Those who have left- will you go back?

Thumpette

Hey everyone, i am from a fairly rural part of Donegal but have been living in Dublin for the past 3 1/2 years.

Although there is a lot I miss about donegal, particularly the friendliness, the down to earth atitude and my family (in no particular order) to be honest, I can never imagine living there again.

It has certainly occured to me that if i ever had kids I would like them to have some of the innocence you get being from a place like Donegal. However I think a bigger city encourages much more individualism, creativity and freedom to be yourself than rural Ireland, which very much divides into two groups of those who are cool and those who are not.

I was just wondering (while bored at work) what everyone else thinks. If you have come from a very rural quiet background and moved to the big smoke, will you stay, or will you eventually go home and try to give your kids the same ease of life you had?

neighbours

I left the city to come back to Donegal and couldnt be happier, we sure are a friendly bunch even out here where you'd expect to meet John Wayne riding accross the mountains

Broxi_Bear_Eire

Well I moved here from Glasgow Wifes family from the Rosses and I for one would never move back my children grew up here and all love it two of them do live in Scotland but only due to the fact one is at uni the other moved there for work reasons but both want to come home ASAP

muffler

I would think personal circumstances would dictate matters with most people. I spent 2 years in Dublin and hated it. Well not all of it - I enjoyed a bit of the nightlife as well as having a huge park beside us in Ringsend where we played many enjoyable soccer matches.

Thats quite a while ago but I honestly couldnt wait to get home again. The big thing for me was that no one spoke to you in Dublin. You wouldnt even know who the next door neighbour was whereas here you knew everyone within a 3 or 4 mile radius.

In saying that I have 2 sisters in Dublin. One of them will never come back here and the other thinks about it now and again

Gareth37

Thumpette wrote: »

Hey everyone, i am from a fairly rural part of Donegal but have been living in Dublin for the past 3 1/2 years.

Although there is a lot I miss about donegal, particularly the friendliness, the down to earth atitude and my family (in no particular order) to be honest, I can never imagine living there again.

It has certainly occured to me that if i ever had kids I would like them to have some of the innocence you get being from a place like Donegal. However I think a bigger city encourages much more individualism, creativity and freedom to be yourself than rural Ireland, which very much divides into two groups of those who are cool and those who are not.

I was just wondering (while bored at work) what everyone else thinks. If you have come from a very rural quiet background and moved to the big smoke, will you stay, or will you eventually go home and try to give your kids the same ease of life you had?

I would like to be able to go back home but you need to save a fortune to do this as there is no future employment wise in Donegal due to our politicians. Hopefully but probably not is the answer.

Thumpette

:pac:Yeah the old Cetic tiger certainly never boarded McGeehans bus and headed into the wilds of Donegal.

when I loved to Dublin first it took me ages to not say hello and smile at strngers on the street- if ya do that here they think you're k-k-k-k-razy!

il gatto

Depends on the person. I personally come from a fairly rural area and I've never felt very stifled as in individualism, creativity and freedom. Some people find the valley of the squinting windows too much. Some people (like me) just don't give a damn.
And anyway, I'm not a people person. I have friends and get on with most people, but too many is a pain in the backside. Space, quiet and darkness at night. That's where it's at for me:D

blue shimmering

il gatto wrote: »

Depends on the person. I personally come from a fairly rural area and I've never felt very stifled as in individualism, creativity and freedom. Some people find the valley of the squinting windows too much. Some people (like me) just don't give a damn.
And anyway, I'm not a people person. I have friends and get on with most people, but too many is a pain in the backside. Space, quiet and darkness at night. That's where it's at for me:D

I love Donegal, full stop - its beautiful! I have lived in a City (not Dublin), town, village and now in rural Donegal and wouldn't want to be any where else! Such peace and quiet, at night it is dark, you can see all the stars on a clear night (the sky is actually clear not full of smog), brilliant! As for the nosy neighbours, I don't actually have any to be honest, we just get on with our lives and look out for each other!

bohsboy

Well I am a Dub and left it for Donegal. My wife is from up here and there is no way I'd allow my son to be brought up in present day Dublin. Will never return.

slickmcvic

at home in the hills for the weekend and after noticing all the great things i miss about the place like the eh...?...unemployment.....boy racers....small town mentality.....pop scene section in the derry people by donal K Boyle......Nah doubt I'll be back here for ages yet....livin in north wicklow ya really feel connected to the rest of the country...Donegal is a great place to chill out and isolate yirself from the rest of the real world although after a while it gets soooooo boring!!

