Legal status Non-profit | Type Youth organization | |
Established 7 May 1931 (1931-05-07) Founders Thekla BeereMarion Tweedyand C.E. Terry Trench Focus to encourage youths to appreciate the Irish countryside through hostelling. | ||
An Óige ([an̪ˠ ˈoːɟə], meaning "Youth"), or the Irish Youth Hostel Association (IYHA), is the Hostelling International's association for the Republic of Ireland.
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Background
An Óige was founded on 7 May 1931 by an organising committee, which included Thekla Beere, Marion Tweedy, and C.E. Terry Trench, Hon. National Secretary, as a membership based organisation and is a member of the International Youth Hostel Federation. The first youth hostel was opened in 1931 in Lough Dan (Irish: Loch Dean), near Round Wood (Irish: An Tochar), in County Wicklow (Irish: Cill Mhantáin).
As of 2016, An Óige operates 24 youth hostels in the Republic of Ireland and an additional 4 in Northern Ireland.
Objective
To help all, but especially young people, to a love and appreciation of the countryside, particularly by providing simple hostel accommodation for them whilst on their travels.