It's official - most Galway city dwellers are blowins!

antoobrien

One in four city people born outside Ireland

The data shows that 25%, or one in every four residents, enumerated in Galway city on Census night were born outside the state. This is a far greater proportion that Dublin, Waterford, Cork or Limerick and the Census release says Galway is “the most international of the five major cities”.

The report notes that fewer than half (49.3%) of the 76,778 residents of Galway city were actually born in the city or county. In Dublin, almost 70% of the population was born in Dublin, while the same is true of Cork, Limerick and Waterford.

Of the 25% of the residents of Galway that were neither born in Galway or outside the country, 10% are from the surrounding counties of Connacht – Mayo, Roscommon, Leitrim and Sligo – while another 10% approximately were born in Munster.

Come on fess up - who are you?

Edit - born in Mervue, raised in Castlegar now an economic refugee elsewhere

snubbleste

*points at someone else*

fishy fishy

I am wondering - is galway the San Francisco of Ireland.

Mrs OBumble

Mr justMary calls it the Hotel California of Ireland.

(And we're both blow-ins!)


In fairness though, with the number of people who claim not to have done the census form, it may just be that the locals are better at hiding from the authorities.

Shakti

Such an illiberally titled article more 'céad míle' than "failte".

Galway is a cosmopolitan city to be proud of.

muppetkiller

Henry Street Boy here...born and bred But all my old Galway pals have left

scholar007

So thats why all the jobs and women are nearly gone....

McTigs

Grew up in Barna, live in salthill now.

My wife is american mind so our household nicely reflects the census figures

for the first time in my life i feel like i'm properly conforming

can't wait to wash the car on sunday morning!

mikemac1

The census was in April, well over ten thousand students, probably over twenty thousand
Many from Galway but a lot from elsewhere and international too

Take that census in July and it would be a very different result

The students are a huge part of the population of Galway

ladhrann

Myself and the last of the auld shtock have known this for years.

fishy fishy

mikemac1 wrote: »

The census was in April, well over ten thousand students, probably over twenty thousand
Many from Galway but a lot from elsewhere and international too

Take that census in July and it would be a very different result

The students are a huge part of the population of Galway

you could say that about every city that had a college tho.

kevin65

You could be living in Galway for the last 20 years and still be considered a blow-in by the natives...

Paddyfield

The article doesn't say that "most Galway city dwellers are blow-ins", it says 25%....! Either way, it's great to part of such a cosmopolitan city.

mikemac1 wrote: »

Take that census in July and it would be a very different result

Agreed! The city's hotels, B&Bs, hostels, campsites will be full to the brim of foreigners and Irish tourists in July. I'd say there are more people in Galway during peak summer months than off-peak when the students are gracing our soil.

Maybe we should carry out a Census on the last week of July when the Races are on. Galway is probably bigger than Cork for that week.

nuac

mikemac1 wrote: »

The census was in April, well over ten thousand students, probably over twenty thousand
Many from Galway but a lot from elsewhere and international too

Take that census in July and it would be a very different result

The students are a huge part of the population of Galway

I agree with Mikemac. A census taken on Sunday night inflates the population of Galway and other cities with third level insititutions. Ovefr the years have seen the buses leaving Mayo towns bringng students back to Galway, Sligo, DUbli.

A census taken on Saturday night would be a truer picture.

As it is pop figures for Galway are artificially inflated, and that of adjoining areas artifically depressed.

As investment follows the pop numbers, this is affecting prospects in areas outside of Galway

snubbleste

Paddyfield wrote: »

The article doesn't say that "most Galway city dwellers are blow-ins", it says 25%....! Either way, it's great to part of such a cosmopolitan city.

49.3% are from Galway or Co Galway.
25% are from outside Ireland.
10% are from the rest of Connacht
10% are from Munster.
??% are from Ulster/Leinster/Mars/Venus

antoobrien

Paddyfield wrote: »

Agreed! The city's hotels, B&Bs, hostels, campsites will be full to the brim of foreigners and Irish tourists in July

The census figures are for habitual residents - residents of communal facilities (such as hotels) fill out a separate form and does not affect the official population.

antoobrien

Paddyfield wrote: »

The article doesn't say that "most Galway city dwellers are blow-ins", it says 25%

Actually it says that 25% aren't born in Ireland. I'm the one that said blow-ins. Looks accurate too based on the quote highlighted in the OP.

The report notes that fewer than half (49.3%) of the 76,778 residents of Galway city were actually born in the city or county.

joeKel73

snubbleste wrote: »

49.3% are from Galway or Co Galway.
25% are from outside Ireland.
10% are from the rest of Connacht
10% are from Munster.
??% are from Ulster/Leinster/Mars/Venus

??% = 100-49.3-25-10-10 = 5.7% from Ulster/Leinster/Mars/Venus

Doc Ruby

Tis quare wans as far as the eye can see. I love this city.