RMDrive

I'd go back in the morning but we are pretty settled in Mayo and I wouldn't be able to convince the missus that it was a good idea
She is a Mayo woman so it would just mean that she would be the one living away from home.
I find it really difficult being away though. As small a country as Donegal is, its still different to anywhee else (in a good way of course).

Such is life I guess.

LoanShark

I would be back in a flash..
If I won the Lotto Tonight..I'd build a mansion..... actually I'm Lying.. I'd buy a small cottage at the foot of the BlueStacks,With an open fire and a Kreel of Turf beside it..I even would try to give the TV a miss for a while..

I'm in wexford at the moment cause G/F is here... But I will get back home soon.
Unfortunately, Jobs are Limited,and you are undervalued anywhere outside the cities...

jimmycrackcorm

I married a Dub so I actually don't get a choice!:(

Beautybeanie

Although I've been to Ireland before, I've never been to Donegal but I've lived in a lot of big cities.. as in 5-20 million. I prefer the rural life.

I've posted a thread explaining my current situation/plan so if you're inclined to give an opinion, I'd love to read it.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055315426

Thanks.

L1011

If I could get a job based in Donegal that paid even 80% of what I'm on now, yes, I would.

My current job *might* creep towards there (I'm a field engineer for North Leinster at the moment).

That said, going home home would be wildly impractical, what with ferries and all that...

byte

MYOB wrote: »

If I could get a job based in Donegal that paid even 80% of what I'm on now, yes, I would.

My current job *might* creep towards there (I'm a field engineer for North Leinster at the moment).

That said, going home home would be wildly impractical, what with ferries and all that...

Get a nice helicopter and landing pad on the island!

Mightn't be cheap though with the rising cost of fuel!

Glenman

Would love to but no future for my career back home

donegalgirl28

Broxi_Bear_Eire wrote: »

Well I moved here from Glasgow Wifes family from the Rosses and I for one would never move back my children grew up here and all love it two of them do live in Scotland but only due to the fact one is at uni the other moved there for work reasons but both want to come home ASAP

You sound very like my neighbour... :eek: You living in Dungloe? Chapel Rd area?

slickmcvic wrote: »

at home in the hills for the weekend and after noticing all the great things i miss about the place like the eh...?...unemployment.....boy racers....small town mentality.....pop scene section in the derry people by donal K Boyle......Nah doubt I'll be back here for ages yet....livin in north wicklow ya really feel connected to the rest of the country...Donegal is a great place to chill out and isolate yirself from the rest of the real world although after a while it gets soooooo boring!!

x2

When I first moved to Dublin missed Dungloe like crazy, now I can't stand going back there. In Dublin, you have the anonymity which I like when going shopping or going to a restaurant but in Dungloe it's the total opposite. I also don't like the way people still look at me like the person I was 7 years ago. Dublin gave me more independence.

I like going back up there to just cut back from my normal life. But couldn't stick out more than a week up there. If I was to settle down anywhere, it'd be just outside Dublin on the N2 road not Ashbourne though... ah well, a girl can dream!

mcbads08

Yes and no

Yes for family, friends, a calmer pace of life, cracking surroundings and brilliant people

No as the employment prospects are pretty poor and alot of the smaller towns (including the one i'm from) need to become alot less closed minded !

Would definetely retire back home though in the future!

Broxi_Bear_Eire

donegalgirl28 wrote: »

You sound very like my neighbour... :eek: You living in Dungloe? Chapel Rd area?


That was my son I live in the port:)

casey jones

For most people there are no job prospects in Donegal, simple as that. However that said the mystery of Donegal's apparent wealth never ceases to amaze me. The amount of new houses and new cars don't seem to have any basis in economic logic. There are no additional jobs above what would have been there 20 years ago, apart from building houses that is !

Maybe it's the worst example of the building 'boom to bust' economy, houses built on credit on no other basis than a belief that they have to go up in value.

