Moving to Galway

shebop

Hi all,

Sorry to burden you with yet another 'moving to Galway' thread, but I genuinely do not know the place at all, and any info would be greatly appreciated.

Basically I will be working in Parkmore and am looking to live outside the city centre (cheaper prices etc).

I'm considering Moycullen, Oranmore, Kilcolgan and possibly Athenry. I've a few places lined up to view on Monday.

What area/direction would be easiest for commuting to Parkmore? Is traffic as bad as they say (I did consider Barna but listening to the radio in the mornings is enough to put you off!)?

What about cycle-commuting? I'm not put off by distance or weather per se, but are the roads dangerous (i.e. windy, poorly lit, speed-traps?) and are those roundabouts as suicidal as they look?

Thanks in advance! :cool:

velogalway

I suppose it all depends at what stage you are at in your life. If you are looking at a good environment to raise a family and yet only minutes from the edge of Galway city, you should really look at the route of the new N6. That narrows you down to Athenry, Kiltullagh and Carrabane.

Athenry has numerous houses for sale and it is most certainly a buyers market. If you prefer a more rural village setting both Kiltullagh and Carrabane are very attractive. Not much for sale in Kiltullagh at the moment, Carrabane has a new development for sale Croi an Bhaile (Google it) and there are serious bargains to be had. Both of these villages will be only 20 minutes from Parkmore when the N6 opens in January.

ScumLord

I've seen a doctor cycle from the hospital (that's why I'm assuming he was a doctor) out the Tuam road past claregalway to that cross roads with the pub (I think it's called Carraghy looking at google earth) He got to that turn off on a bike at the same time it took me to drive the distance.

It's not a long distance though, it should be a 10 minute drive but it's turned into a half hour drive by traffic. Which still isn't all that long really.

serfboard

shebop wrote: »

Basically I will be working in Parkmore and am looking to live outside the city centre (cheaper prices etc).

I'm considering Moycullen, Oranmore, Kilcolgan and possibly Athenry. I've a few places lined up to view on Monday.

Do not consider Moycullen if you are working in Parkmore ... unless you like sitting in traffic. Moycullen is a fine place to live, but has become very built up in recent years. However, the biggest problem to living there is that to get to Parkmore you will have to cross the Quincentennial Bridge in the mornings and the queue to get onto it can be horrendous - particularly coming from the Moycullen Road.

The key is crossing the river in Galway. Once you don't have to do that you will be OK (but you will still face traffic).

Kilcolgan is a bit far out (you may not mind that) and you have to get through Clarenbridge, which can be busy. Oranmore is more or less like a suburb of Galway. Athenry is quite a big town and, as another poster has said, will be near the new M6.

ValerieR

serfboard wrote: »

...
Kilcolgan is a bit far out (you may not mind that) and you have to get through Clarenbridge, which can be busy. ...

Kilcolgan is probably 10 miles from Parkmore (12 miles to Mervue) and it'd take approx 20 min to get there in the morning.
Clarinbridge is busy in the evening and if a fly sneezes in the village, the traffic ends up backing up before the village.
However, it could be worse !
The dual-carriage-way between the Galway Clinic and Oranmore gets clogged up in the evening too. But it moves on pretty quickly.

Good luck with your research.

ValerieR

swe_fi

shebop>>>Oranmore is a good option. Not spectacular, but good. Depends of course what you are looking for but i have lived here for 2 years and really like it. Parkmore is then 8-9 KM away = ehh...10-37 mins away depending on when you start / finish. If you look here look at (just 2 suggestions) Costa Na Mara or Rivergrove maybe, it is on the "right" side of the village for commuting (Oranmore village can be a bit like Paris on strike in the morning/evening). Also, stay cool and haggle the rent down before you move in. I love haggling.

shebop

Thanks very much for your replies everyone! -- So far I'm liking the sound of both Athenry/Oranmore a lot ... it depends now one the places I see, the rates I get ...

