"Satisfaction with life, county by county" - Irish Times, 5 October 2006

fricatus

There was a report in the Irish Times today on people's level of satisfaction with life around the country. The study was carried out by Prof. Peter Clinch and Dr Susana Ferreira of UCD. The headline in the paper was "Dubliners far less satisfied with life than rural dwellers".

Turning though to page 6, there was one of these maps with all the counties coloured in, and the only place outside Dublin with the very lowest level of satisfaction with life was, of course, Waterford.

We were treated to lots of analysis as to why Dubliners were unhappy, but in true Irish Times style (much as I hate to criticise my favourite paper), Waterford was ignored, even though it stood out like a haemorrhoid at the bottom of the country.

The "happiest" counties were Wicklow, Galway and South Tipperary.

Anyone got a link to the study? More importantly, are we just miserable, or are there real quality-of-life issues in Waterford?

(Don't say traffic, because that's bad everywhere)

mike65

South Tipp happy? *boggles*

Mike.

Maharet

mike65 wrote:

South Tipp happy? *boggles*

Mike.

I was about to post the same thing.

Yeah sadly that is typical Irish Times. :rolleyes:

merlante

I think the quality of life in Waterford is very high. But most Waterford people are only conscious of being shafted by the government, and so on.

I think the mindset can be a big negative, for better or for worse.

For example, amongst my friends and family the following would often be true:
- There is no trust in WRH. There is a widely held belief that there is a certain alcoholic surgeon that kills people on a regular basis, that *can't* be got rid of. There is a belief (not totally unjustified) that the WRH is filthy and disease ridden.
- There is a belief that the cops are corrupt, that they take back handers, that they rough people up for no reason, that they do nothing when you call them.
- There is a belief (not totally unjustified) that Waterford gets ignored in the media.
- There is a belief (not totally unjustified) that Waterford gets shafted by the government -- even during Martin Cullen's reign (unjustified)!
- There is a belief that all politicians are crooks, and most of the local ones are only in it for the money.
- There is a belief (not unjustified) that Waterford gets overlooked for vital infrastructure such as a university, radiotherapy, breast check, M9 (before Cullen), second river crossing (before Cullen).
- There is a belief that business is bad, and that business men are trying to destroy Waterford.
- There is a belief that the quality of life is no better here than elsewhere (not justified) that the facilities are worse (not really justified) and that there is nothing special about the actual environment/countryside (absolutely not justified).
- There is a lingering failure mentality in the town, after too many closures and too many wars between unions and business, and just too much bad luck in general in the 20th century.
- There is a feeling that 'people can't affect change' on anything but a very local level in Waterford. Things are decided in Dublin (not totally unjustified) and Waterford people just have to accept the status quo.

Wishbone Ash

merlante wrote:

There is a belief that all politicians are crooks, and most of the local ones are only in it for the money

Do the people of Waterford not elect their own politicians? As elsewhere in the country, the people that complain most about elected representatives are probably least likely to have made changes by exercising their right to vote. :rolleyes:

I was just saying to Mrs Wisbone Ash a few weeks ago that we've never been to Waterford (City). Didn't realise that there appears to be such a negative attitude. :eek:

merlante

Wishbone Ash wrote:

Do the people of Waterford not elect their own politicians? As elsewhere in the country, the people that complain most about elected representatives are probably least likely to have made changes by exercising their right to vote. :rolleyes:

I was just saying to Mrs Wisbone Ash a few weeks ago that we've never been to Waterford (City). Didn't realise that there appears to be such a negative attitude. :eek:

I agree, people get the politicians they deserve. I think it's more a vague cynicism that goes back to the bad years to be honest.

It sounds very bad, but people are not overly negative in their day to day lives. It's just that when you get down to the core of many people's beliefs and opinions, often the image is somewhat more bleak than you might get elsewhere.

That does not mean that Waterford people spend all of their time depressed and dejected, far from it. I think day to day attitude is a different thing, and to be honest, I think Waterford people are a happy enough bunch. They certainly have less reasons to be miserable than their Dublin counterparts who spend long hours commuting, have less amenities, and so on.

mike65

I should point out they fished another body out of the Suir the other day.

Mike.

deisemum

I'm a Galway person living in Waterford and I much prefer living here in the sunny south east. I think Waterford is a great place, it's a fairly small city but it's fairly compact. I'm quiet happy with my day to day life but like a lot of people I'd like to see more of the bigger facilities here such as a University, radiotherapy and breast screening unit.

I think most people are very friendly and helpful and when neighbours from Galway visited Waterford for the first time for the Galway v Waterford hurling game in the early summer they left with a great opinion of Waterford people.

My neighbours came out a different gate than they entered in Walsh Park and hadn't a clue where they were. They were walking along a side street and an enderly couple saw the Galway colours and asked it they were ok. When this couple heard that my Galway neighbours were looking for their car they offered to drive them round the side streets to help them locate their car. Not only that they invited them in for tea but my neighbours declined and explained that they were due at my place. My neighbours went back to Galway highly impressed at the hospitality shown to them by strangers.

