Can you see yourself staying in Waterford forever?

Wanderer2010

Ok, so we all know that there is a lot of problems with the country, what with banking woes, mass emigration and, particularly in Waterford, unemployment. I pose this question to any regulars here: do you see yourself living in Waterford for the rest of your life, even if you had to head away for a few years to build a decent career etc before coming back to settle here? I notice there are still quite a few young members here who all seem to have jobs and settled, although Im sure they also know of people who have had to leave etc but im curious, would you stay here forever?

I have one or two mates who are die-hard Waterford people who would never leave the place even if every single job was lost and the place was a lawless mess. Might seem a bit OTT but I presume this is an extreme reaction but how many people here would plan to live the rest of their lives here, whatever your job or family circumstances?

dazftw

Moving to Cork next week to look for work and start college in September. I honestly hope I never have to move back. I don't hate Waterford per say.. I just really don't want to live here any more.

deadybai

Nope. The second I can I'm out of here. Most of the people are only into themselves and their friends and refused to move out of their shell.

Also to make a living here has almost become impossible with everywhere closing down. Theres just so many more opportunities in another city. Its a shame because it could be a good place.

Whatsisname

I'll hopefully have my degree in 4 years, if I can afford it at the time, I plan to move to England. I don't know if I'd ever plan to move back here but I wouldn't say no to a visit, its not as bad as some people make it out to be.

wobbles

Im not from waterford originally. Moved down for college, graduated, got a job and am still here. While the job i work in is nothing to do with my degree, and is quite menial, a job is a job.

Believe it or not, from the part of the country im from got hit harder than waterford with the recession. No jobs at all now except for a few weeks during the summer doing farm work. Before almost everyone was involved in construction.

I wont say Ill stay in Waterford forever, but cant see myself moving anytime soon.

deisemum

Not from Waterford but married a Waterford man when we lived in the UK then moved here when he got an opportunity.

I don't plan on moving again but I expect my children will be emigrating in a few years time.

decies

God it's grim stuff but that's the reality of it I suppose .
Mind you I hope to be out of here in the near future not that far away but would miss Tramore and Dunmore East when it's quiet !!!

seven_eleven

I'll go anywhere my work/education takes me. I love Waterford though, its one of the most underrated cities/counties in the whole country.

Lovely place really. Shame about busineses struggling but hey, drive along the quays in dublin and observed the amount of boarded up and wrecked shopfronts. Looks like a slum in some parts.
All cities have their problem, waterford isnt any different. The people are nice, the scenery is lovely, there's a lot to see and do around the county and being in the south east the weather is some of the nicest in the country (at a stretch).

endacl

seven_eleven wrote: »

Shame about busineses struggling but hey, drive along the quays in dublin and observed the amount of boarded up and wrecked shopfronts. Looks like a slum in some parts.

Its like that for a good reason. We're hoping somebody will come along and make The Committments II.

All part of the master plan.

moose3844

I am a waterford man born and bred, As John Mullanne famously said "I Love me County"

In 2011 I moved to London as I got the opportunity to move away with work. I didnt want to go but it was to good to turn down. Waterford was on its knees and as everyone was saying this place is a kip. The first 6 months away were really good but then it all started to change. I really started to realise what I had back in waterford. God I missed the place so much. The people of waterford are some of the nicest people iv come accross anywhere. You could walk down the street and have 5 random people at diferent occasions say "well boi, hows it goin??" For the year I lived in London not one person said hello to me and if i said hello to them id get a look from them of, Oh god is he going to rob me.

Waterford for all of its bad points it has so many good points to. We have some of the most beautiful scenary you will ever see in our humble little county. People make Waterford out to be a hell of alot worse than what it actually is because its all small minded people who ahve never left. I never realised how good Waterford is untill i left, It really made me appreciate everything I have and everything waterford has to offer.

