Language stay in Ireland in english with Gillian in Thurles

Immersion with Gillian

Rates decrease for long-term stays.

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€ in total 91.86 €/day all included

Weekdays kick off with the usual morning buzz around the house.
Everyone’s getting ready for school and work, chatting over breakfast and sorting out plans for the day. Your child joins in just like one of our own, and Gillian and Murt are always available to offer support, whether it’s help with school-related questions or simply a friendly chat before the day begins.
After school, the house springs back to life — our children are very active, so afternoons and evenings are full of movement.
Thurles has excellent clubs and facilities, including basketball, rugby, tennis, soccer, kickboxing, padel, a leisure centre with a gym and 25 metre swimming pool, and a fantastic music academy for students who want to begin or continue their musical journey.
We encourage students to join a club— it’s a brilliant way to make friends and feel part of the community.
For those interested, golf and horse riding are also available locally as paid options, and we’re happy to share more details.
Evenings are relaxed but still full of energy. Dinner is homemade and shared around the table. Afterwards, we might go for a walk in the nearby forest with our two friendly dogs, watch a sports match together, or simply unwind and chat about the day.

Weekends offer a mix of fun and downtime. Saturday mornings might start with a lie-in, followed by a walk in the woods or a trip into town. Sometimes we head out for a local outing — bowling, cinema, or shopping — or visit a nearby attraction as part of our included student monthly trips.

During the warmer spring and summer months, we often pack up and head to our beach home, where your child can enjoy swimming in Ireland’s coastal waters or even try a surf lesson.

We also love sharing special experiences. We recently took our current student to a rugby match in Dublin’s national stadium, which was a brilliant day out filled with excitement, Irish sporting spirit, and unforgettable memories.
Sundays are slower and more homey. Students generally enjoy relaxing before the busy week ahead — some meet up with new friends, while those who play rugby or football often have a match.
We might bake, watch a movie, or simply enjoy time together. Students are always welcome to join us for family celebrations like birthdays or a cosy dinner with extended family who all live locally and visit frequently.
Students are included in everything we do.

During their stay, your child will enjoy:
• Daily family life in a warm, welcoming home
• At least three exciting excursions — two local outings and one trip to a city or landmark
• Activities like beach trips, bowling, shopping, and a visit to a theme park — with choices tailored to their interests
• Plenty of opportunities to practice and improve their English
• Optional extra paid English classes if desired

Summer Availability Last Dates: 🦋🌿🌞🧃⛱🌊🍦
13th June - 27th June
July 27th - August 17th

🤔✍️📚 Taking bookings for Academic Stay 2026/27

Summer 2026 Student Stay Opportunity
We’re delighted to offer your child the chance to stay with our family for one week or more during August 2026 (we can accommodate from 27th July). We can accommodate up to four students at a time, so if your child would like to travel with a sibling or friend, we’d be happy to welcome them together.

We are a warm and welcoming family of six based in Thurles, a lively town in the heart of Ireland. Its central location makes it a fantastic base for exploring the country, with easy train access to Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway, and Waterford.
Gillian is a language and physical education teacher in a local secondary school and can help arrange academic placements for our students. She finishes school early each day, which means I am in a great position to support your child both academically and personally. She also holds a Master's qualification in coaching confidence in adolescents. Murt is a project manager, and together with our children we ensure our students feel at home and well cared for.

Over the past 7 years, we’ve hosted students from Spain, France, and Italy, and we’ve had wonderful experiences with each of them. We’re still in regular contact with many of our past students, and it’s a joy to see how those friendships have grown over time.

If you would like an academic place in one of our local schools, we can let you know the fees for enrolment and uniform.
We can also arrange for your child to take part in Transition Year (extra fee) at our local secondary school — this is a unique Irish programme that blends academics with fun activities, school outings, and work experience. This is a fantastic year for personal growth and building confidence. Alternatively, your child could follow a more traditional academic year, focusing on core subjects, depending on their age and educational goals.
It’s important to us that our students experience the best of Ireland — that’s why our monthly academic year package includes three trips: two local outings and one visit to a major Irish attraction or fun activity such as bowling or cinema or Christmas shopping. We also include a special outing to the St. Patrick’s Day parade, giving students a chance to enjoy the festive atmosphere, music, and community spirit that make Irish culture so unique.

During the warmer months, we visit our holiday home at the beach, where your child can enjoy swimming in Ireland’s beautiful coastal waters or even try a surf lesson — a fun and memorable way to experience Irish summer life.

We also factor in quiet weekends at home to give students time to relax, explore our town, or meet up with new friends. Our students are always included in family events such as birthdays, outings, and celebrations.

Please note: June and July 2026 are now fully booked, so early booking for August is recommended.

Carefully selected families

Families wishing to host with Linguifamily must first create a detailed listing, with photos, a description of their living environment, and the activities they offer. We then verify the identity and criminal records of each family member and conduct a one-hour video interview to ensure their profile perfectly matches our expectations.

Each Linguifamily host family has committed to respecting our Quality Charter. Only the most serious, welcoming, and caring families are accepted and listed on our platform.

Secure payments

Linguifamily acts as a trusted third party for payments. Our payment interface, hosted by Société Générale, guarantees the confidentiality of your banking data and the security of each transaction.

We will ask you to pay a 30% deposit by credit card at the time of booking. The remaining balance will be due 6 weeks before the start of the stay, payable by credit card, Chèques Vacances, or bank transfer.

Book with confidence

Free cancellation up to 48 hours after payment. If the host family needs to cancel the stay (due to family or health issues), our team will offer you other host families that match your criteria, or you will be fully refunded.

We also offer coverage through Axa Travel Assistance insurance, which covers costs such as repatriation or cancellation in case of urgent medical or family emergencies.

24/7 assistance

A question, an unexpected situation, or a need on-site? Our team is available 24/7 to support you continuously, before, during, and after your stay.

Problems are very rare, but in case of any issues, we intervene quickly to find a solution with the host family or, if necessary, offer you an alternative.

Train or flight travel not included

The journey to your host family (plane, train, or bus) is at your expense... and that's good news! It allows you to freely choose your travel dates based on the most affordable prices and the schedules that suit you.

However, your host family may offer to pick you up from the train station or airport (either for free or as an optional service).