, hat and gloves
• Sweatshirt/s
• Comfortable/light-weight pants
• Durable athletic/walking shoes for cooler weather

TOILETRIES

• Your basics
• High SPF sunscreen
• Basic first aid
• Hand Sanitizer
• Medications in original packaging. Prescription meds should show patients name

MISCELLANEOUS

• Passport and one photocopy
• Outlet adapter for plug G
• Student ID
• Sunglasses
• Journal and pen
• Book/s
• Camera
• Debit card/US Dollars (we recommend about $150-$200, depending on amount of desired souvenirs, extra items etc. Students will also need money to pay for their own lunches, many of which can be paid with a credit/debit card)
• Durable water bottle
• Deck of cards or other portable games
• Portable power bank (optional)
• Travel size umbrella (optional)
• Sense of adventure

Support Team

At a minimum, one experienced Program Leader will travel on every trip. In addition to this full time leadership presence, Walking Tree has additional staff in all destinations and 24/7 support from our headquarters in Denver, Colorado. Below you’ll find the the team members involved in the preparation, planning and execution of your program.

Gabriel Duncan

Co-Founder of Walking Tree Travel and Business Lead - Denver, CO

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Colby College – B.A. International Relations and Government

While at Colby, Gabriel spent a semester in Spain at the University of Salamanca studying contemporary Spanish politics and Spanish language. He also lettered for four-years on Colby’s lacrosse team and earned All-American honors. After graduating, Gabriel hit the road. He fished commercially in Alaska, taught in Chile and China, led programs for students in Spain and Costa Rica, and traveled to over 50 countries and all 50 states in the USA. Regardless of where Gabriel is located, he is constantly haunted by his naive faith and unconditional love for Denver sports teams.

Jordan Sparrow

Director of Operations - Lisbon, Portugal

[email protected]

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University of Kansas – B.A. Latin American Studies; Global and International Studies, Minor in Brazilian Studies

Jordan hails from Kansas City where he spent his entire childhood. Although he didn’t realize it at the time, his first international experience would set the course for the rest of his life.  After high school, he traveled to Guatemala where he began learning Spanish and cultivated a deep interest in everything Latin America. In college, Jordan spent almost half of his university career studying abroad in both Costa Rica and Brazil.  In 2010, Jordan moved to Costa Rica for six years where he began his professional career teaching Portuguese to Costa Ricans and working with Walking Tree Travel.  From Costa Rica he moved to Denver, Colorado and spent seven years traveling the USA and experiencing life as an adult in America for the first time. Jordan is trilingual and has traveled to more than 30 countries around the world. He currently lives in Lisbon, Portugal and enjoys practicing yoga, hiking, biking, spending time at the beach and cooking Middle Eastern food.

Sara Lavell

Program Leader

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Universidad de Costa Rica – B.Sc. Geography

Proudly born a ”tica” with a British father and a Panamanian mother, Sara was raised in the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. Sara started traveling the world at a young age and has visited 4 continents. Passionate about conservation, sustainable development and education Sara spent her college years volunteering in different communities during mid-term vacations and later found herself sharing some of her interests with US students and volunteers traveling all over Central America. Nowadays, Sara is finishing her master’s degree in Planning with an emphasis on Socioeconomic Project Management.

Ailbe Cofey

Program Leader

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Ailbe is from Ireland and has been a traveler all his life. At a young age his parents took the entire family to Belgium for 6 years. He returned to Ireland for 

his education. He began working as a tour manager in 1994 and has led in excess of 300 tours of students, choirs, sports teams and concert bands in over 

20 countries. He has traveled and lived all around the world and now resides in London. Ailbe has worked mainly as a tour director and when not touring, 

which is rare, he is on his own travels around the globe most recently traveling to South Africa and South America. He is a passionate music collector with 

thousands of records & CDs. He is a lifelong fan of Liverpool football club as well as any and all sporting contests that Ireland are involved in. He was 

fortunate enough to work at the Olympics in Sydney in 2000 and London 2012.

Group Roster

Below is a list of the travelers enrolled on the program.