To all thoes people who are saying they cant wait to leave because its a kip, well believe you me I cant wait for you to go because with stink attitudes like theres Waterford will never get back to being as great as it once was. A positive attitude goes a hell of a long way in this city.

So to answer the op's question, I will certainly be putting down my roots in this county that I love so much

Media999

Absolute child abuse leading children into a life of no opportunities and narrow mindedness. People refusing to move to better places just to make some kind of a point. Ill be gone at my first opportunity. 20 40 years people will still be complaining about the same things in Waterford. Blaming everyone else on their problems. Typical Irish saying sure its the same in every county so lets accept it.

Get a free college education paid for with my taxes and then head off for a good life somewhere else. Leave this country to be eaten from the inside out by travellers and eastern europeans who breed like rabbits and will never work unless forced.

fozz10

Media999 wrote: »

Absolute child abuse leading children into a life of no opportunities and narrow mindedness. People refusing to move to better places just to make some kind of a point. Ill be gone at my first opportunity. 20 40 years people will still be complaining about the same things in Waterford. Blaming everyone else on their problems. Typical Irish saying sure its the same in every county so lets accept it.

Get a free college education paid for with my taxes and then head off for a good life somewhere else. Leave this country to be eaten from the inside out by travellers and eastern europeans who breed like rabbits and will never work unless forced.

award for comment of the week. all of the above is a fact.

jennygirl

i came to Waterford at 16 yo to go to college-
ive stayed here since
i love the people & the City
i shout from the rooftops on what a great city it is
friendly people, great history, good craic
look to the skies and reinvent the city!!!

Totally Tropical

seven_eleven wrote: »

I'll go anywhere my work/education takes me. I love Waterford though, its one of the most underrated cities/counties in the whole country.

Lovely place really. Shame about busineses struggling but hey, drive along the quays in dublin and observed the amount of boarded up and wrecked shopfronts. Looks like a slum in some parts.
All cities have their problem, waterford isnt any different. The people are nice, the scenery is lovely, there's a lot to see and do around the county and being in the south east the weather is some of the nicest in the country (at a stretch).

Exactly Waterford has a lot of qualities but the problem is that it's not marketed as well as Galway and Kilkenny.The people are sound.I was down there last July the week after that Cork and Waterford match and i have to say the people were lovely and no one gave me any crap about where i was from.The recession is affecting every major urban area in Ireland but i still think Waterford is the most underrated city in the country the place has a load of great qualities if people are willing to look for them.I love the fact that it's a more urban and authentic place than somewhere like Galway with zero pretensions about itself.I can understand people feeling the need to leave ireland but with the exception of Cork i'd class Waterford as the best and nicest city in Ireland.

LuckyFinigan

Like a few of you have said, I'm out of here the first chance I get. Hopefully it'll be sooner rather than later, I'm actually starting to loose my sanity at this stage. Really can't see any kind of future for myself here.

Media999

jennygirl wrote: »

i came to Waterford at 16 yo to go to college-
ive stayed here since
i love the people & the City
i shout from the rooftops on what a great city it is
friendly people, great history, good craic
look to the skies and reinvent the city!!!

Do you mind me asking do you have a career here and what makes you so optimistic? Are you working and have kids?

Adyx

I've lived here for 14 years and if I get offered my course of choice in WIT I'll be here for at least 4 more. If I don't get it, well there's nothing else keeping me here. I certainly don't think it's a kip, nor is it a case of I can't wait to get out, but there really is no other reason to stay.

Nypd

There is a lot of positives about Waterford and lots of negatives that's life.
I love my city and it saddens me to see her on her knees.
For those of you who say its a kip and can't wait to move away I wish you the best of luck and genuinely wish you well.
I am going to stay and fight.