Having lived in London which is an impersonal place I like the fact that I know most of my neighbours and feel my children have a lot more freedom here.

I really like the milder weather here in the sunny south east. I really feel the cold when I go to Galway over the winter months. It's definitely milder down here. I like living in a city that's only 10 mins from a beach. Also there's several beaches that don't take long to get there.

DéiseGirl

deisemum wrote:

I'm a Galway person living in Waterford and I much prefer living here in the sunny south east. I think Waterford is a great place, it's a fairly small city but it's fairly compact. I'm quiet happy with my day to day life but like a lot of people I'd like to see more of the bigger facilities here such as a University, radiotherapy and breast screening unit.

I think most people are very friendly and helpful and when neighbours from Galway visited Waterford for the first time for the Galway v Waterford hurling game in the early summer they left with a great opinion of Waterford people.

My neighbours came out a different gate than they entered in Walsh Park and hadn't a clue where they were. They were walking along a side street and an enderly couple saw the Galway colours and asked it they were ok. When this couple heard that my Galway neighbours were looking for their car they offered to drive them round the side streets to help them locate their car. Not only that they invited them in for tea but my neighbours declined and explained that they were due at my place. My neighbours went back to Galway highly impressed at the hospitality shown to them by strangers.

Having lived in London which is an impersonal place I like the fact that I know most of my neighbours and feel my children have a lot more freedom here.

I really like the milder weather here in the sunny south east. I really feel the cold when I go to Galway over the winter months. It's definitely milder down here. I like living in a city that's only 10 mins from a beach. Also there's several beaches that don't take long to get there.

It's nice reading stuff like this

merlante

Great stuff.

You'll never get a job working at the Irish Times though. (Unless you toe the line on miserable Waterford!)

looksee

Apparently Waterford came second last in the country in a poll about WRH. I suspect this has more to do with the attitudes already discussed in this thread than the actual hospital. I accept that it (still) has some hygiene issues but we've had 4 visits (in-patient, 3 through a&e) between us in this family in 2 years and have received the highest quality treatment.

looksee

where did that smilie come from?

deisemum

Is Geraldine Kennedy the editor of the Irish times. I'm fairly sure she's from Waterford. I'm sure I've heard her interviewed on radio and I also think she went to Newtown. Maybe that could be why Waterford gets that result.

fricatus

deisemum wrote:

Is Geraldine Kennedy the editor of the Irish times. I'm fairly sure she's from Waterford. I'm sure I've heard her interviewed on radio and I also think she went to Newtown. Maybe that could be why Waterford gets that result.

If I remember correctly, she's from Carrick and went to school in Ferrybank. She worked for the Munster Express in her very early career.

Maybe someone else can confirm? I've no source for the above, other than my memory.

merlante

fricatus wrote:

If I remember correctly, she's from Carrick and went to school in Ferrybank. She worked for the Munster Express in her very early career.

Maybe someone else can confirm? I've no source for the above, other than my memory.

Can't remember if it was Carrick or Ferrybank she was from...

Her wikipedia article doesn't even seem to know!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geraldine_Kennedy

road_high

deisemum wrote:

Is Geraldine Kennedy the editor of the Irish times. I'm fairly sure she's from Waterford. I'm sure I've heard her interviewed on radio and I also think she went to Newtown. Maybe that could be why Waterford gets that result.

I'm almost 100% she's a south Tipp women (maybe part of the Tipp horsey set:D? ), but not sure where abouts in Tipp she's from.

merlante

mfitzy wrote:

I'm almost 100% she's a south Tipp women (maybe part of the Tipp horsey set:D? ), but not sure where abouts in Tipp she's from.

In any case, they can bloody keep her!

Newtown school says it all. In there they study English kings and pretend the free state never happened; tis far from parochial Ireland she was reared.

mike65

Hey thats my old school! And if you actually think any of what you just typed is correct then I can only surmise you went to a bigoted Christian Brothers hell hole

Mike.

merlante

mike65 wrote:

Hey thats my old school! And if you actually think any of what you just typed is correct then I can only surmise you went to a bigoted Christian Brothers hell hole

Sorry Mike, I got a bit carried away there.

Knew one or two people who went there, and there told me that the curriculum was a little bit different with regard to the importance of certain incidents in the early 20th century. But yeah, I don't know what I'm talking about.

Maybe the Newtown alumni could get together and 'sort her out'.

mike65

Well I can't comment on whats being taught these days, but in my day we did all the touchstone points of Irish nationalist history - Wild Geese, 1798, Act Of Union, D'OC, 1847, Home rule movement/Parnell, GAA, Redmond, 1916, Civil War.

But we did so in a holistic fashion rather than reciting the names of the executed and shouting "up teh Ra!"

Mike.

merlante

mike65 wrote:

Well I can't comment on whats being taught these days, but in my day we did all the touchstone points of Irish nationalist history - Wild Geese, 1798, Act Of Union, D'OC, 1847, Home rule movement/Parnell, GAA, Redmond, 1916, Civil War.

But we did so in a holistic fashion rather than reciting the names of the executed and shouting "up teh Ra!"

Ah, sure that's where ye went wrong so.