KittyeeTrix

Born in Westsiiiiiiide!!!!!!! Now living out near Athenry:D

scrubber72

Born in Renmore, moved to Castlelawn in 78, left there in 95 moved into Tirellan.
Back to Castlelawn then Glen Rua, Tirellan, Bohermore, Whitestrand road, Ballybrit, Mullan Mor, Rinn Lia and now in Oranmore. Mother from Claddagh and Father from Woodquay so yeah pretty much a `weigan

loser2old4board

kevin65 wrote: »

You could be living in Galway for the last 20 years and still be considered a blow-in by the natives...

Anybody who doesn't have family buried in Forthill Cemetery is
considered a blow-in by the natives (auld shtock).

Rob A. Bank

loser2old4board wrote: »

Anybody who doesn't have family buried in Forthill Cemetery is
considered a blow-in by the natives (auld shtock).

And don't forget the stipulation about being a descendent of at least 2 Claddagh kings. (on both sides of the family)

fish fingers

Rob A. Bank wrote: »

And don't forget the stipulation about being a descendent of at least 2 Claddagh kings. (on both sides of the family)

Old old Galway. Like !!!

Jim

From Dublin, moved here a year ago.

No love for west brits in this city!

Viral Vector

Sure isn't half of Mayo down in Galway! (myself included)

_Moss_

Here's a house full of us blowins!
2 housemates are Polish, 1 is English, I'm from Mayo, and my BF is from the Galway County.

biko

City's full of fordners, Dubleens and Mayogians.

xflyer

Blown in here. Exiled here from Dublin after marrying the proverbial Galway girl. I suppose there's worse places like Longford or Nenagh. :eek: But my kids are born and bred Galwegians.

I liked to annoy my Galway friends by suggesting Galway town is merely the most western suburb of Dublin. As it turns out I wasn't far wrong.:p

But you Galway people should be proud. At least Galway is a place people come to stay rather desperately trying to get out!

Pure Sound

I am the 49.3%

Occupy Eyre Square

dloob

Born in Limerick, raised in Tipperary, college in Limerick.
I'm part of the Munster 10%
I guess being here for almost 13 years means I'm still only a recent blow in.

Viral Vector

biko wrote: »

City's full of fordners, Dubleens and Mayogians.

Mayogians?!

Surely its Mayoian or is this what the Scandinavians of Galway call us?

MajorMax

My Mother is from Wicklow
My Brother is from Dublin
My sister in law is from Laois
All living in Galway
3 beautiful nieces all Galway born

Gingko

I'm finding some of the replies on this thread hilarious. Quotes like "San Francisco of Ireland" and "Cosmopolitan" etc. Are you having us on? (possibly being sarcastic)

No it is nothing like San Fran! Have you been there? And it is not as cosmopolitan as either Dublin or Cork. In fact cosmopolitan ideas and business struggle in Galway. Some of the delusional pretentiousness that comes out of Galway in recent years is quite something.

Forgot to mention "The Latin Quarter" and Galways "Westend". All small town marketing to make money and nothing else. Recently overheard a conversation about Galway becoming a "Foodie" destination. Wha?? Ok ok there are a couple of really nice restaurants fair enough such as Ard bia, Artisan and Kai but in general the food is fast food and fried.

Sorry for going off the initial topic. By the way I was born in Carlingford, County Louth and spent many years in Dublin, Kerry, abroad, Galway and then abroad again to get away from the many delusional lost lunatics that live there .

Don't get me wrong Galway has its charms such as the prom, cobbled streets, street life etc but it is by no means a San Fran or cosmopolitan city. Nice in the Summer time.

Gingko

Just to add I did live in a house in Galway once where there was a Spanish girl, French guy, Belfast guy, English girl and myself (border). The only Galwegian was the cat!

xflyer

A bit harsh Ginko but there is truth in what you say. But in Galway's defence it has improved considerably from when my wife grew up here.

I think it's better to have an erroneously high opinion of a place than to think it's a hole you can't wait to get out of.

I still prefer Dublin though even if no one ever has a good word to say for it.

Gingko

xflyer wrote: »

A bit harsh Ginko but there is truth in what you say. But in Galway's defence it has improved considerably from when my wife grew up here.

I think it's better to have an erroneously high opinion of a place than to think it's a hole you can't wait to get out of.

I still prefer Dublin though even if no one ever has a good word to say for it.

Good points made! Good attitude too. Re Dublin, I have some good words to say about it actually. Much better night life, better food at affordable prices, Howth head cliff walks beats anything in Galway, nice parks, more scenes for different folk and close to Wicklow national park. Busier over Winter with many Europeans availing of the cheap city breaks to Dublin. And no offence to Galwegians but as much stick as they get I actually find Dubliners far friendlier then Galwegians?

snubbleste

Gingko wrote: »

Good points made! Good attitude too. Re Dublin, I have some good words to say about it actually. Much better night life, better food at affordable prices, Howth head cliff walks beats anything in Galway, nice parks, more scenes for different folk and close to Wicklow national park. Busier over Winter with many Europeans availing of the cheap city breaks to Dublin. And no offence to Galwegians but as much stick as they get I actually find Dubliners far friendlier then Galwegians?