Tragamin2k2

always knew i wasnt gonna end up living there forever

Max Powers

Love Waterford, shame about unemployment/investment situation. I have worked and lived in Cork and Dublin for 5/6 years. Obviously I got on grand and had a good laugh but always knew i wanted to come home, not just to be near my family but this is my hometown, I love being here, I love friendliness/banter/character of people, dont want to leave, im lucky as I have a job in an neighbouring county. However, i do have other responsibilities and paying for those is no.1 so circumstances may but hopefully wont change.
A lot of my friends complain about Waterford, its usually the same ones who havent lived anywhere else. Grass is greener etc.

Other places have their downsides:
-it never stops raining in galway, Dublin can be a pain, London is great, but its a young city and very expensive, etc etc Anyway, for now im gonna stay, im positive in general so things will get better, we can help ourselves on this front.

Baby4

This post has been deleted.

fricatus

Definitely staying. I love the place and it would take a complete breakdown of law and order to get me out. Even if I was unemployed, I'd find work in some other field at reduced pay rather than leave.

I've lived abroad (England, France, Spain) and done the whole treadmill thing in Dublin, and while they were all great places, there's nowhere quite like where you grew up. I'm glad I lived away during my 20s and early 30s for the experience, but I'm equally glad I took the plunge and moved home.

Sometimes I think I'm missing out on all the excitement in other places, but then I think of how I used to feel when I'd start a new job in a new town - excited yes, but with that sinking feeling of dislocation. Even in my latter years in Dublin when I was quite comfortable there, and was within easy enough reach of home any weekend, I still longed to stay on when Sunday evening rolled around.

I'm delighted that my son is going to grow up in the happy and relatively safe environment where I did, surrounded by loving grandparents, uncles and cousins. While he'll be free to go where he wants when he's older, I do hope there will be the opportunity to stay here in Waterford or move back if that's what he decides to do.

I know plenty of people who've painted themselves into a corner now and can't move back from Dublin or England without uprooting the kids or starting a new career, and you can see that while they have good lives and are happy on the whole, they would still move back in the morning if there was a chance.

BadCharlie

Just to say if people are looking for work and cant find it here in waterford you should move on. I went to america for 4months a long time ago and had a great time. Came home and got work but ok jobs at that time was not hard to find. But your time away will open your eyes. I feel everyone should work away from waterford for sometime of their life "early 20's would be the best".

I cant help to think that people are calling waterford a s**t hole because they cant find work ? without money you cant do much and the days are going to be long.

Had a nice walk in the park at lunch time and lots of kids running and playing. Other families out in the sun having a picknic. In this weather is nice to be out walking/running or cycling and you will find its not a s**t hole of a place to live.

I for one don't plan on moving again and will stay here.

Max Powers

BadCharlie wrote: »

Just to say if people are looking for work and cant find it here in waterford you should move on. I went to america for 4months a long time ago and had a great time. Came home and got work but ok jobs at that time was not hard to find. But your time away will open your eyes. I feel everyone should work away from waterford for sometime of their life "early 20's would be the best".

I cant help to think that people are calling waterford a s**t hole because they cant find work ? without money you cant do much and the days are going to be long.

Had a nice walk in the park at lunch time and lots of kids running and playing. Other families out in the sun having a picknic. In this weather is nice to be out walking/running or cycling and you will find its not a s**t hole of a place to live.

I for one don't plan on moving again and will stay here.

or even try neighbouring counties for a start. some people waiting for a suitable job to come to them. (yes i know there are many factors to take into account, travel, petrol, collecting kids etc but can all be sorted usually and needs must)

Jason Todd

BadCharlie wrote: »

Just to say if people are looking for work and cant find it here in waterford you should move on. I went to america for 4months a long time ago and had a great time. Came home and got work but ok jobs at that time was not hard to find. But your time away will open your eyes. I feel everyone should work away from waterford for sometime of their life "early 20's would be the best".

That's a good point! I live in (and love) Waterford, and passed up a few opportunities in my early 20's to live abroad, and it's something of a regret. I'm just 30 and only realising now not only the great things we have on our doorstep but also the potential that's here. So that softens the blow somewhat!

