Moving back to Ireland (cork) from UK

Madisonmenece

Hello

My girlfriend and I intend to move back to Ireland from the UK around June of next year, I know it's a while off but given the current state of the economy in Ireland I felt it would be good to get some feed back.

We currently live in London and have done for three years. I (27 yo) work as project engineer for an offshore oil & gas service company which pays fairly well & my girlfriend (25 yo) works as a HDU nurse in a well established hospital in London.

I understand most people will be thinking we are mad to even consider moving back at the moment and suggest to wait it out a bit longer and see, however the reason we would like to move back is to be closer to our family's and close friends who we have seen very little over the past few years. We are also getting to stage where we have had enough of London and a bit sick of spending over £1200 a month on rent even though we have enjoyed our time here.

We intend to move to Cork where I am from, my girlfriend will try to get a position in CUH. The question I have is what are the best areas in and around cork for persons in their mid to late 20's, I do know cork but I am from west cork (Clonakilty) and areas will have changed over the past few years.

The other question is what if any industries are recruiting, as there is none or very little oil & gas industry and construction/engineering will be saturated with applicants for very little jobs. I always knew moving home would require me to undergo further training and possibly change my career path.

Your comments and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers
Col

mvt

Have to say that I think this is a crazy idea-both areas that you and your partner work in are under severe pressure atm.IT would seem to be the only part of the Irish economy with any prospects atm.
You would really want to think this one through.Maybe give it a couple of more years in London until there is some sort of improvement here.
Sorry to sound so harsh but if you are from Cork and are asking about what parts of Cork would be best to live I would think you have no idea how bad things are here.

krissovo

Can you not stay in your current role but live over here? I work on a project basis and my office is based in Germany but I live in Cork. I have to travel a lot but its a decent job and I am back every weekend and when not traveling I work from home.

murphthesmurf

Krissovo has a point, you could rent a nice house in Cork and fly to and from London once a week for the same price as your paying for the rent in London. Wouldn't be ideal I know, but it would get you started over here. As said by others, the jobs are few and far between. I checked the FAS website last night, the number of full time jobs listed yesterday was 84, for the whole of Ireland. Even then, this included a few in northern Ireland, 1 or 2 in the UK and I think there was 1 in Germany.
I came to Ireland with my family a yr ago (my partner is from here) without truly realizing what I was letting myself in for. After 12 months of applying for all kinds of jobs I've had 3 interviews, but there were god knows how many others also being interviewed and I didn't get any. Most companies don't bother their a**e to even bother replying to you. It is looking like I will have to return to the UK and leave my family here, it will break my heart to leave my 6 yr old son behind, but I have little choice.
Can't say I blame you for thinking about it though, I lived in the UK for 35 yrs, and never once set foot in London, and never will . Far too busy for my liking.

Madisonmenece

Mvt, it's not that I don't know cork I lived there for a year as student before attending college in Limerick and I grew up in west cork. But it has been around 7 years since then and also I am no longer student, I am trying select 2 or 3 neighbourhoods which are suitable for young professionals. I am aware of the situation in Ireland as I was still living there when the economy crashed but was lucky enough to secure a job in London, many of my family & freinds update me frequently on the situation. However the reason we are considering moving is not entirely a financial one, it is to see more of our family both of our parents are also getting in to their later years.


Krissovo, yes this is a possibility we have considered but it would not be suitable long term as my position involves me to attend offshore projects where I am away for up tp 6-8 weeks at a time. That on top of spending my weeks when I am not offshore in our project office would result in seeing family and friends less, it is a good idea until a I find a suitable position at home.

murphym7

The only company I can think of you applying for in your current field is Marathon - they operater the Kinsale gas field. Very long shot, but you could start investigating them now.

As to places to live, you could look into Douglas, Bishopstown, Blackrock as a start.


Best of luck with your plans.

Madisonmenece

Murphthesmuf, thank you for you reply. I do have contacts and friends who likely would be able to help set me up for a short while at home but eventually I will need to get into a full time position. As to my last post continuing my work in the UK for a short time would be okay but it would likely be a an unpleasant situation after a while with the volume of travel my job involves I spend 15-20 weeks offshore a year. The other problem is I would Still need to rent in the UK and Ireland which will work out around the same as we are paying now. We have enjoyed London very much over the past few years but it will of been 4 years by the time we intend to move back, our friends are starting to get married, we have nieces and nephews now and feel it will be time to move home.

Thanks
Col

Madisonmenece

Murphym7, thanks for your reply, my company has also done some work on the kinsale platforms I'll look into it.

Delancey

Given the state of the finances of the HSE I can virtually guarantee you that your girlfriend will not get a permanent job in the CUH , the very best she could hope for would be contract work but even then its worth remembering that nurses are leaving in their droves due to the lack of jobs.
I have to say I think you're crazy to come back here.

Madisonmenece

Delancey, I appreciate your comments and the comments are what I expected, however we do not wish to get married, have children or buy home in the UK maybe these things are not as important to some people but these are things we want to in Ireland where we are from granted sometime down the road.

I'll be honest I would be willing to hold out for 2 more years but my partner has her heart set on moving home next year as she has been home sick for her family, friends an just the country in general.

mvt

Being homesick is one thing-being realistic is another.Your gf will have plenty of time to see her family,and you,as you will probably both be unemployed.
Again,don't mean to be harsh but made the mistake of coming back here,after 16 years away,and clearly see now that was a mistake from an employment point of view.Ireland is a great place to raise a family but it would be nice to feel reasonably secure about your ability to put food on the table.
Best of luck with whatever you decide to do

plumbing pol

hi col
i too dont want to sound harsh but there is nothing here dont come back yet it really is that bad you have very valid reasons for coming home but the time is not right yet.Iam about to turn 40 ive worked all my life and now for the first time i have to leave ireland to find work i pay more a month to my mortage than you do in rent and my business is on its knees iam having to scrape the money together to get me over there i live in co down and things in the north arent just as bad as they are in the south but its still bad ill be leaving my wife and 4 kids but needs must