From Dublin to Mayo

Allta

I am feeling very tired of the rat-race. The traffic. The rent. The increasingly depressing house prices, which started to be depressing years ago. So I've been thinking of leaving all of this, leaving Dublin, and going for a better quality of life.

I've thought about options, and figured that I want to be near the sea, and at least sort of near a rail terminus. The one place which seems to suit aesthetics and location seems to be the area between Westport and Newport, and possibly over along the coast to Mulvaney or Achill.

What would this be like? Obviously I'm going to have to pay some visits to the area to scope it out properly, and soon, too. But since this is the West forum, I thought I'd ask some questions. What's it like living in the West? Bord Gáis doesn't pipe out here, but is canister gas cooking known and convenient – or is the only choice an electric range or an Aga? Are services in general improving? Is there an optimism about such things in Mayo? Are the roads cared for?

Maybe that's enough questions to start.

oscarBravo

You're right about one thing - you'll have to come out and have a look around. Ideally stay a while in a couple of the places you've mentioned and get a feel for the locality.

Some specific answers to your questions: living in the west is wonderful, if it suits your temperament. I couldn't imagine living in Dublin again. Bottled gas is fine for cooking; I have two large propane tanks outside my house. It's more expensive than natural gas, but not too bad. Services are good, but will never touch what you're used to in Dublin.[1] You'd have to be more specific to get a more specific answer. Roads are largely crap, but getting better.

As to optimism - that's a very individual thing. There's a very strong community spirit in many parts of the west. In my experience, that community spirit is very welcoming to like-minded individuals from outside who are prepared to contribute.


[1] With the exception of broadband - many parts of the west are working on having better broadband services than almost anything currently available in the cities.

Allta

Thank you for your comments! It's encouraging. I'm sure many more questions will come to mind. One is about renting. Where is the best place to look for houses for rent? I don't mean localities; I mean, which of the newspapers (on which day), or is it best done at local auctioneers or the like? Or good old DAFT.IE?

How likely is it that the western rail corridor will be re-opened... and when? That would go a long way to connecting people to Shannon (as an alternative to Knock, which I heard is pretty poor, or Dublin which would be more remote).

monument

Allta wrote:

Thank you for your comments! It's encouraging. I'm sure many more questions will come to mind. One is about renting. Where is the best place to look for houses for rent? I don't mean localities; I mean, which of the newspapers (on which day), or is it best done at local auctioneers or the like? Or good old DAFT.IE?

How likely is it that the western rail corridor will be re-opened... and when? That would go a long way to connecting people to Shannon (as an alternative to Knock, which I heard is pretty poor, or Dublin which would be more remote).

The main rail line in Mayo is the Dublin to Westport line serving Castlebar, with a only other currently active line being the off spurt Ballina line (serving Foxford) breaking off sometime before Castlebar. ([url][/url])

I wouldn’t be quick to but bets on the western rail corridor. It is said it could, if at all, only start with trains going from Galway to near by towns, and Sligo to near by towns.

Dublin is as a close to a lot of Mayo as Shannon - the difference in time isn’t worth talking about.

Knock International Airport (out side Charlestown, not Knock village) has, and is continuing to expand its routes. With flights to London Stansted (Ryanair), Liverpool (AerArann), Manchester (BA), Manchester (bmibaby), Nottingham East Midlands (bmibaby), and Birmingham (my travel lite). And with chartered flights this year to from sun to snow… Lanzarote, Majorca, Gran Canaria, Malaga, Cyprus, Spain, Portugal, South Africa, and Andorra – ok, all but one is sun. The airport has the “capability to handle intercontinental aircraft”.

Broadband availability in Ireland
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=95197

Satellite Broadband & dial up options
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=63719

newspapers...

I’ve seen at least once Western People on sale in Eason's on O’Connell street in Dunlin, it’s out on Wednesdays, the others may also be there at some point, best to ask Eason's…

http://www.westernpeople.ie/
http://www.con-telegraph.ie/
http://www.mayonews.ie/

loads of info on Mayo...
http://www.mayo-ireland.ie/

Allta

Thans for those links, Monument; I'd found them googling already. As far as trains goes I was just wondering if eventually it would be possible to get to Shannon from Westport via Claremorris and Athenry rather than via Portarlington.