• 1 Adam Berardi
• 2 Alexander Hogan
• 3 Ariella Lewis
• 4 Bennett Stone
• 5 Caroline Lackey
• 6 Cooper Davies
• 7 Danielle Reed
• 8 Dylan Homer
• 9 Eleonora Perez-Rubio
• 10 George Hallowell
• 11 Henry Schlachter
• 12 Isaiah Campbell
• 13 Jackson Stewart
• 14 Jeffrey Clark
• 15 John Hernacki
• 16 Joie Beth Weiss
• 17 Josalyn Read
• 18 Joshua Layton
• 19 Maccabee Anderson
• 20 Malcolm Brown
• 21 Max Horn
• 22 Quinn Smith
• 23 Robin Elms
• 24 Ryan Levin
• 25 Sadie Shapiro
• 26 Sam Biglari
• 27 Sidney Silhan

Blog and Communication

During travel we work hard to keep families updated as frequently as possible with blog posts and photos, giving you peace of mind that your traveler is safe and thriving on their program.  Students regularly contribute to these posts, providing families back home a great way to vicariously track the progress of the trip. You will be notified when the first update is posted, after which we recommend checking in regularly via the black “Program Blog” button at the top of this webpage.

Assuming your school allows the use of cell phones, most destinations are wired enough to allow participants access WiFi at different moments in the program, allowing them to communicate directly with home. Ask your Walking Tree representative about the degree of connectivity on your program.

GLC Curriculum

Standards of Behavior

In order to run a safe and successful program, it is vital that travelers are prepared to be on their best behavior and bring enthusiasm and interest to each and every day. A communal atmosphere of trust and mutual respect is the foundational.  As such, all individuals participating on a Walking Tree program are required to take responsibility for their actions and adhere to a high standard of personal conduct.

IMMEDIATE DISMISSAL

1. Possessing, consuming or distributing alcohol or illegal drugs.
2. Associating with participants while they are in possession of alcohol or illegal drugs.
3. Behaving in a way that consistently damages the group dynamic or jeopardizes personal or group safety. This includes consistently displaying a negative attitude, intimidating or excluding other participants, sneaking out, disobeying group leaders, and any other behavior that is not conducive to an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect.

GROUNDS FOR DISMISSAL OR IN-COUNTRY CONSEQUENCE

1. Getting a piercing or tattoo.
2. Stealing, or deliberately damaging or defacing any personal property, buildings or materials.
3. Threatening physical or emotional harm, or brandishing a weapon.
4. Possessing, consuming, or distributing tobacco or nicotine, including vape pens.
5. Riding mopeds, motorcycles, or any other type of unauthorized vehicle.
6. Being out of designated area or accommodations after curfew.
7. Breaking group rules.

These standards of behavior are essential for the successful completion of your program. Please take the time to review these as a family and make sure everyone understands and agrees to them.

Health and Safety

We strongly recommend visiting the CDC Ireland website to get the most updated information on health and vaccination considerations in your destination country. In addition, we encourage you to consult your personal family physician so you can be as informed as possible when making important decisions about vaccinations and other necessary health-related preparations before traveling.

Our in-country staff meticulously prepare for all programs. Walking Tree receives regular updates from the U.S. Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to proactively stay ahead of any potential security concerns. Our in-country staff also verify the safety records of our partner organizations, vendors, and transportation providers, thoroughly vet homestay families through in-depth interviews and visits, and stay informed about important current events in the region.

Program Leaders are seasoned travelers who are CPR and First Aid certified, undergo thorough training in crisis management, and participate in comprehensive leadership training. We do our best to prepare for any eventuality and have detailed emergency protocols for our leaders, in-country staff, and U.S.-based staff.

We collect medical disclosures from all participants to ensure we can meet every student’s needs during the program. Please inform us immediately of any additional health issues not listed during your initial registration process. Leaders and in-country staff are prepared to respond promptly to any mental, physical, or emotional health concerns and follow comprehensive emergency protocols.

Insurance

While we work hard to ensure the safest experience possible for our travelers on program, experience teaches that travel can be unpredictable. For this reason, we recommend that all travelers consider a travel insurance policy with a Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) provision. Detailed explanations of plan options can be found via the link below.

To provide travelers and families with a quality option, Walking Tree has partnered with Travel Insured International, one of the most respected providers in the industry.  Begin by getting a quote here.

IMPORTANT NOTE: in order to secure coverage that includes CFAR, you must purchase the plan within 14-21 days of your first payment to Walking Tree. Be careful when you read the tenets of the policy to ensure you understand the required timeframe for purchase. You must also insure 100% of your trip cost, so program tuition + flight. Please reach out to us with questions.