As regards the original question I would love to live in Donegal but only if offered a good job but there's the rub. It's highly unlikely.

tbh

the missus is from Donegal, and after we get married, I'd expect us to settle up there, dependant on jobs etc. I must say, I'm very open to the idea - I like the pace of life, the friendly neighbours and the scenery. I'm sure I'll have to adjust tho, I'm a bit worried about the pacd of life, nosey neighbours and the lack of things to do

I know people have said that in Dublin you don't know your neighbours, but I find it very strange that EVERYONE in my g/f's village knows everything about everyone else. The stuff you hear!

Madam

Years ago I would've bit the hand off you to move back to Donegal. Not anymore, its no different from anywhere else in Britain, ffs you've got all the British shops in Lettekenny no wee craft shops no good pubs(well maybe The Orchard and the Cottage) - you could be in any small town here(except for the oul accents)! As for the crime rate it seems to be really climbing all the time, especially the drug scene and really when I go home I don't find people to be as friendly at they used to be. Saying all that though I do like to visit family at least once a year or I think I'm missing out!

Broxi_Bear_Eire

Madam wrote: »

Years ago I would've bit the hand off you to move back to Donegal. Not anymore, its no different from anywhere else in Britain, ffs you've got all the British shops in Lettekenny no wee craft shops no good pubs(well maybe The Orchard and the Cottage) - you could be in any small town here(except for the oul accents)! As for the crime rate it seems to be really climbing all the time, especially the drug scene and really when I go home I don't find people to be as friendly at they used to be. Saying all that though I do like to visit family at least once a year or I think I'm missing out!

Your right bout the drugs though they have been about for years when I irst moved here years ago I had some pretty heated discussions with the garda and others who for some reason had there heads in the sand and kept saying there was no problem when it was clear to a blind man there was but because i was a "blow in" they did'nt want to know

bettlebrox

Madam wrote: »

I don't find people to be as friendly at they used to be.

I'd agree with that. I've been away 20 years, and come every year either for 2 weeks in the summer or for 2 trips of a week each. Everytime I'd be home I'd be walking up to the house and everyone be saying "hello". I noticed about 5 or 6 years ago no-one does it, not at all. I wonder if it's because of immigration into the area (the newbies don't know to say hello back) or Donegal's been invaded by city-folk with no manners!

Madam wrote: »

Saying all that though I do like to visit family at least once a year or I think I'm missing out!

Yeah, same here, if I don't get at least one trip home I really feel like I'm missing something. I don't know if I could ever move home for good, one just get's used to the fatalities and lifestyle of a city. Plus, I'd never get a decent job near home at what I do, and comutting to Sligo/Letterkenny/Derry wouldn't appeal to me (I do 15 on the underground, and walk home in 30 min now).

Now, if I won the lotto I could change me mind.

muffler

bettlebrox wrote: »

I noticed about 5 or 6 years ago no-one does it, not at all. I wonder if it's because of immigration into the area (the newbies don't know to say hello back) or Donegal's been invaded by city-folk with no manners!

I think thats a fairly accurate summary.

smashey

bettlebrox wrote: »

one just get's used to the fatalities.

Hey bettlebrox, you might want to rephrase that.

donegalman1

Should not have left in the first place then you'd have been happy to accept inept politicians and the fact we're a bit of an unwanted annex to the republic, only now they really enforce all the laws, on the Islands and all...

the bolt

outside falcaragh,20 years in london,7 in dublin(balbriggan at the minute )would be bored in a month down home
maybe one daywhen im older

irish5er

I grew up in small town in Donegal, worked there for several years and moved to the city to work for number of years. Not Dublin. Came back and got the rose coloured glasses knocked right off. We're planning to leave asap. If Its sooooo boring ! If I didnt have a car I'd have cracked already ! !

jimmycrackcorm

I must admit, the thought of replacing my Dublin mortgage with Donegal Beer money is sorely tempting.

Broxi_Bear_Eire

irish5er wrote: »

I grew up in small town in Donegal, worked there for several years and moved to the city to work for number of years. Not Dublin. Came back and got the rose coloured glasses knocked right off. We're planning to leave asap. If Its sooooo boring ! If I didnt have a car I'd have cracked already ! !

