Gort Ard accomodation

Wendero

Hello

Anybody heard anything about Gort ard? It's a student residence a bit away from the uni (30 minuits walking, 10 minuits by cycle, but luckily, you can take the bus). Pretty small, too. Any experiences?

Check out www.gortard.com and tell me what you think:) Seems like their is a lot included in the rent; cleaning, food, electricity/heat, internet...

Thanks in advance,
/John G

Black_Knight

Looks MILES out to me! You'd be hitting yourself for living so far out! And with the weather these days it'd be hard to muster up the courage to go to college.

Wendero

Yep, I need to check when/how often the bus goes and where the bus station is - if it's like 5 minuits from Gort Ard, then it's not a huge problem (even if it's better if you can walk of course). Is it on the right side of the bridge? Any other comments?

/John

brianthebard

Looks really nice, bet it costs a bomb though? Can't see prices up there.

Wendero

Yep, it costs a bomb: 165 euros per week. But when taking into account that you don't have to pay anything extra for heating/electricity/internet/cleaning, plus of course food is included. It's a really small place too, 12-13 students living their. I called them today (well, yesterday) and I got a good impression. He said that they had missed to put up the prices on the website, and I told them that they better do so or someone might think they are hiding something. He said they will:)

/John

brianthebard

Food is paid for, but would you be going in and out several times during the day for a meal or two? Would be very awkward, or at the very least the bus costs would add up. Having all the bills paid up front is generally good though.

Wendero

be going in and out... I'm not sure I know what you mean? You eat breakfast their, and lunch during the weekends, and then dinner and light supper:) Of course you would have to go back to the student residence for lunch during the weekdays, if you choose to eat lunch there (you would have to pay an extra for that).

/John

skelliser

im from galway and know a little about that place, it mainly caters for teenage spanish and french students over here for a few days to improve there english from february to september. its located out in salthill which is a good distance from the college, 30 minute walk at least, its a ten minute walk to salthill which is fairly dead during the winter months

imo try and get a place in the newcastle, city centre area, that place is kinda off the beaten track for students, on the other hand if ya want somewhere quiet to live then thats ideal!

Wendero

Hi skelliser:)

Thank you for the information. Sounds interesting - it being quiet isn't necessarily bad, that's good for the study environment. But what about bus connection? And in what way is salthill "dead" (I'm not questioning anything, just asking for more details, since dead can mean a lot)?

/John

skelliser

i assume your gonna be a first year?

salthill has 2/3 pubs(not great), no nightclub, a few arcades(slot machines), and a few shops, so by dead im mean pretty quiet, the only good thing is the sea! basically for a student coming to galway to study it kinda defeats the purpose!
buses are every half hour to the city centre(eyre square), you will still need to
to walk another 10 minutes to the college.

Wendero

Yes, I'm gonna be a first year.

Two or three pubs isn't very much, but it may not be a disaster. How are the pubs there? Have you been there?:) What shops are there (what do they sell)?

/John

skelliser

there mostly old man pubs, shops are centra and a londis, theres no supermarket, basically the best way i can describe salthill is that its the kinda place you go for a walk on a sunday afternoon! if ya can imagine a quiet smaller bundoran you wouldnt be far off!

imo you should get 4/5 of your friends or like minded individuals! rent a house in the newcastle area, as close to the college as possible(cause it rains alot here!), you will be around alot more students and thus make alot more friends.
if ya want more opinions on gort ard ask on the galway forum http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=475 but they will probably say more or less what i said.

Wendero

No supermarket... are there any groceries? What's typical for an old man pub?

Thank you once again:)
/John

skelliser

Wendero wrote: »

No supermarket... are there any groceries? What's typical for an old man pub?

a few groceries, basic stuff, cereal, bread, milk etc, fairly dear tho.
old man pub = old local men sitting in a pub = quiet
Salthill is a nice quiet seaside area of galway and has the promenade right next to it, its great for walks and a quiet pint.
i went to nui galway and i can tell you hands down salthill is not the place a first year wants to be livin

Wendero

Hi

Thanks - I assume you mean that it's hard to find a place to party and so on when you say that it's not for first years. I have to say there are some pros and cons with the place - it's far away, which is bad of course. The old man pubs won't worry me very much I think, I can always take the bus to the city centre if I want to go to some more lively place - and that won't be too often, I guess I differ from other first years on that point.