I also wouldn't move now as I have a small child and another on the way and don't want to take them away from their family, my parents in particular would be heartbroken. In the next year or so I plan on opening my own business, and it's my hope that hanging in there in the tough times will stand us in good stead for the future. I think things will get better eventually, and with a bit of good planning and luck we as a City can improve and grow even more like Galway did in the last boom.

But if you're young / single / a teenager / whatever, I would say why not have at least a Summer away and try something new!

jennygirl

Media999 wrote: »

Do you mind me asking do you have a career here and what makes you so optimistic? Are you working and have kids?

yes - i have a career - i work hard
not the best paying job, but it pays the bills
i have a good outlook, good friends, i love my job
my mum always said - if you love your job, then its not work

Waterford's Viking Triangle is looking great, as is JR Square
michael st & John St need a bit of TLC
the housing estates are nice, well kept.
its a good, friendly city to live in

daaave

I'm here to stay anyways. I love where I come from and my appreciation has been heightened in recent months. I have been in training for most of this year with a group of lads who are all away from home (cork/Dublin/galway etc.) since the course began, the lads are always asking me where to go for food/drink/something to do etc. and I've relished in giving them recommendations.
the following day i'll always get the praise for the advice given which gives me a sense of pride in all that we have to offer as a city and county. the approval has lead to every single one of them at some point staying for the weekend to sample in the wide selection of pubs/restaurants and beautiful scenery. each time they've stayed down, their other halves and in some cases group of friends have also dropped down to share the wonderful experience of staying down in the sunny south east.

they have been/done the copper coast drive from tramore to dungarvan, the guillamene,mahon falls, Waterford municipal and Dunmore golf club, pitch and putt at the RSC and tramore, some got 6month membership at goldstone and others went to spirit followed by pigging out in some of the takeaways around town (mainly the cleayboy for a 1/2LBer!)we've played lots of games of astro-turf in town,had a few pints/frames of snooker in the showboat,walked the tracks from the red iron bridge out to kilmeaden,crossed over the bridge to dive in off poullanassa waterfall,kayaked around the coast and kayaking/camping trip in clashganny/graiguenamanagh,barbequed out on Woodstown beach,pints in the lovely beer garden on the vic in tramore after a day on the beach, fished off the many coastal areas and also bell lake.

I feel like i'm doing my little bit to help promote our little corner of this beautiful island and to be honest its extremely easy to do!

I know for a fact that each of the lads will go away with a fond memory of Waterford and its surroundings and that they will return to relive the craic with the lads later in the year and all the while the local economy is making a few pound from it. its a pity there isn't a few more people have a more positive outlook on what we have to offer and shout from the rooftops that Waterford is one of Ireland's best kept secrets.

thankfully, I have a good job that just about pays the bills and we can afford for the wife to stay at home and help shape our kids into good,well rounded adults who will hopefully develop the same fondness for where they grew up as we have.

MRnotlob606

im a young person living in the city,there really isnt many jobs around ,its an absolute nightmare if there is nothing for the youth

bilibob

Here to stay. ( as long as job lasts) im from Mullinavat originally and when I was 21, after graduating and getting a well paid job I moved into town. I LOVE the place, The people, walking through the town, enough to buy a house over in Ferrybank when I was 24

I think locals will complain of course because grass is always greener etc but I am really, really happy here. I have my friends and I really think Waterford has something that I haven't felt anywhere else. I feel I belong here. I think its beautiful. ( laugh if you want) and has incredible potential. I'm on holidays at the moment so probably feeling homesick, but it feels more like a city than Kilkenny or limerick (where I studied for four years) its not a tourist trap like Kilkenny.

