Please HELP!!! where should we move

ihopeyoudance

My husband and I are looking to move to Ireland. We are both Americans but in all honestly we need to get away from everything and have a brand new start and I feel any place in the US won’t give that to use (just the way of life):(. I know it sounds like a move, running off to Ireland but Ireland is actually something we agree on… but we have NO IDEA where to ever starts looking…we both love the quiet and would love a small town. (Like I mean my perfect place would be a town that has 2 stop lights in it and the second one is brand new). However he is an accountant so we night need to be close to a bigger city so we can have money (let’s be honest everyone needs money) we want to have kids and raise a family so that is important as well….
I
Please help!!!!

eilo1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greystones

Has to be Greystones, its just lovely! (although Im terribly biased as Im from here!

Honestly though if you want the country/sea side/close to the city mix, Greystones has it all.

Charlie-Bravo

totally agree with Eilo - has to be Greystones and yes, I'm biased too.

Not convinced yet? See this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sb9OvofxTzM

PseudoFamous

Well, I'm not that biased, as I live in Arklow, so I may as well give some of my opinion on Greystones.

ihopeyoudance wrote: »

we both love the quiet and would love a small town.

While I would prefer Blessington myself, Greystones is fairly small and quiet, so +1 on that. Very few scumbags in comparison to Arklow and Bray, so social issues aren't a major problem.

However he is an accountant so we night need to be close to a bigger city so we can have money

Dublin is only 30km away from Greystones, so it's close enough to a bigger city. The N11 runs adjacent to it, so commuting by car is fairly easy. Bus services are provided to the city. It also is on the DART line, so trains are relatively frequent in comparison to towns further South, such as Arklow and Wicklow.
Finally, you must realise that Greystones isn't exactly a utopia, as will be implied, and you should obviously explore in depth to form your own opinion of it. Examples of flaws in the area include the unfinished marina, flooding (though not as bad as Arklow) and others.

including overly self-righteous people, too, by the looks of things

Not trying to send you away from Wicklow, but if I were moving to Ireland, I'd move to somewhere in East Meath, such as Laytown or Bettystown, rather than North Wicklow. However, to each his own..

Rasmus

Are you on the run OP?! There's not a single location in the U.S. that would suit you? Your economy is doing a lot better than ours - a move to Europe will shock you financially in the best of times.

However, assuming you have done all that research anyway, I would concur with the others that Greystones is a good choice for sustainable living - good quality of life, ease of commute to the workplace, shopping facilities on the doorstep.

There are also some drawbacks though. A bit of snobbery is evident, the bus service is not stellar (although if you are driving, not so important),and it's not cheap to live here.

Also, that video does not show the under-construction marina, there are a few shops and cafes since closed, and the darts are only every hour on the weekends.

I like it here, as it's kind of close to Dublin (although a bit of a painful commute) and close to the countryside as well. The sporting facilities are fantastic and there are lots of other pluses I am undoubtedly forgetting.

Good luck with the move!

MyPerfectCousin

I take it you have an EU passport, and your husband's professional qualifications will be accepted in Ireland? (just saying there are different systems in each country).

iPlop

PseudoFamous wrote: »

Well, I'm not that biased, as I live in Arklow, so I may as well give some of my opinion on Greystones.

While I would prefer Blessington myself, Greystones is fairly small and quiet, so +1 on that. Very few scumbags in comparison to Arklow and Bray, so social issues aren't a major problem.

Dublin is only 30km away from Greystones, so it's close enough to a bigger city. The N11 runs adjacent to it, so commuting by car is fairly easy. Bus services are provided to the city. It also is on the DART line, so trains are relatively frequent in comparison to towns further South, such as Arklow and Wicklow.
Finally, you must realise that Greystones isn't exactly a utopia, as will be implied, and you should obviously explore in depth to form your own opinion of it. Examples of flaws in the area include the unfinished marina, flooding (though not as bad as Arklow) and others.

including overly self-righteous people, too, by the looks of things

Not trying to send you away from Wicklow, but if I were moving to Ireland, I'd move to somewhere in East Meath, such as Laytown or Bettystown, rather than North Wicklow. However, to each his own..

Blessington is beautiful and quiet and a really great area for kids, I am biased though because I live here.

hoser expat

I agree with a previous poster that you really really need to think about this in depth, and not just with your heart. The economy here is terrible, and I'm sure the licensing and accreditation for accountancy may be a stumbling block. Check on immigration as well....you can't just turn up here and hope to settle unless one of you has an EU passport or a job offer with a significant salary (and before you get incensed by the immigration rules, check those for people wishing to move to the USA).

Anyways, we made roughly the same move 3 years ago. Left a great job in upstate NY (wife and I are Canadian though) for a job in Dublin. There is no way I would have done it without having the job lined up first. First we settled in Skerries (lovely seaside town 18 miles north of Dublin, great for commuting into the city) but have recently moved to Greystones. To both my wife and I Greystones is ideal. Great community, lots of shops, restaurants (not enough pubs though!), sporting facilities, friendly people, by the sea, easy commute etc. The unfinished marina is a blight. Houses are more expensive here than the national average, but to us it's worth it.