I haven't made up my mind or anything, I'm just telling you what I think right now. I'm more worried about that other students there might not know english, plus the fact that it's not very independent: You eat the food they want you to eat (groceries for me equals a place where you can buy snacks/coke to have during the weekends, since I got everything else served right now at home and will have then), you drink as much as they think is properly (Opus Dei could probably be pretty harsch on that point).

/John

Wendero

I couldn't find any information about Gort ard in the Galway city forum, it's hard to search for since it's two words.

/John

Wendero

Any other comments?

How are the people there?

/John

leninbenjamin

I know the place. Wouldn't really recommend it, primarily for transportation reasons.

as far as i know there's only one bus that goes through Salthill to the college, one of the private companies, and i don't think it has the most frequent of timetables. I think all the CIE one's would require you to practically go into town from Salthill. I wouldn't really want to be relying on public transport living out there.

of course you could cycle very handy from there, but there will be some weeks where this becomes practically impossible due to the wind and rain.

apart from that I'm not sure, it's primarily foreign students living in the place. Have been there once or twice and it seems grand in terms of accomodation, but afaik there's a really high turnover of students so there mightn't be much of a sense of community among them.

oh sh*t, I forgot, this place is run by Opus Dei... not everyone would want to live in an environment like that. I'm sure they are grand on a personal level, but aren't they a really strict order?

schween

NUIG would be very awkward to get to from there. I lived nearby and its very annoying having to make trips in and out, especially since you have to walk from Eyre Sq. Also Galways bus service is very unreliable so you'll probably end up walking most of the time and you'll get pretty tired, frustrated and wet.

Wendero

Ok, transportation is a problem, then.

How come it's primarily foreign students? Any special reason or just ended up like that?

Suddenly, bringing/buying a car seems like a good idea.

So... to make a summary of your post LB: Nice apartments/place, far away from NUIG, possibly not much community.

Yes, I know it's run by Opus Dei. Not sure if that means anything special, since it's after all a student residence, not like a kindergarten (where you teach something). Well, they are strict on alcohol (not allowed in the rooms), they have seminars and a chaplain. Opus Dei is said to be very tough and cult-like on their own members, not sure about people who aren't in their though. Seems like no real reason to tell me I as a protestant am welcome there, if I aint - he could have said "Well, this is a catholic place and we expect you to follow catholicism and the norms/rules we have, although we cannot stop you from applying even if you're a protestant". I might be naive, it's just what I think. And no, I do not believe in the Da Vinci code.

/John

Wendero

Time to invest in a raincoat then... or possibly a life jacket?:P

Where nearby did you live? Are there more student residences there?

/John

Simi

Right well I can safely assume your not some kind of religious nut. Now other than that is there any particular reason you'd like to live in absolute isolation? Are you a loner? Do you have trouble making friends?

I'm just trying to grasp why you'd like to live 30mins away from college in a quiet monastery, complete with cultists? Why can't you just do what every other first year does and live in corrib village with the rest of the rabble? Even if you want to live somewhere slightly nicer. How about Gort or Cuirt na Coribe. Or how about as some1 already pointed out just getting a house together with some people, any people.

That Gort Ard place gives me the creeps btw.

schween

Yes but if you have someone with an agenda breathing down your neck 24/7 they'll be hard to ignore. They'll try convert you. They have a restaurant in town where they are notorious for it. Besides, there are better student residences like Cúirt na Coiribe. It's clean, very modern, secure and across the bridge from NUIG. There's a shopping centre with Tesco and a Dunnes Stores just across the road.

Wendero

A restaurant? That's funny:P

Seems to be more cons than I thought. I've emailed the manager at the place, he said he would answer my questions tomorrow. Transportation isn't nice, then it's better to be close to the uni... still there are some important pros too. Are their other student residences than those listed on the NUIG website?

/John

Wendero

religious nut? How do you define it? I'm religious, a protestant.