Knock though seems a waste of space for me. When I travel it's not to holiday destinations. Normally it's via Heathrow onward to something much farther. I won't fly with Ryanair any more because I don't like their business practices. Some good connections might happen via Manchester though. Worst case I could take the train to Dublin. I'm prepared for that. Well, I'll have to be.

I'll look for those papers in Easons, but my question remains: are those the best ways to find a house to rent near Westport, or would more local resources (or DAFT) be better?

Looks like I'll be heading down to Westport early next week. This is an exciting time. Change!

monument

A I said I wouldn’t be quick to but bets on the western rail corridor, you could always get the bus, but in the worst case you could fly Ryanair!

I haven’t used DAFT.ie, but I'd think the local papers could be better, the Connaught Telegraph (Castlebar), and more so the Mayo News (Westport) would be better for where you need.

Anyway good luck!

irishgeo

if you looking for a house in westport , the mayo news is best as its based in westport.

Mayo News = Westport
Connaught Telegraph = Castlebar
Western People = Ballina

oscarBravo

Allta wrote:

Worst case I could take the train to Dublin.

Here's an idea you're going to have to get used to: if you move down here, you're going to need a car. Public transport really is all but non-existent in the West.

You could rely on the train for transport to Dublin, but in my experience as often as not the timing just doesn't work out. The bus service is better, but with the state of the roads a long bus journey is not usually a pleasant experience.

Yoda

Tempting idea.

Allta

Monument: You can't rely on Ryanair if you have a connecting flight, alas, though Aer Arann and Manchester might prove useful.

IrishGeo: Easons in O'Connell Street had none, but I did pick up The Connacht Telegraph and The Western People in Easons in Nassau Street today.

OscarBravo: Car. Yeah, a car. Well, freed from Dublin rents maybe it would be a possibility. (I'm sure the partner will get one before I do; anyway my licence lapsed some years ago -- I wasn't driving and I forgot to renew -- so I'll have to go through the horror of testing and all that and get a new one.)

Yoda: It sure is to me.

oscarBravo

Allta wrote:

I did pick up The Connacht Telegraph and The Western People in Easons in Nassau Street today.

Check out page 8 of the Western. The article's pretty crap, but there are a couple of pictures of me on it. Let me know if you want more clarity on the state of broadband in the west than that article may have left you with.

Allta wrote:

OscarBravo: Car. Yeah, a car. Well, freed from Dublin rents maybe it would be a possibility.

I'm not kidding - it's a necessity.

Allta

The 4 August edition of The Western People is what I got, OscarBravo, and it doesn't seem to have an article about you in it. But I did read about the Group Data Schemes on the IrelandOffline forum. I guess that's what you're talking about. It's very interesting.

Having said that, isn't the exchange in Westport enabled for DSL? Of course it depends how far someone lives from the exchange. I heard that Newport is on Eircom's "trigger list" and that Eircom specified a trigger number which is greater than the actual number of households in the area. That isn't very encouraging.

As far as the car goes, I believe you. It's a logistics problem for me since I don't have a licence yet.

irishgeo

Allta wrote:

The 4 August edition of The Western People is what I got, OscarBravo, and it doesn't seem to have an article about you in it. But I did read about the Group Data Schemes on the IrelandOffline forum. I guess that's what you're talking about. It's very interesting.

Having said that, isn't the exchange in Westport enabled for DSL? Of course it depends how far someone lives from the exchange. I heard that Newport is on Eircom's "trigger list" and that Eircom specified a trigger number which is greater than the actual number of households in the area. That isn't very encouraging.

As far as the car goes, I believe you. It's a logistics problem for me since I don't have a licence yet.

good old eircom.

monument

Going OT here...

oscarBravo wrote:

Check out page 8 of the Western. The article's pretty crap

I think they missed the whole how and where you can get broadband, as well as what it is, (and maybe what the practical uses are) - in plan English!

The above, along with a few minor errors, probably added to some peoples confused over broadband.

oscarBravo

monument wrote:

I think they missed the whole how and where you can get broadband, as well as what it is, (and maybe what the practical uses are) - in plan English!