I have lived for a year in new York and in Spain. Waterford has what I need, and I love it. Like a previous commented I would shout it from the rooftops.

mooseknunkle

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuERn32OuV8

johnnykilo

Just moved to Dublin 2 months ago for a job, was offered a job in Waterford at the same time co-incidentally, but fancied a bit of a change and the Dublin job had better prospects. That being said Waterford will always be home and I hope to come back in 5-10 years to stay for good.

madfcuker

I moved to Waterford 12 year's for college. Feel in love with the city and will never leave (hopefully)

Currently unemployed but still holding hope for the city. Love the people. Have made some wonderful friends. Have seen many business' close, even my favourite pub.

I am an adopted deise man.

Jason Todd

madfcuker wrote: »

I moved to Waterford 12 year's for college. Feel in love with the city and will never leave (hopefully)

Currently unemployed but still holding hope for the city. Love the people. Have made some wonderful friends. Have seen many business' close, even my favourite pub.

I am an adopted deise man.

A lot of people I befriended in college are still here, people from Wexford, Carlow, Wicklow, Cork and Laois. Coincidentally, it was some of them who opened my eyes to some of the great walks, hikes and scenery we have here.

Media999

johnnykilo wrote: »

Just moved to Dublin 2 months ago for a job, was offered a job in Waterford at the same time co-incidentally, but fancied a bit of a change and the Dublin job had better prospects. That being said Waterford will always be home and I hope to come back in 5-10 years to stay for good.

What type of work? Im guessing IT related. Seems to be all thats around.

spankmemunkey

Wow bet if I had started this thread id be getting told where to go!

Would probably leave ireland if I was leaving, but havin bought a house it aint gonna happen so gotta makes the most of it,.

ziedth

I couldn't see myself leaving,

I moved only to Cork for a job a couple of years ago and I was miserable for the six months.I was there.

My friends are made and I live near my family. I definitely wouldn't take a fresh start on by choice.

b0ardsUser

I was offered a job in the UK and moved within the month of the offer. I miss Waterford in a way but whenever I'm home and I head down the town I slowly remember that it's not the place I remember it as.

MOC88

Hmmmm don't know.

I'm gonna finish my degree and see where I stand, apparently there's a few jobs around Waterford with an IT degree but I'll wait and see. If I do I already have 3 or 4 spots picked out to plant a house on near enough to where I live with great views and no crazy traffic. If I move it will be either to somewhere sunny or somewhere like Kerry (always liked it down there for some reason). I wish everyone (whether they've moved to the area recently or been here for generations) could ''encourage'' certain undesirables to live up to their names and move the #### on and stop making a simple drive to tescos a traffic calamity waiting to happen.

Odats

Went to college in Dublin, moved back to Waterford to do my training contract then qualified and went to Kenya and Haiti for work for 2 years.

Living in Dublin the last year and 3 months. I feel I have to build my career and Waterford cannot provide me with this at this point in time but I would like to move back when I am older but I see this in 5 - 10 years time.

There's no place like home and nothing better than two crusty blaas and half a pound of red lead. Waterford is the best place in the world in my eyes but sometimes we have to make a few bob elsewhere.

johnnykilo

Media999 wrote: »

What type of work? Im guessing IT related. Seems to be all thats around.

Yep, it was IT related alright. Got offered a job in a place closely linked to WIT. Chose a more consultancy based job in Dublin. The first project isn't remotely technical at all which is a bit of a let-down but hoping this job will still lead to "moving up the ladder" a bit quicker in the long run.

spankmemunkey

Odats wrote: »

Went to college in Dublin, moved back to Waterford to do my training contract then qualified and went to Kenya and Haiti for work for 2 years.

Living in Dublin the last year and 3 months. I feel I have to build my career and Waterford cannot provide me with this at this point in time but I would like to move back when I am older but I see this in 5 - 10 years time.

There's no place like home and nothing better than two crusty blaas and half a pound of red lead. Waterford is the best place in the world in my eyes but sometimes we have to make a few bob elsewhere.