Have to disagree with you was brought up in Glasgow Decided to move to Donegal everyone said I was crazy would be bored out of my skull within the year 16 years later I am still waiting for the boredom to set in

il gatto

Unless someone continually goes to large international sporting events, frequents big concerts and hangs out at the Four Seasons, Lillies and Tripod all the time, what exactly do people do in cities like Dublin? Work? Eat? Sleep? Commute? Watch T.V.?
I have friends who live 25 minutes from Oxford Street in London. They go there about 3-4 times a year, max. It takes them 20 minutes to reach the cinema. I live 6 miles from Sligo and can be in my seat in 15. I spent a few months with them a few years ago and found it the most tedious time of my life. Their entire street retreated into their pokey houses after work and walking to the shop (for something to do) every secong window had a T.V. showing East Enders in it. Better than going to the ratty, seedy pubs to drink warm, flat ale, I suppose. Hardley the lifestyle of Kings.
I see whatever bands I want in Dublin, attend whatever rugby/football matches I can get tickets for. Friends who live there don't get to much more than I do.
Some people like the Big Schmoke for whatever reasons and dislike ruratania for their own reasons. You get the odd nosey fecker anywhere. Are you sure people are really that interested in your day to day lives?
To each their own, but why make Donegal sound like it's full of innocent, curtain twitching buffers when it's not? They're in the same proportion as anywhere else. I could write a list as long as my arm about why I wouldn't live in Dublin or London. I choose not to bother.

babaloushka

I'm a blow-in from Dublin, even after xy years here , and I married a Donegal man. At first, I thought I'd died and gone to hell and would have crawled on my hands and knees back 'home'. I HATED how everyone knew everything about everyone else and how you couldn't even walk up the street without some speculation going on about where you were going, what you'd be doing there (and with whom!) and when you'd be back.
Over the xy years since, I've changed utterly and wouldn't go back to Dublin if you paid me a pension. I agree with other posters who've said that life is much the same anywhere. I also think that things have changed here in Donegal - some for the good and some for the bad.
Yes, people don't know as much about their neighbours and don't say hello at every opportunity. Is that such a bad thing? If you can socialise with whomever you want, enjoy less frenetic journeys to work and play and have the advantages bestowed by country life/scenery, then happy days! Cities are not that far away for anything else that might be missing

irish5er

I think its because where I lived had a swimming pool, library, park, a transport system that was more that 3 times a day. If you try and go for walk up here you might never make it back ! No pavement and everybodys racing like maniacs. If youre a teenager what amenities are there for you ? If your used to working and there just isnt any jobs ? parks pools, or kids discos? Unless you live in Letterkenny I suppose.:)

babaloushka

At the risk of incurring the wrath of Muffler for going OT :eek: I believe there are ways round most things, with a bit of effort. I quite agree about the transport issue and the lack of footpaths, however - no, I don't live in Letterkenny now, though I did for a few years.
For the most part, it does mean using a car or taxi to get around, or getting together to car share with others - I use the pools and libraries that are nearest to me, often combining shopping visits to best effect. If there is nothing in your area for young people/teenagers, why not start something? Most resource centres and community groups are crying out for help and support from volunteers.
What about lobbying for better services, walks or play parks? I think you might find that there's a lot more going on in your community than you realise - and once again, if there's not, start it yourself!
I hope I'm not coming across as patronising - I certainly don't mean to - but as an activist in my own community and farther afield, I'm passionate about getting together with others to effect change. If we wait until someone else does it, we are likely to remain members of the indoor country club for the foreseeable future

irish5er

That is an interesting point of view and quite positive which I like.

jimmycrackcorm

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

I must admit, the thought of replacing my Dublin mortgage with Donegal Beer money is sorely tempting.