Now, shouldn't the first question be if they are cultists?

And well, I'm pretty sure I live up to the requirement of being a looner. I'm not like other teenagers, have never been and will never be. Sad story for many people, but that's just how it is.

/John

Simi

Wendero wrote: »

A restaurant? That's funny:P

...still there are some important pros too.

/John

What pros? Ya I think that's all the student places. You'd be better off in any one of them. But what would I know. I've only lived here for 4 years. Go with the monastery.

Wendero

Relax Simi, I haven't decided anything, but I have written and asked about transportation and a lot of other things - let's see what they say. And I'm pretty sure it's not a monastery.

The pros: A lot of things included, for example wireless internet, calm place with not that many people. Got a good first impression.

/John

schween

Look at it this way. Opus Dei aren't running the place for the craic. They, like all religious organizations will push their agenda on you. And of course they're going to talk the place up and tell you they have great transport links, they are after all trying to entice you in. If you want to ruin your college experience, live here by all means. I had no friends in secondary school but it didn't bother me that much. But when I started at NUIG I was shocked at the amount of friends I had and the amount of people I met in the first few weeks never mind months. This Gort Ard place looks like a pain in the a**e to be honest. Cuirt sounds like your kind of place, it is very strict with regard to visitors, noise and parties. And it's in a great location and full of students. Bills are included too (TV, broadband, rubbish, ESB)

Wendero

Will have to check up Cuirt then. I've probably visited their website, but of course, no student residence is bragging about having harsch rules, so they wouldn't write anything about it anyway. Thanks for the information.

/John

kevmy

Personally I would say either Cuirt/Gort/Dun na Coirbe or a private renter.

In my experiences of Galway they are the best.

I'd stay well away from Salthill if you don't have a car - the buses in Galway are a joke. You want someplace that is 10 mins walk from NUIG. I'd recommend Newcastle area or somewhere towards the city centre.

Check out advertiser or daft for all your accommodation needs

Wendero

Is it "only" that the buses are late or are their other problems with them? How much would it cost, assuming you go to college 22 days per month and have to take to trips (to the college in the morning, and back in the evening)?

/John

SíonannMáire

I would recommend Gort na Coirbe as well. I stayed there over the summer months for school, and plan on staying there again when I am at NUIG next year for my postgrad work.

It's pretty close to the school, about a 20 minute walk...plus you can cut through the field under the bridge so you dont have to battle the winds when it is rainy.

It is also pretty cheap for what you get, and pretty nice for a student residence. All the people who lived around our flat were great craic too, 'cept for the crazy english students who tried to break into our back door and would crawl across the outside of our back porch.

Wendero

I visited their website. Seemed okey. Makes the decision harder (and these two are not the only alternatives).

/John

Black_Knight

What course are you going to do? Depending on the course you might be able to justify living in Gort Ard. Any course wit many hours will mean your going to be eating in or around college, and missing your price include meals at Gort Ard.
Also, does Gort Ard have a curfew? Lots of digs have curfews.

€165 is loads a week, add eating in college (tea, coffey, snacks (€20)), and then transport in and out (buses are €1.20 each way, €2.40 a day, €12 a week. Then if you go out on the town once a week, a Taxi back will cost ~€10, and your probably going to spend a few quid on drink then). An extra €22 there. (5 Day week)
So thats €165 + €20 for food + €22 for transport = €207 a week, on living, food, and getting to college, and then whatever extra on a nights boozing.

Living in gortna coiribe, paying €100 a week for a room I cant see you spending over €107 on food etc, and its soo much closer to college. If you have an hour off, you can go home, get some food and be back in ontime. Out salthill you'll probably need 2 hours off to get home, eat and get back in.

Ive never lived in gort na coiribe, spent alot of time there though, they're nice places. Lived in Cuirt na Coiribe in first year, nice, but not a very homely place to stay IMO.

Gort/Cuirt na coiribe have a shop and laundret basically on your doorstep so thats handy too.

Wendero

Thanks for the "calculations", Black knight:)

I'll probably do Commerce with economics major. What do you think, knowing that?

