Carlow, whats it like???

Murtinho

Im a 30yr old moving back to Ireland after 10yrs in abroad in Europe with the family (wife, 2 kids 10 & 5), i went to the then RTC in Waterford in the early 90's but have never lived in Carlow.

Whats it like for families, schools and the like?

wheres me jumpa

Carlow is gradually becoming a bigger name on the map of Ireland. Ive lived here all my life and even in my lifetime Ive seen big changes. It is very much a commuter town. Despite the rapid increase in population, there has not been a matching increase in jobs.

Im searching for jobs at the moment and have little or no chance of getting work around here. There are question marks over some major employers in the town also. Like any town it has its problems. Traffic is an increasing problem. In particular on weekends when people from around the country are availing of the many shops in town.

It has more than its share of skangers too. If you were to go a week without encountering one of these peak capped bearing muppets you would do well.

Some very good schools in the town and county, both primary and secondary. Two colleges in the town give 3rd level options. I just finished my course in IT Carlow and would recommend certainly my course and the features of the college I encountered.

The two colleges in town give it a great atmosphere and helps dilute the mood promoted by the skangers.

In conclusion Carlow is fine for your family but the big worry is the lack on industry in the area and the decline of exisitng industry.

Nalz

Carlow has decent 2nd level schools, excellent I.T and another college. Lots of pubs, 2 main night clubs, alot of shops and alot of bookmakers. The town has improved in that sense slightly, but there is next to nothing in terms of industry in the town. Its by no means a scumhole, however it does have its moments.

Murtinho

Thanks for the tips lads, the lack of industry/work doesnt bother me as i allready have a job sorted. The missus works as a medical secretary or in IT so i reckon she'll do allright aswell.

the most important for me is

1) Decent schools for the sprogs
2) No too many scumbags (although no town, village or outhouse in ireland will do well on that point)
3) Not too small, Carlow town has a population of over 20,000 doesnt it?
4) Bit of life in the place, decent restaurants, swimming pools, activities for the kids
5) Not too far from Dublin

Im from north wexford but i know very little about Carlow. We want to live on a nice estate, lots of families and lots of kids, any area in particular we should look at/ avoid?

wheres me jumpa

1) Decent schools for the sprogs :::: Yes
2) No too many scumbags (although no town, village or outhouse in ireland will do well on that point) :::: Yes
3) Not too small, Carlow town has a population of over 20,000 doesnt it? :::: Yes, and rising
4) Bit of life in the place, decent restaurants, swimming pools, activities for the kids :::: Yes, see website in my sig for list of restaurants, bars and clubs.
5) Not too far from Dublin:::: Yes, I spent 6 months commuting to nearly Newlands Cross, would take me about an hour in the morning.

ShayK1

There's bus and train services from carlow to dublin and if you're driving you have a pretty good road up and in the next few years there'll be a motorway bypassing carlow which should make the journey even shorter.

wheres me jumpa

Yeah the new road from Naas onwards is a lifesaver. However the Red Cow roundabout is a nightmare, so commuting past this will add a considerable amount of time.

Nalz

wheres me jumpa wrote:

... so commuting past this will add a considerable amount of time.

in some cases doubling your time

wheres me jumpa

Trilla wrote:

in some cases doubling your time

Yeah and watch out for those lads who know Dublin really welll .... on foot but when they are in a car its like they are in a different city.;)

lynch_3001

as like wheresmejumpa, i also am a lifetime member of this fine establised town. as for primary schools, i went to askea, if you dont already know is a single sex boys and girls school,(two askeas not just one!!). the sprogs being 5&10 you say i would say the schools, as i left and had to revisit a few times make great places for education, as for 2ndary schools, most of them are in the middle of a make over proceedure, so it is a the perfect place for the kids when they are old enough. if you want to send them down an "as gealge" route, geal scoile and geal coiléste(throw a fada in there, cos i cant remember most of my irish!!) are just got spanking new schools, and pres and askea have just got new exstentions done. the last thing for the kids is the furtheer education i.t. carlow(formerly THE RTC carlow) and st pats, are some fine hubs of education, it carlow being know as being one of the top colleges in ireland to do civil engineering!
skangers?? no need to worry about them, same as any town just know what streets not to go down at what times, and that would only be your conseern for the moment its just bad at about 10-2 at night.
so in short carlow, not a bad place to live!

Nalz

wheres me jumpa wrote:

Yeah and watch out for those lads who know Dublin really welll .... on foot but when they are in a car its like they are in a different city.;)

the area also possesses its fair share of whingers, who mostly populate and live in surrounding villages and towns.;)

lynch_3001

Trilla wrote:

the area also possesses its fair share of whingers, who mostly populate and live in surrounding villages and towns.;)

well whats a guy to do but head into the town, well you live in somewhere, you know, like, .........tinryland.....like who'd want to live there

iremex

there are little or no irish ppl living in carlow anymore. anything i go down there, it is just crammed with eastern europeans. working, which is fair enough.

skangers seem to be at a minimum..

train timetable are useless, one train leaves that gets to dublin at a decent time before nine am and its always packed..
commuting via car isnt very pleasant. to citywest -between 60-90mins to get to the red cow roundabout.

schools are good though, as lynch said, gealscoile would be the best, but i heard there is quite a queue to get in, but i might be mistaken.

The_B_Man

thank jaysus i work in citywest then. was even considerin gettin a car and movin to carlow and commutin every morning. thats if i didnt have it so handy livin at home, loike!