I'm not being smart I'm not being funny so please nobody jump on me and say I'm alqueda or something, but from a practical point of view would it not be silly to build up a career around the world, so your having to travel to build your career and then move back? I presume of course you won't just move back and see what happens, it wud be a shame like to get your experience and then come back to nothing?

fricatus

spankmemunkey wrote: »

I'm not being smart I'm not being funny so please nobody jump on me and say I'm alqueda or something, but from a practical point of view would it not be silly to build up a career around the world, so your having to travel to build your career and then move back? I presume of course you won't just move back and see what happens, it wud be a shame like to get your experience and then come back to nothing?

Not necessarily. The job market here is not as fluid as in bigger places like London or Dublin, but there are still plenty of good jobs if you've got the right experience.

The sort of operations that give young people/graduates their first job are thin on the ground in Waterford, so you have to go where they are to get experience. Plenty of accounts people start in the big PwC and E&Y operations that they have in Dublin; likewise IT people in IBM and HP. Once they have a few years under their belt, they come into the running for some of the positions with slower turnover in Waterford.

spankmemunkey

fricatus wrote: »

Not necessarily. The job market here is not as fluid as in bigger places like London or Dublin, but there are still plenty of good jobs if you've got the right experience.

The sort of operations that give young people/graduates their first job are thin on the ground in Waterford, so you have to go where they are to get experience. Plenty of accounts people start in the big PwC and E&Y operations that they have in Dublin; likewise IT people in IBM and HP. Once they have a few years under their belt, they come into the running for some of the positions with slower turnover in Waterford.

Okay get ye, thanks for enlightening me.

MOC88

spankmemunkey wrote: »

I'm not being smart I'm not being funny so please nobody jump on me and say I'm alqueda or something, but from a practical point of view would it not be silly to build up a career around the world, so your having to travel to build your career and then move back? I presume of course you won't just move back and see what happens, it wud be a shame like to get your experience and then come back to nothing?

A lot of engineers do this as well - some get used of the lifestyle

b0ardsUser

Odats wrote: »

Living in Dublin the last year and 3 months. I feel I have to build my career and Waterford cannot provide me with this at this point in time but I would like to move back when I am older but I see this in 5 - 10 years time.

Forget Waterford, I wouldn't have found anything in Ireland that I would get the full benefit out of my degree and skills. I'm much better off in the UK than I was in Waterford.

I'm also frequently talking to my parents and it doesn't seem I'm missing much in Waterford either... I don't believe there's much incentive for young graduates to stay in Waterford with so many opportunities in places like Dublin, Galway and probably Cork.

Wanderer2010

b0ardsUser wrote: »

Forget Waterford, I wouldn't have found anything in Ireland that I would get the full benefit out of my degree and skills. I'm much better off in the UK than I was in Waterford.

I'm also frequently talking to my parents and it doesn't seem I'm missing much in Waterford either... I don't believe there's much incentive for young graduates to stay in Waterford with so many opportunities in places like Dublin, Galway and probably Cork.

I agree with you about the lack of opportunities here, Im surprised by the amount of young people who dont see themselves anywhere else but Waterford for the future, I would love to know where they are working, very few secure jobs for young people here. I undestand why people who have travlled and had a family etc abroad would return to settle, I would class myself as someone like that, but the career opportunities are just not here anymore.

MOC88

b0ardsUser wrote: »

Forget Waterford, I wouldn't have found anything in Ireland that I would get the full benefit out of my degree and skills. I'm much better off in the UK than I was in Waterford.

I'm also frequently talking to my parents and it doesn't seem I'm missing much in Waterford either... I don't believe there's much incentive for young graduates to stay in Waterford with so many opportunities in places like Dublin, Galway and probably Cork.