It is supposed (note; supposed) to take 30 minuits to walk to Gort Ard, so I'd say at least 1 hour and 15 minuits if that's true. 15 minuits eating, 30 minuits going back.

/John

NewApproach

Dont go to Gort Ard.

I know someone who lives there and they gave up on it after a week, now only go back there once a week to get clothes etc, lives on a floor in Corrib...

Dont do it!

Wendero

Oh, that's not good news. Why did he give it up, if I may ask? I don't doubt that it's not perfect or so, just want to know what exactly was wrong.

/John

Black_Knight

Well, lectures start on the hour, so you either get 1, 2, 3 etc hour(s) off.
I used to live in rahoon, it is about a 30min walk from there to college. Id say add 10 - 15 mins onto that.
Google Maps says 41mins.

Im not sure of the hours Commerce do, I dont think its too many, maybe 15 hours a week, but like many low houred courses id say they've to make up for that in the library.

Its upto yourself, but the only people I know in college living out there, are from galway and living at home.
Actually, a commute from eg. Ballinsloe would take as long as the walk from college to Gort Ard.

Wendero

rahoon? is that a student residence? any homesite?

I'm a bit more sceptic to this place now I have to say. There were some other place mentioned with a shop and everything that seemed okey too (why do the names have to be in Irish:(?)

I look forward to hearing from Newapproach again, I want some detail on what was wrong.

/John

Black_Knight

Rahoon is just an area. I lived in a house there.

Gort na Coiribe and Cuirt na Coiribe have a shop and laundret. Its Cuirt na Coiribe's shop, but both student villages are beside eachother. Dunnes is across the road too.

NewApproach

Basically that it was too far away, he got sick of walking and paying for taxi's. He only went there though because he booked his accomodation 3 days before he was due to start college, and this place was the only one with spaces left through the NUIG accomodation office. That alone speaks volumes in my opinion.

Wendero

Okey, I see. I couldn't remember any place named Rahoon, but that explains it:)

Okey, so, which one of them is the best, from a "luxury" viewpoint? Oh god, I sound like a brat now, but I think I would be better off economically than the average student (although I'm pretty far from rich). But know I'm talking facilities and everything.

Thanks for the information NewApproach. Was that the "only" thing that was wrong (not a small thing, but still)?

/John

Black_Knight

Gort na Coiribe can sometimes show its wear. Not maintained the best IMO. But if you get a nice house, your sorted. Friend of mine had mould in his room in Gort na Coiribe.

When i stayed in Cuirt it was pretty new so everything was working perfectly. It would be the more luxury of the two id say. If your going to live there, id suggest getting a floor thats no the ground floor. The underground carpark froze the bejeasus out of my room. Very unplesent. Also your window might be beside the entrance to your apartment block. ie. noisy.

Wendero

Okey, thank you. How many do you usually live with?

brianthebard

Hi Wendero, you might be better just telling us what you are willing to spend, how many people you will share with, etc, and people will have a better idea of where you might like to look. Bear in mind also that rents are dropping, can't say by how much (cause I don't know) but areas outside your budget now might not be in six-eight months.

Black_Knight

Well i didnt know the people I as living with in 1st year, and there were 4 of us in total. 2 girls were as entertaining as a sack of sacks, but the lad was grand. Lived with him for 2 years afterwards and all!

Wendero

Okey. I got 1400 euros per month, totally - that should be enough for everything except the trip to ireland, insurance and registration fees.

I would say I'm not spending very much on partying, eat maybe for slightly more than the average.

Would prefer as few roommates as possible.

brianthebard

Have you looked at Daft.ie? You've got a pretty good budget I would say, you can probably afford a two/three bed apartment, or even a one bed if you wanted but I imagine you'll wnat to share with someone?

Wendero

I have looked at the sharing part of daft.ie. What does it cost to have a one-room apartment, all for yourself, per month?

/John

brianthebard

~450 to...anything really.

Wendero

Nice, I've heard that minimum was like 1000 euros, therefore I didn't even consider it. Though I will probably choose a student residence, it's good to know so that one can compare.

Okey, now I got the hardest choice left: Business at Limerick, or Commerce at NUIG.

/John