:eek: Blasphemy!

antoobrien

Gingko wrote: »

Good points made! Good attitude too. Re Dublin, I have some good words to say about it actually. Much better night life, better food at affordable prices, Howth head cliff walks beats anything in Galway, nice parks, more scenes for different folk and close to Wicklow national park. Busier over Winter with many Europeans availing of the cheap city breaks to Dublin. And no offence to Galwegians but as much stick as they get I actually find Dubliners far friendlier then Galwegians?

I work in Dublin - it's a dump I can't wait to get out of.

The Dubs (from the north side) all look like they want to stick you for the contents of your wallet and blow it up their noses.

The south soiders, loike roish, just loike, want yur bank account loike roish.

As for the parks - connemara & lettermore vs st annes.

biko

This thread is about Galway, please don't hi-Jackeen it

biko

I suppose there is good reason Galway is so popular with blow-ins, it just the right size - not so big it's overwhelming and still has all/most of the amenities.
The atmosphere is quite laid back and still it has the big companies that attract workers from abroad.

I've only met one person that hated it here and she came over for a boyfriend that later dumped her so she left a year after that.

Gingko

biko wrote: »

I suppose there is good reason Galway is so popular with blow-ins, it just the right size - not so big it's overwhelming and still has all/most of the amenities.
The atmosphere is quite laid back and still it has the big companies that attract workers from abroad.

I've only met one person that hated it here and she came over for a boyfriend that later dumped her so she left a year after that.

Hi Biko! First of all I'm not a "Jackeen". I met many in my stint there that didn't like it and were trying to get out for a variety of reasons. Although usually completely broke! Just sit outside any establishment on Quay Street and you meet them on their confused downers. There is a lot of depression in Galway and the west in general. As one pushes on into their 30's and 40's Galway does become quite stagnant though. Not many venues for the more mature of the species? In fact it's pretty bad eh?

I agree with you that it is laid back and does attract some big companies. Right size? Perhaps just different courses for different horses! It's a tiny city and you run into the same folk all the time. I spent about 4 years in Galway and really enjoyed the first 2. Then it just got very much same old same old and a dire lack of options. Persistent rain didn't help either! I went back there a few months ago to meet up with friends and their all burnt out looking. It is very much a young party persons town.

Antoobrien, your take on Dublin is hilarious? Are you smashed by any chance? Coastal Dublin is lovely north and south with beaches and even islands too! Have you heard of Europes biggest city park Phoenix park? Or indeed St Stephen Green, Merrion Square, Iveagh gardens, Marley park etc. And Wicklow national park is right beside the city. Plus rightly or wrongly all roads lead to Dublin so it's easy to access anywhere in the country from the capital these days.

Hey Biko apologies for my part in moving the thread off topic so better get back to it. I'm from Louth and lived in Galway for 4 years!

ongarboy

nuac wrote: »

I agree with Mikemac. A census taken on Sunday night inflates the population of Galway and other cities with third level insititutions. Ovefr the years have seen the buses leaving Mayo towns bringng students back to Galway, Sligo, DUbli.

A census taken on Saturday night would be a truer picture.

As it is pop figures for Galway are artificially inflated, and that of adjoining areas artifically depressed.

As investment follows the pop numbers, this is affecting prospects in areas outside of Galway

But how would the census on a Saturday night be more accurate? If you go to a university/college town/city for 3/4 years spending 9 months or so of each of those years living in accommodation there (living/eating/drinking/socialising/working/studying etc) aren't you essentially a resident of that city/town during that period rather than the home you might only return to once a week/fortnight/month?

Funding based on population should go to places where people are normally resident, not where they might visit once a week/fortnight to get the washing done by their mothers. While we may still call the places where we were reared as home ( I still do after 20 years leaving there), it would be inaccurate to declare them as your regular place of residence.

If anything, Saturday night would be the worst night of the week to conduct a census as it's probably the night most citizens are not in their current place of residence (ie weekend breaks away/staying with friends etc)

galwayhooker

I think why Galway has so many people from outside the city is because of the university - I am a galwegian and only knew few from Galway when I was in college.I have had to move away from home because employment wise for teachers there are absolutely no jobs - unless you have pull in your family to help you get into a job.nobody in my family are buddies with local politicians or are teachers themselves.
I would love to live at home but then greener hills seem far away.doesnt matter where you work - company you keep where you live is important.important as well to have facilities you need near you.I live here in Meath and find people here hard to get to know and bit cold.Try to head to Dublin whenever I can.have to say I like the dubs - good sense of humour and in general easy to chat away to.you have all the facilities you need in dublin
Friends of mine in Galway say it's hard to get to know people as lots of people on nights out only down for wkend.have to say love Limerick city as well - pity it gets such bad rep from media.lots of facilities there