Where to live up North?

inkogneetoe

Within the next week or so my family and I are moving up from Cork. I'm working in Belfast International so looking for some tips on where we could/should rent within a 30min drive(max) of the airport.

Thanks in advance.

pow wow

Any pre-requisites like schools etc? Newtownabbey is a nice mixed area, some of it more scenic that other parts, with a lot of new estates with young families. Good commuting distance from the airport and Belfast itself for shopping/socialising and the like.

inkogneetoe

Schools are not an issue yet as we've got a 16 month old. Just looking for a nice easygoing place. Thanks

Joeyjoejoe83

Not armagh,tyrone,fermanagh,derry. Maybe antrim

My advice would be west/north west down. Lovely part of the world. Great roads, close to places with stuff to do. Not from down myself but when I move back up north, if not belfast then ill hope to settle there.

Cookie33

Lisburn's not too bad and it would be a reasonable commute to the airport. Also not too far from Belfast as well

inkogneetoe

Thanks all. Had a read up about your suggestions. Heading up on Tuesday for a few days for a look around. Moira has been suggested to me as well. Looked at Antrim town,anything I saw didn't look too pleasing.

Berns

In Lisburn myself. Can head to Airport from here and Moira prity easily. Not sure of any real mixed or catholic area's though if its a issue, feel intimidated here now tbh especially comin up to marchin season. Local paper got some catholics writin in about some UDR memorial sayin feelin 2nd class, others said aint that bothered but whose to know :rolleyes: We do however have a class lookin swimmin pool (aint been in it myself), cinema (goin tonight), with few american type restaurants around it. Commutable to Belfast or the International Airport. We got dam all clubs though GF doesnt feel safe here so aint sampled the pubs much either

Always thought N'Abbey was real loyalist?? Least impression got from people there. Can't say anything bad about the people that know from there, prob the opposite as all were friendly etc just the wrong side of the old firm :rolleyes:

owenc

inkogneetoe wrote: »

Within the next week or so my family and I are moving up from Cork. I'm working in Belfast International so looking for some tips on where we could/should rent within a 30min drive(max) of the airport.

Thanks in advance.

Why not try somewhere in county antrim? County antrim is a far nicer place than county down and in my opinion you'd probably have a better view and choice of shops their than in county down. How about around carrickfergus or newtonabbey? Its right on the belfast lough and not too far from the antrim coast road so it would have alot of activities. You could even try somewhere along the ards area like bangor or somewhere theres alot to do here as its very touristy- for example the water park place. All of those places have a lot of entertainment and shops which is also an advantage they aren't too far from the beaches either nor belfast for that matter.I definitely wouldn't recommend living in Belfast if you don't like living in a city tho. Btw don't listen to people saying on here that you'll get people annoying you over religion its nonscence it won't happen no one cares anymore, if you don't want any bother i would say that you should move to the countryside there is never any bother out in the country county folk don't care about religion, DON'T goto council estates if you can as this is were all of the trouble makers live (i'm not saying council estates are bad i'm just saying thats were they all live).

owenc

Berns wrote: »

In Lisburn myself. Can head to Airport from here and Moira prity easily. Not sure of any real mixed or catholic area's though if its a issue, feel intimidated here now tbh especially comin up to marchin season. Local paper got some catholics writin in about some UDR memorial sayin feelin 2nd class, others said aint that bothered but whose to know :rolleyes: We do however have a class lookin swimmin pool (aint been in it myself), cinema (goin tonight), with few american type restaurants around it. Commutable to Belfast or the International Airport. We got dam all clubs though GF doesnt feel safe here so aint sampled the pubs much either

Always thought N'Abbey was real loyalist?? Least impression got from people there. Can't say anything bad about the people that know from there, prob the opposite as all were friendly etc just the wrong side of the old firm :rolleyes:

Your always moaning about Northern Ireland why are you living here if you don't like it?... stop scare mongering, I think you're just scared of certain areas because you see union jacks flying but i think you'll find that theres some very nice homely people living in those areas honestly the people who fly those flags aren't like that, Usually they are just traditional auld folk, they won't say anything to you and i actually find that these people are far nicer than any other people in Northern Ireland And theres nothing wrong with Newtonabbey, theres also no such thing as a loyalist area its a unionist area a loyalist area is a bad area where alot of trouble goes on, Newtonabbey is not like that as its a relatively new town.

pow wow

owenc the unfortunate reality is that although in the minority, some people do still care be it in the city or countryside and it's not fair of you to say otherwise. However, them taking some kind of action against the OP because of where he's from is rather unlikely and certainly not something he should let deter him from making the move.