@ Velo -- I'll definitely be renting initially. But thanks for the tips, and I've googled all you mentioned. Seems the road works will hopefully pay off when these new roads are opened ...

@ScumLord -- you wouldn't be tempted to hop on a bike every now and again yourself if the traffic is that bad? :P

@Serfboard -- thanks for the reality check on Moycullen. It does look like a great place alright, but I don't think I could hack the traffic ... I hear it's a great cycle route too so I'll be surely wandering out that way anyway.

@ValerieR -- thanks for the input and well wishes. My research seems to be leading me more and more to the Oranmore side of things!

@ Swe-Fi -- do you fancy doing the haggling for me!?! I hate it! I'm so Irish about it ... Do you know anything about the wee houses in Renville Village? They seem to be super rates, but does that mean the houses are flimsy and poor quality on the inside?

dec25532

Lackagh, between Claregalway and Turloughmore, seems to have become a popular residential area in recent years and is a mere 10 mins from Parkmore Estate. Trouble is, they will ram hurling down your throat whether you like it or not. Prices have tumbled here as well.

GalwayDub2

Hi,

I think Athenry would be your best option. I live here and travel to work driving past parkmore every day. Takes about.....20 mins (depending what time of the morning).

swe_fi

shebop>>>Renville Village may look quite nice & cheap but i was out there before i moved here to look at an apartment and I was not impressed. I think the houses out there were originally built to be some sort of Holiday complex close to the hotel (that is closed down). It is just by the water and the views are great. I think there is a golf course out there (I dont play golf so don't know - don't care) and there is a harbour, sailing club & a forest walk that is quite nice BUT, i would not live there (You may like it, i don't know). It would add on approx 30 mins to your journey in the morning.

shebop

Seriously, what is the story with Galway estate agents not returning calls? I've had to do all the chasing ....

Viewing Renville Village tomorrow anyway just to see, it does seem a bit out of the way for sure though, but no harm in checking it out. Checking out two other places in Oranmore, then a couple more in Athenry ... will keep yous posted. Thanks again for the tips.

ValerieR

shebop wrote: »

Seriously, what is the story with Galway estate agents not returning calls? I've had to do all the chasing ....

Maybe they are still resting on their laurels after the good times

shebop wrote: »

Viewing Renville Village tomorrow anyway just to see, it does seem a bit out of the way for sure though, but no harm in checking it out.

Indeed, no harm. Renville village is a development, a few miles outside the Oranmore village but in a beautiful setting. The sailing club is nearby, lovely walks available in the park next door and along the sea. The houses are, I think, small but it's nice (imo).

Good luck with the viewing. Let us know how you get on.

ValerieR

swe_fi

(This post relates to Oranmore)
shebop>>>This might just me being picky (I dont think I am) but check for damp wherever you view a house in the area, it is usually fine but in certain groundfloor apts/houses damp can creep in to the foundation. Oranmore is Marshland. Also check for broadband / NTL (if you need that)

Valerie is right in her comment to your problem with the estate agents, they are hilarious. My advice as always is forget them calling you back, just
- Call ask for person X.
- If person X is not there ask for someone else who is covering for X.
- If there is no someone else, ask for mobile no to X.
- If they do not give you that say you have called 14 times before and they will connect you
- When you finally get hold of the person do not ask "When can I have a look at this place" - say "Can I have a look at this place today, Thursday (whatever suits you, give THEM alternatives not the other way around)"
- Have a list ready with set questions (the usual stuff)
- Bring a digital camera so you can view the place after you leave also

On Haggling: Be prepared to negotiate price before you sign / agree to anything (never haggle on the phone) A bad thing to say is: "So it is 950....yes....ok (or similar, and fail) " Say: "I know from the ad that this place is listed for 950 but I want to know how much you can rent this out for <wait for a bla bla bla response & ignore that> And then say something like: "I hear what you are saying, and i like the place, but having looked at this place and comparing it to other places i have looked at I think a more fair price would be in the region of 850, and that is what I am willing to consider spending if I was to take this apartment"

I dont want you to lose a place you like because of my advice and pay what you like but in my opinion and from experience all the stuff about "we've had a lot of interest" "there are 4 more people viewing today" is a load of you know what.