I'd agree if you want somewhere where you can move up the ladder or have a niche skillset especially on graduation u.k and especially London is the place to be. Thinking of heading their in a few years myself but we'll see.

angelfalling

I'm leaving with my family at the end of the year and the only thing I'm going to miss are my friends, which out of the 8 I've spent in Waterford the majority I have made in the last year in a small niche I had to go out of my way to create myself.
I don't know how people can say Waterford people (generalizing) are so nice and great craic... I've found the opposite compared to other cities around Ireland, and many of my Waterford/Irish friends will say the exact same. My sister-in-law who spent most of her childhood in Waterford/Dunmore East said she couldn't believe how run down Waterford is looking and how sad that was for her. I work a bit in markets and find Waterford (in and around the city, not the county) one of the most difficult places to get people out of their houses to spend even a couple of euro... yet they will complain there is nothing going on. There are a lot of people, and fair play to them, that try to make good things happen in the city, but they tend to have difficulty. Then the city tries to put on events to help business owners that in the end shifts money to Dublin or other city-based businesses. That is what makes me want to leave... this city doesn't really want to help itself.
I've travelled a lot and lived in a lot of different kinds of places, and while I love the county (it IS an underrated part of the country as it is very beautiful)... its not the only beautiful place in the world. I'm looking forward to moving and enjoying what a regular pay check feels like again... I think you can see the positives to wherever you are, and you make your own way and happiness... but that's no reason to stay put and complacent.

b0ardsUser

angelfalling wrote: »

I'm leaving with my family at the end of the year and the only thing I'm going to miss are my friends, which out of the 8 I've spent in Waterford the majority I have made in the last year in a small niche I had to go out of my way to create myself.
I don't know how people can say Waterford people (generalizing) are so nice and great craic... I've found the opposite compared to other cities around Ireland, and many of my Waterford/Irish friends will say the exact same. My sister-in-law who spent most of her childhood in Waterford/Dunmore East said she couldn't believe how run down Waterford is looking and how sad that was for her. I work a bit in markets and find Waterford (in and around the city, not the county) one of the most difficult places to get people out of their houses to spend even a couple of euro... yet they will complain there is nothing going on. There are a lot of people, and fair play to them, that try to make good things happen in the city, but they tend to have difficulty. Then the city tries to put on events to help business owners that in the end shifts money to Dublin or other city-based businesses. That is what makes me want to leave... this city doesn't really want to help itself.
I've travelled a lot and lived in a lot of different kinds of places, and while I love the county (it IS an underrated part of the country as it is very beautiful)... its not the only beautiful place in the world. I'm looking forward to moving and enjoying what a regular pay check feels like again... I think you can see the positives to wherever you are, and you make your own way and happiness... but that's no reason to stay put and complacent.

I couldn't agree more, from working in several jobs dealing with the public in Waterford I've come to the conclusion that Waterford people (again generalizing) just love to complain.

I regularly keep in touch with friends back home and I hear nothing but negative news about Waterford and every week there seems to be a shop or two closing down.

hardybuck

I think the real question for many of us who have left, is there any prospect of us ever coming back? First of all could we, and second of all would we?

I have four siblings. Two gone, one left and another just finishing school and probably about to leave. One of the four has a young family, and would like to return but there aren't enough high calibre companies like Genzyme and therefore a lack of opportunities. I'm at the stage were it would be unlikely that I would get a good enough opportunity to return home either, but even if I did I don't think I'd be interested in going home as things seem pretty dead down there.

The only time I'd feel like I was missing out is at a time like this when the weather is brilliant. Having top quality beaches so close is a huge bonus.

I've often heard people who have moved to Waterford remark that the locals were quite clanny. That while they were ok up front, they'd always have an inside line on things and info which they would communicate with other locals but not to the blow ins.

There is also the outside perception that Waterford City people are quite militant and a bit strike-happy. Rather than complain about this as "people from outside not giving Waterford the credit it deserves" etc., the City should focus on trying to promote more positive activities as much as possible. The likes of the Viking Marathon and the recent gigs weren't on anyone's radar outside of Waterford. If that was Galway there would be a slick PR campaign bigging both of those events up to the max.