Best of luck!

Annasopra

There are lots of small towns and villages throughout county wicklow but if you want somewhere near enough to Dublin City Centre then Greystones/Delgany are probably a good bet

ihopeyoudance

I want to thank everyone for their input.:) I totally understand about the economy and jumping head first into a new country, and i promise the is not what we are doing... we would never move until at least he had a job lined up. ( he company that he works for now has an office in Dublin so that might be a possibility as well. I just wanted to if this does come to pass and we do move ( once everything is in place) where the best place to live would be. Like I said we are in the beginng stages of this moving thing and I thank you all for your Input

ihopeyoudance

Can anyone tell me how long is the train ride to Dublin from Greystones and how much would it cost for a monthly pass?

Dr Strange

ihopeyoudance wrote: »

Can anyone tell me how long is the train ride to Dublin from Greystones and how much would it cost for a monthly pass?

It depends where in Dublin you're going, i.e. where the job is located (North,South East, West or bang on in the Centre).

ihopeyoudance

Preusse wrote: »

It depends where in Dublin you're going, i.e. where the job is located (North,South East, West or bang on in the Centre).

i think it's Clanwilliam Place Dublin 2 Ireland does that sounds like a real address?

Jimjay

The dart from greystones to Dublin is roughly an hour give or take depending on which stop you use. For full timetable see www.dart.ie not sure on prices for the monthly pass but might be on the website.

Dr Strange

ihopeyoudance wrote: »

i think it's Clanwilliam Place Dublin 2 Ireland does that sounds like a real address?

That's City Centre. I'd say you would go to Grand Canal Dock (about 10 minute walk from there). An hour for the DART ride would be about right I'd say.

LEIN

52 Minutes from Greystones to Dublin Connolly.

Roughly 46 to Grand Canal Dock.

Aprilmay

I have to say personally I too would prefer Blessington to Greystones - Maybe you should check both places out . Blessington is close enough to Dublin for commuting and the scenery is amazing with the lakes.

ihopeyoudance

What is the deal with Pubs/ Restaurants/ Bakeries in Greystones and Blessington? are there a lot of them a few....especially Bakeries any good bakeries around?

ihopeyoudance

Damo9090 wrote: »

52 Minutes from Greystones to Dublin Connolly.

Roughly 46 to Grand Canal Dock.

So does that mean it's like 1 hour and 40 min for the trip?

LEIN

ihopeyoudance wrote: »

So does that mean it's like 1 hour and 40 min for the trip?

Just under an hour to the center of Dublin.

Aprilmay

ihopeyoudance wrote: »

What is the deal with Pubs/ Restaurants/ Bakeries in Greystones and Blessington? are there a lot of them a few....especially Bakeries any good bakeries around?

Blessington -has 6 pubs in close proximity -you've also got Avon Ri at the lake shore resort which has a great Bar which does food and also a restaurant and has various pursuits too. Amazing views of the lakes too. http://www.avonri.com/
There's an Indian restaurant and Chinese restaurant, The West Wicklow do food also. And I like the Ballymore Inn it is a short drive away and the food is always excellent.http://www.ballymoreinn.com/
The Tulfarris Hotel & club is on the lakes http://tulfarrishotel.com/index.php
There is a small bakery in the village.
I haven't been to Greystones in a couple of years so I can't really comment but I would spend a few days in each area to get a feel for an area and see if its a good fit for you

Annasopra

ihopeyoudance wrote: »

What is the deal with Pubs/ Restaurants/ Bakeries in Greystones and Blessington? are there a lot of them a few....especially Bakeries any good bakeries around?

Pubs in greystones - 2
Restaurants in greystones - lots - at a guess 15/20
Bakeries - not that I know of - can anyone else think of any?

Rasmus

ihopeyoudance wrote: »

So does that mean it's like 1 hour and 40 min for the trip?

It could be that long, yes. I live just outside of Greystones and including a short bus ride to the DART, it takes me approx that time to get to my destination in the city centre.
However, Clanwilliam place is about 5 mins from Grand Canal, so if you live about a 5 or 10 minute walk from the Greystones DART, it could be a lot quicker!

Maudi

ihopeyoudance wrote: »

My husband and I are looking to move to Ireland. We are both Americans but in all honestly we need to get away from everything and have a brand new start and I feel any place in the US won’t give that to use (just the way of life):(. I know it sounds like a move, running off to Ireland but Ireland is actually something we agree on… but we have NO IDEA where to ever starts looking…we both love the quiet and would love a small town. (Like I mean my perfect place would be a town that has 2 stop lights in it and the second one is brand new). However he is an accountant so we night need to be close to a bigger city so we can have money (let’s be honest everyone needs money) we want to have kids and raise a family so that is important as well….
I
Please help!!!!

hey again,it has to be greystones.we moved here over a year ago.i love walking and mountain biking its all here,the sea side is great a beautiful town and great friendly people

neets

Can't think of any bakers but Cavistons do lovely bread....not to mention fish, seafood cheese, cold meats, pates, chutneys, oh god, I'm beginning to drool!