And I'm moving back - yipee!
I'l be replacing sitting crawling in Dublin traffic behind thousands of cars with crawling behind some old geezer in a brown Santa fe on the port road.

aifricfan16

il gatto wrote: »

Unless someone continually goes to large international sporting events, frequents big concerts and hangs out at the Four Seasons, Lillies and Tripod all the time, what exactly do people do in cities like Dublin? Work? Eat? Sleep? Commute? Watch T.V.?
I have friends who live 25 minutes from Oxford Street in London. They go there about 3-4 times a year, max. It takes them 20 minutes to reach the cinema. I live 6 miles from Sligo and can be in my seat in 15. I spent a few months with them a few years ago and found it the most tedious time of my life. Their entire street retreated into their pokey houses after work and walking to the shop (for something to do) every secong window had a T.V. showing East Enders in it. Better than going to the ratty, seedy pubs to drink warm, flat ale, I suppose. Hardley the lifestyle of Kings.
I see whatever bands I want in Dublin, attend whatever rugby/football matches I can get tickets for. Friends who live there don't get to much more than I do.
Some people like the Big Schmoke for whatever reasons and dislike ruratania for their own reasons. You get the odd nosey fecker anywhere. Are you sure people are really that interested in your day to day lives?
To each their own, but why make Donegal sound like it's full of innocent, curtain twitching buffers when it's not? They're in the same proportion as anywhere else. I could write a list as long as my arm about why I wouldn't live in Dublin or London. I choose not to bother.

+1

I'm from Dublin tho, but I like your opinion on your hometown.


One thing though, is it true it always rains in the west?

muffler

aifricfan16 wrote: »

One thing though, is it true it always rains in the west?

Who cares. This is the NORTH west

muffler

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

I'l be replacing sitting crawling in Dublin traffic behind thousands of cars with crawling behind some old geezer in a brown Santa fe on the port road.

Yup. I usually leave people crawling in my wake.

R.D. aka MR.D

i've been living in dublin for over 5 years and i'm leaving that for somewhere else. i'll always love donegal but i'll never go back unless major changes in the cultural oppurtunities changes. ones oppurtunities are pretty limited to the norm in Donegal.

it sure beats dublin tho for a bit of friendliness and fresh air!

muffler

R.D. aka MR.D wrote: »

it sure beats dublin tho for a bit of friendliness and fresh air!

I spent a couple of years in Dublin and couldn't agree more

Permabear

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Madam

donegalfella wrote: »

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Oh God one of yer wans that are ' cultured and educated' just wtf did he receive this culture and education? This is the sort of person I hate(too strong a word?), educated and brought up in our little paradise(ha!!) but can happily run it down, I'll never understand that mentality(folk like this are the ones to give Ireland, never mind Donegal a bad name)!!

Permabear

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muffler

Peace my brethren.

Its Xmas

dmcg90

Im in College down country at the moment, just made me realise the kind of place Donegal is. Don't get me wrong I love (some) of the people, my job in Donegal usually shows me the good ones but I just prefer a busy city life. Can't imagine building a house in Donegal when I'm older I think.

lawstudent99

Hi there

I lived a very short time in Donegal with all sorts of family connections there. I don't think you could possibly find a more beautiful place, nor one with such warm people (Why is it the further north you go, the people get warmer?). Sometimes I head back and walk around Letterkenny but never feel any desire to return. Whether thats a personal thing given the lack of time to develop a connection or otherwise, I'm not too sure. I don't think its unique to Donegal. All small towns in Ireland, despite their idiosyncracies and seperate cultures share a collective attitude, most notably displayed when dealing with outsiders or blow-ins. But then sometimes entire countries express that. No matter where I go in the world, instinctively I crave to be 'home', and part of that is in the muted landscapes of Donegal. For many people I know from rural Ireland, no matter how far we travel away, the community and landscape in which we grew up in cannot be deleted and an internal battle always ensures with wanting to embrace home for its sameness and despising it for its sameness.

monkey9comma

From England, but living in Dublin, am thinking of moving to rather than moving back to Donegal, but imagine the issues are the same.

On the plus side:
- i think it's a better place to bring up children
- cheaper houses
- a far greater sense of community
- the landscape
- the surf (assuming I'd actually brave it on anything like a regular basis)

And the downside (from the outside in):
- lack of decent restaurants
- reliance on cars
- employment prospects (I work in IT which seems to give me about 2 options in Letterkenny, else teleworking)
- broadband availability
- entrenched politicians
- having to find new friends!
- lack of cultural options? (it's nice knowing you can go to the opera, etc, even if you never do!)

Any thoughts welcome.

Permabear

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