Maybe you know all of the above already, but just in case.

I'm also interested in this case now keep us posted

shebop

Wow, well yesterday was fascinating. I started out early and was in Galway by 11am for viewing appointments. I started in Oranmore, worked my way through some places in Renmore, Doughiska, Ballybrit and then onto Athenry before leaving for home (north east coast).

First of all -- the recession is more than a reality. Most of the places I viewed hadn't been occupied since last Christmas (shocking!). My budget is a maximum of 650pm and with little or no experience in haggling, I was able to take most of them down to 550-580. I also found that any tweaks I wanted (replacement of leather suites for non-leather suites being the main one!) were eventually agreed to. Length of leases were all flexible, with only one properly stipulating a 6 month minimum.

What a contrast to my renting experience 4 years ago in Dublin ...

I totally see how Oranmore and Athenry can be bottlenecks, but both were gorgeous. Oranmore appealed to me more -- proximity to the sea and city etc.

Renville Village was a strange experience. I'm not sure if it was your post, Swe_Fi, that influenced me, but basically you drive like 5 minutes out of Oranmore up towards the sailing club/golf club and you are driving further and further away from civilisation into this surreal holiday/make-shift world, only Renville is bizarre, there are no shops nearby, the 'village' itself was like a ghost town, and the house I viewed was right beside the forest. There was this unsettling, eerie chorus of a wasp hive nearby the house and I just saw myself losing the rest of my remaining sanity if I were to spend a winter there!

The quality/dampness/condition of the everywhere else was shockingly bad, and I really don't understand why landlords are so reluctant to freshen up a place with paint, new carpets etc.

So I start new job on Monday, and will be B+Bing it until I find somewhere I'm happy with, and will probably share until I can find a suitable place to be on my own.

Thanks for all your help again!

swe_fi

Shebop:
"Renville Village was a strange experience. I'm not sure if it was your post, Swe_Fi, that influenced me, but basically you drive like 5 minutes out of Oranmore up towards the sailing club/golf club and you are driving further and further away from civilisation into this surreal holiday/make-shift world, only Renville is bizarre, there are no shops nearby, the 'village' itself was like a ghost town, and the house I viewed was right beside the forest. There was this unsettling, eerie chorus of a wasp hive nearby the house and I just saw myself losing the rest of my remaining sanity if I were to spend a winter there!"

Thanks for the status report. I laughed when i red the above (i actually still snigger about it). It is spot on unfortuneately. Love the timing of the wasp chorus, feels a bit like something from LOST. By the way, did you look in the Galway advertiser (probably not)? It comes out every thursday and list all the places that are not on daft for example.

Also, now you have commited here so you are going to have to report on how you get on at work how you like Galway etc :-) Good luck anyway, let us know if you need more input.

dochara

Just ensure that you stay on the south side of the Corrib.

Cycling would be easiest approaching from around the airport (Carnmore) or anywhere on the Monivea Road.

Driving . . . Derrydonnell, Clarinbridge, Kilcolgan, Athenry, Kiltullagh, Craughwell would probably be best.

shebop

A wee update for those interested:

Job is going as well as a new job can go. Found a lovely one bedroom near Wellpark last night too, so all's looking up. I'm glad I took the time in searching for a place, as I realise just how small Galway is, but how important it is to live on the right side of the city in order to avoid commuting hell. Wellpark seems grand for getting in and out to Parkmore, has a good bus route, Dublin road seems fine for cycling, the roundabouts aren't too suicidal, and well ... in theory I can walk to the city for nights out!

Can't wait to actually spend a weekend here so I get to experience those nights out!

Thanks again everyone.