As for Berns...he's entitled to his opinion even if you don't share it. From having lived in working class unionist areas myself for virtually the entire time I've lived in NI I've never had any problems and have found them, much like you have, to be some of the nicest people I've met here. I'd also stand by my recommendation of Newtownabbey as a nice mixed area, even if Berns doesn't share my opinion

Try and keep the thread on topic please everyone.

Berns

NM me , may have only been in N'Abbey once or twice but like said people that I know from there are grand and wouldnt give a dam, mostly assumptions based on some news sites.

BTW Think theres a butchers in Moira thats supposed to be great if ur down there. Can't remember the name of em but dad stops there odd time we pass for stuff. Think they gotta few awards.

Lisburn has a hotel now too btw if need. Premier Inn
Not sampled it myself but its towards sprucefield so handy to motorway and Newry > Belfast route.

inkogneetoe

Thanks again for all the input. I think with a good attitude you will go along way anywhere. We would prefer a town outside Belfast and there seems to be alot of options with a touristy place being a little higher on the preferred locations list.

Dunno why joe83 was ruling out 4 counties as an option. Hardly that bad are they?

@berns Why are you feeling intimidated? We are going to see some places in Lisburn so if we settle there I'll give ya a shout for a pint. I'll keep an eye out for that butchers too.

@pow thanks for keeping these lads in line ;-)

paulgalway

inkogneetoe wrote: »

Moira has been suggested to me as well. Looked at Antrim town,anything I saw didn't look too pleasing.

If you get to Moira, go and have a look at Magheralin, about 5 mins from Moira., have a sister living there.

Another option would be Randalstown which is 20 mins from the airport.

Berns

inkogneetoe wrote: »

@berns Why are you feeling intimidated? We are going to see some places in Lisburn so if we settle there I'll give ya a shout for a pint. I'll keep an eye out for that butchers too.

Think it's just that see the odd flags & place is covered with them in marchin season. While if I went down with Tricolour for St Pat's would be afraid of stuff happenin :rolleyes: Also GF got passport refused in Mace, prob cause it was Irish, with lame ass excuse of "doesnt look like her", served no prob in co op next door & happy for the custom.

Mageralin, nuffin much in it last time was there. Think 1 shop, a bar and a chippy. Quiet if it's what ur lookin for. Chippy at the top of the hill there was good though from what I remember.

pow wow

owenc and Joeyjoejoe83 your posts have been deleted as they were totally off-topic and going nowhere but a row. This is not the place for a debate on what kind of passports your mates have.

Stay on topic or stay (reasonably) quiet.

muffler

Just to add that if owenc persists in bringing politics/religion into every thread then that will ultimately result in a permanent removal of his posting privileges here.

inkogneetoe

Just to update. We've settled in Lisburn. Seems a grand place,nice an friendly. Now to venture out and about and see what's to do.

muffler

inkogneetoe wrote: »

Just to update. We've settled in Lisburn. Seems a grand place,nice an friendly. Now to venture out and about and see what's to do.

We wish you well and hope you enjoy it. No reason not to I suppose.

DublinWriter

Let us know how you get on there...we were thinking about relocating to NI and I'd be interested in hearing how you get on with the Lisburners.

Berns

inkogneetoe wrote: »

Just to update. We've settled in Lisburn. Seems a grand place,nice an friendly. Now to venture out and about and see what's to do.

@4am.... So was it Tesco's or Sainsburys:rolleyes:

inkogneetoe

Hey all.

Everything going well up here.

@Berns Sainsburys is our local,nice and airy

Everyone is dead on up here,big flag happy at the moment but grand beisdes,lots of stuff to do and see up here which is great.

Looking to reg the car up here now so if anyone has done that Id appreciate some info.