Mairéad Lavery's Farmer's Journal article is still probably the best yet, from that perspective.

Allta

I'm Yoda. You probably guessed.

Yoda

Well, that was fun. So anyway, the move is on. Sometime between now and the end of September we'll be packing up and heading over. We found a house which we can rent till June (when it turns into a hugely expensive holiday rental) so that will give us plenty of time to get settled and look for something. That will be a lot easier when we are in the area in any case.

The house we found is near enough to the exchange to get broadband, though the copper probably isn't suitable. We'll see.

It's interesting that it's rather hard to find unfurnished rental accommodation. I suppose not that many people move west. On Monday we'll be heading up for two days in the area; we'll be heading out of town up to Newport and over to Mulranny to see what that all looks like.

sceptre

Allta wrote:

(I'm sure the partner will get one before I do; anyway my licence lapsed some years ago -- I wasn't driving and I forgot to renew -- so I'll have to go through the horror of testing and all that and get a new one.)

Unless it's out of date more than ten years you can just renew any time you like.

Yoda

Nope. The licence I had was my Oregon driving licence, and in Oregon you only have a year's grace period after your licence expires, and then you're licenceless.

ERR!

hey you want to live by the sea...live in greystones its not in Dublin but its by the sea n great handy place to live?

Yoda

Thought of that. Still too expensive. No different from Sutton, really. In the West we'll have the chance to buy a nice big house with a decent view of mountains and sea. That just doesn't happen on the East coast unless you're a millionnaire. Anyway, I work from home, and mostly use Dublin for cinema and proximity to the airport. The latter is quite a convenience, but owning my own house will more than make up for it.

ERR!

tee hee oh ok well greystones is a great place to live in n you dont have to be rich..

Yoda

I'm really looking forward to moving out of Dublin, actually.

ERR!

Yoda wrote:

I'm really looking forward to moving out of Dublin, actually.

ok,but greystones aint in dublin lol but i know what you mean...

Yoda

Packing.... Got the removal people booked for 13 September!

Drag00n79

Well done!

Yoda

I've been here since Monday, and love it. I keep getting up much earlier than I used to. Having the neighbouring cows look in the window by my desk will take some getting used to. Bright sunny morning today.

Okie

Yoda wrote:

I've been here since Monday, and love it. I keep getting up much earlier than I used to. Having the neighbouring cows look in the window by my desk will take some getting used to. Bright sunny morning today.

Well done Yoda, welcome to my neck of the woods!

Hope you'll be happy whever it is your stuated at the moment?

bowsie casey

Hi Yoda,
Could you give us an update on how this move went for you? I am planning a move to the same area (Newport / Mulranny) and would like to know how you got on....

Bowsie

Yoda

We started with a winter letting of a farmhouse east of Westport on the Ballinrobe Road. In May 2005 we moved to Lecanvey, in the shadow of Croagh Patrick (also renting). Currently we are saving up to buy a field and build a house.

Moving West was the best thing ever for me. I work at home, so I can live where I like. Being 15 minutes' drive from Westport suits me -- or my inner hermit -- too. There's a pub in Lecanvey. There used to be a shop, too. It would be handier if there were a shop again, but time will tell. The job market per se isn't so vibrant out here in the West, but I guess it depends what you do.

Are you moving north from Clare, Bowsie Casey?

yop

I used to live there myself Yoda, shame about the shop!! Where abouts are u renting?

kevmy

Yoda wrote:

Currently we are saving up to buy a field and build a house.

The only way to go. Will prob work out about 50k cheaper than buying a similar sized house AND you get the exact house you want.

Yoda wrote:

Being 15 minutes' drive from Westport suits me -- or my inner hermit -- too.

So you got the car then

Yoda wrote:

The job market per se isn't so vibrant out here in the West, but I guess it depends what you do.

Yep you pretty much have to have a job set up (if your moving to Westport it's prob Allergen - go Botox) or work from home or be available to take non-career type jobs.

bowsie casey

I have a new job in the Belmullet area, but would prefer to be a little closer to a bigger town for my wife's benefit. I prefer Westport to Ballina, so am considering initially renting in the Mulranny / Newport area, and possibly buying further down the line. The commute will be about 45 mins for me, but the road is not bad.

