possible move to Galway

Kerri36982

Hi gang,

How are you all? This is my first post and probably the most important.

My fiancee and I are thinking of moving in the next year. We are a lesbian couple who are currently living in Derry and at the moment unemployed. I am from Sligo originally and my fiancee is English, we are thinking of moving because of the current UK government's austerity measures will soon be introduced to Northern Ireland one way or the other. If we were to move to England we would have to pay Bedroom Tax, Council Tax etc and probably have to live on £112.50 (€137) a week and we would be out a lot more money transporting our belongings over but the main advantage is that my fiancee's family are over there.

Anyways I m rambling, my fiancee's only stipulation is that we are near the sea and I know Salthill isn't to far away. I also know that Galway is a good transport hub having both a train and bus station, I also know it has a good social scene but the most important questions are

Is it safe to live in if you are part of the L.G.B.T. community?
What areas should be avoided?
What are the chances of getting jobs?
What is the average prices for accommodation in the city and outside?

Hope you can help

Links234

Kerri36982 wrote: »

Is it safe to live in if you are part of the L.G.B.T. community?
What areas should be avoided?

On these points, Galway is very safe for LGBT people, and there's not really any areas to be avoided.

Kerri36982

Thanks gang

We are not to fussed on going to gay bars as we normally socialise in mixed bars up here. Our main worries however are financial and living in a safe area. I think for a couple we would get €300 a week and maybe get some rent allowance to top up our rent. I posted in Galway city forum and they are saying an adequately sized flat/apartment in Salthill would be about €200 a week. To be fair if we lived in or around the city centre Salthill is only a 20 min or so bus journey away which is ok for us. If I speak to someone in Social Welfare in Letterkenny and get my head around the legislation it would 've great

Kerri36982

Thanks hamhide

I have a friend who lives in Galway with her fiance and son so might buzz her tonight. Also thinking of buzzing social welfare to find out rental allowance in Sligo etc. Galway would be great to live in but I would also settle for Sligo if it's cheaper

logik.ie

Kerri36982 wrote: »

Thanks hamhide

I have a friend who lives in Galway with her fiance and son so might buzz her tonight. Also thinking of buzzing social welfare to find out rental allowance in Sligo etc. Galway would be great to live in but I would also settle for Sligo if it's cheaper

I thought, from earlier in this thread, you were expecting the Irish taxpayers to pay your rent and also pay you every week for your living costs. When you say you would prefer Sligo if it were cheaper, do you mean cheaper for you or cheaper for the Irish taxpayers who you expect to be paying your bills once you arrive in Southern Ireland?

Annasopra

logik.ie wrote: »

I thought, from earlier in this thread, you were expecting the Irish taxpayers to pay your rent and also pay you every week for your living costs. When you say you would prefer Sligo if it were cheaper, do you mean cheaper for you or cheaper for the Irish taxpayers who you expect to be paying your bills once you arrive in Southern Ireland?

The OP is looking for advice. Please keep your future comments to advice and do not post judgemental comments again

bikeman1

Surely looking for jobs for both of you is your primary concern and where you are going to live? Are you seriously thinking of moving to Ireland because you can get more money on the dole and better rent allowance here?

If so you are not going to make very many friends. Galway is a great city, but you really have to work. There are jobs available if you go looking.

I know circumstances can be difficult, but coming from Northern Ireland to Galway because its a nicer place and the state pays you more money, will drive many people including me crazy!

Annasopra

The OP is looking for advice on where to live. Judgemental posts are completely inappropriate and any more will be deleted with possible infractions

Butterface

In fairness to the OP, in order to get set up in Galway to even start looking for a job, she would need to sort out social welfare arrangements just in case they find it difficult to land a job.

There are jobs in Galway, depends what you're qualified in and what you're willing to do. I'd advise you start looking at the job sites now and send off CVs before you move. Sligo might be cheaper rent wise, but there's more opportunity for work in Galway.

Kerri36982

Thanks butterface

I m glad there are some people who dont judge. I actually felt annoyed that some people within our community would judge others especially those they don't know (yet I know this happens everyday in some shape or form). I had prepared an angry reply to those who were warned of their behaviour but felt afterwards I would be no better than them.

Workwise I would give anything a go be it working in a shop or even in a pub. My fiancee is the same.

Freddie Dodge

Why do you feel entitled to a share of our tax contributions OP ? Please do us the favour of staying where you are obviously benifitting from someone elses.

Most of Irl is very safe for lgbt people, but our attitude to scroungers is a bit less welcoming.

Kerri36982

Freddie

I totally resent that, plus we are not looking for the tax payer to be paying our way. I m in no way a benefit scrounger and my fiancee isnt either despite what you may think. Add the fact that she has a physical disability and is to proud to claim disability living allowance and volunteers 50 plus hours a week in the local LGBT centre plus I worked 65 hours a week before being laid off last month due to the economic climate. Does that sound like someone who is a scrounger?

Plus I am an Irish citizen and hold an Irish passport. I have the right to claim benefits for myself and my family if I choose to do so. Ideally we both want to be working but it's not our fault that Ireland needed the IMF bailout nor is it our fault that the Celtic Tiger is no longer with us. I m not saying it's yours either so please refrain from labelling people who are not currently working as scroungers. It's not easy to find work when nearly half the town is applying for the same position.

Annasopra

Freddie Dodge wrote: »

Why do you feel entitled to a share of our tax contributions OP ? Please do us the favour of staying where you are obviously benifitting from someone elses.

Most of Irl is very safe for lgbt people, but our attitude to scroungers is a bit less welcoming.

2 day ban for ignoring mod instruction.

Scheindlin

Kerri36982 wrote: »

Workwise I would give anything a go be it working in a shop or even in a pub. My fiancee is the same.

Kerri36982 wrote: »

Add the fact that she has a physical disability and is to proud to claim disability living allowance and volunteers 50 plus hours a week

Newbie here. Kerri, you both sound really cool and I hope your move goes well and that you can find jobs really quickly.

I don’t know your situation except what you tell us here, and I wondered why someone who is able to work, and is working 50 hours a week, might be eligible for a disability living allowance? Surely disability living allowance is to compensate someone who has a disability which prevents them working or restricts them working full time?

Or have I got the wrong end of the stick?

Annasopra

Scheindlin wrote: »

Newbie here. Kerri, you both sound really cool and I hope your move goes well and that you can find jobs really quickly.

I don’t know your situation except what you tell us here, and I wondered why someone who is able to work, and is working 50 hours a week, might be eligible for a disability living allowance? Surely disability living allowance is to compensate someone who has a disability which prevents them working or restricts them working full time?

Or have I got the wrong end of the stick?

It's not relevant.

Kerri don't bother answering as you don't have to justify yourself in any way

Alicja_T

As people said Galway is gay friendly. Its quite hard to get a job (Im trying to find for me as well), but its good place to live. By myself I recommand Rahoon or Knocknacarra to live. But anyway any place is good (except Glean Darra or similar spelling).
Just come and see

bitburger

living in Galway now and it is very LGBT friendly, my first weekend here was for pride but there isnt too much of a scene outside of that,

enoughalready

Good luck with everything Kerri, we are all not as judgmental and small minded as those ignorant few who posted previously.

Kerri36982

Ok time for an update,

My fiancee has got a rolling paid contract with the local LGBT centre but as we don't know how long it will roll for we are keeping our options open. I had 2 interviews last week but wasn't successful (which doesn't deter me). I think we are planning on a wee break to the West over Easter to possibly source locations and to catch up with people etc.