Our second option is to live in Belmullet, but having visited it, I am a little worried about access to general amenities: shops, hospitals, cinemas etc. I don't really want to have to drive an hour every time we want to get to a reasonable sized town (Westport / Ballina). Even though I am currently living in a village in Clare, we have easy access to Ennis.

On the other hand, if I commute 45 mins, there will be a lot more driving involved overall....

Has anybody opinions / suggestions on Newport/Mulranny vs. Belmullet ? Also, should it be pretty easy to get a childminder in the area ?

kevmy

bowsie casey wrote:

Our second option is to live in Belmullet, but having visited it, I am a little worried about access to general amenities: shops, hospitals, cinemas etc.

That would be putting in politely, most people refer it is as barren or windswept or the arse end of nowhere

bowsie casey

kevmy wrote:

That would be putting in politely, most people refer it is as barren or windswept or the arse end of nowhere

That's what went through my head when I got there too

However....we are used to living in a village smaller than Belmullet, so Monday-Friday life would be same. At weekends, we would be used to spending a lot of time in Ennis, which is not far. In the case of Mayo, the closest town will be the best part of an hour away, which is not ideal.

Still, that fact that I will have a full hour extra with my family each day, seems to outweigh the inconvenience of travelling an extra hour at the weekend into Westport or Ballina. Plus, I am studying for a Masters in my own time, so this will definitely help me balance that with work and family life.

We are definitely leaning towards the Belmullet option. I guess the most important thing will be to get out and try to make some friends there.

Yoda

yop wrote:

I used to live there myself Yoda, shame about the shop!! Where abouts are u renting?

Thornhill.

Yoda

kevmy wrote:

The only way to go. Will prob work out about 50k cheaper than buying a similar sized house AND you get the exact house you want.

Yeah, the house will be designed by an eco-architect friend of ours. The real question will be location and cost of the field though.

dumbyearbook

Your site must be expensive around there Yoda? will you put in an Aga too?

Its funny how much empahsis you put on Broadband and the move I'd presume you got it anyway? Then again once you get used to it its impossible to manage without; Anyway nice to see another 'Dulchie' in Mayo we don't get many!

Space greenery and friendly people love it- Says he living in D18......:D

And as re: living in Belmullet the weather is mad up up there its quite isolated too though ive never been there

Yoda

dumbyearbook wrote:

Your site must be expensive around there Yoda?

I really haven't started looking yet.

will you put in an Aga too?

What a peculiar thing to ask. Why do you ask? Evidently you have views about Agas. I don't have views about them really. A friend in Oxfordshire has one. It seems odd to me to have an oven running 24 hours a day.

Its funny how much empahsis you put on Broadband and the move I'd presume you got it anyway?

I work at home and use the internet. Broadband is essential. It's not clear to me why that's "funny"....

JoeyJJ

I'm getting Married in Belmullet in a few months time. I really like it down there my fiance is from there. There are alot of people who come "home" for the weekends and the bank holiday weekends can be really good. There are some very good pubs and the new hotel is very good.

The Road to Castlebar should hopefully get done in the coming years.

Belmullet is definitely on the up, I can see the difference in the last 3/4 years. There are good few foreign nationals living and working in the area.

If there were a job in my field I there I would definitely think of moving there but alas there is not.

dumbyearbook

Yoda wrote:

I really haven't started looking yet.What a peculiar thing to ask. Why do you ask? Evidently you have views about Agas. I don't have views about them really. A friend in Oxfordshire has one. It seems odd to me to have an oven running 24 hours a day.

I ask because you mentioned it earlier just wondering was all my parents have one they are the business. Expensive but well worth the money so if you were building i would recommend also as you are building in the country pepole are more likely to expect a good range in the kitchen well IMHO anyway

Allta wrote:

Bord Gáis doesn't pipe out here, but is canister gas cooking known and convenient – or is the only choice an electric range or an Aga?QUOTE]

(PS Most people would use oil and maybe have gas too but big tanks of it the small cannister things are rare these days)