Daily travel to Cork or Galway from Dun Laoghaire

Nicknamed

Hi all !
I am required to choose either between Cork or Galway for 1 year work commitment.
My family is settled in Dun Laoghaire and I don't want to disturb them for my work . So I'm thinking of travelling daily to either COrk or Galway.

1. Which place will be better for daily travel from Dun Laoghaire ?
2. How will I travel there and return daily? Would need to be there by 830 and finish work usually 530pm. I can drive but I would prefer not to drive if possible.

Suggestions appreciated.
Many thanks

V_Moth

Personally, I think it is too far a distance to consider doing either Cork or Galway return in a daily drive. It would be a minimum of 5-6 hours driving every day (or 30 hours a week), possibly leaving at 5am and getting back no earlier than 830pm.

Would a small apartment/flat share during the week in either not be an idea? I suspect additional costs from car maintenance, petrol etc would cover this? I can well understand that it would suck not seeing family during the week, but from all experiences I have heard about such long commutes is that are rarely good for health/wellbeing.

One option may be flying to Cork from Dublin Airport if the work is close to the former and the route still exists.

embraer170

I know people who have done 200km morning and evening (400/km a day) every day for the best part of a decade. I definitely wouldn't want to be in their shoes but they survived. Still, I would say Cork (275km each way) is too much to be reasonable.

No more Cork-Dublin flights, and even if there were I can't imagine it would be any quicker.

Nicknamed

Thanks Have been considering my options but have decided about commuting. So looking for best advise within that option. I am related to health sector and will be working either in Galway University hospital or Cork University Hospital

Del2005

Nicknamed wrote: »

Thanks Have been considering my options but have decided about commuting. So looking for best advise within that option. I am related to health sector and will be working either in Galway University hospital or Cork University Hospital

Both will be motorway for most of the journey so that shouldn't make much difference. What you need to find out is how long it takes to get from each to the from the motorway.

BTW with that type of commute you won't be seeing much of your family when you're home as you'll be exhausted after a full days work and a long drive, I'd seriously consider a staying down a few days.

Chris_5339762

Do it 2 or 3 days a week and stay in a B&B on the other nights. You'd be mad to try commuting it daily, absolutely mad.

RachN0207

Cork university hospital is as you come into cork just off motorway from Dublin so may be easier than Galway. As was previously suggested I would definitely look at b&b for at least a couple of nights a week, it's much too long to commute every day.

GalwayGrrrrrl

It sounds like madness to me. If you choose galway you'd be arriving and leaving at the busiest times for traffic. It could take up to an hour to go from motorway junction to hospital in the morning and same again in the evening. Then you've got 2.5 hours of motorway to face each way. Rent a room, get a B and B.

JeffKenna

B&B is the best option...no way will you be able to do that commute 5 days a week. It's unrealistic to think you could perform a job with that commute and considering you work in health care you also have a responsibility to your patients.

Jentle Grenade

You'll find it easy enough to get a regular B&B room for one or two nights a week near CUH. My OH has numerous colleagues who's families are based up the country and they commute every few days. I'm not sure any of them do it every day though. I know lots of people commute daily from Tipp and surrounding counties but I understand that's only about 90 minutes in the car at a time.

During Court Sessions I often commute daily to Dublin from Cork on the train for 2/3 weeks at a time. I don't need to be in Dublin rigidly for 9am though so it works for me without too much stress. Also I don't have any children to worry about seeing before bedtime etc so I normally just suit myself and my partner. Tough position to be in. Personally I'd explore the B&B for a few days re: the Cork option.

boardsuser1

OP I drove Cork to Dublin on Friday last, and drove back again that evening, I also drove the Aircoach for a living between both cities. It will physically and mentally drain you. Aircoach is 3 hours each way for €16 daily return.

RachN0207

RachN0207 wrote: »

Cork university hospital is as you come into cork just off motorway from Dublin so may be easier than Galway............

CUH is about 20 mins from the JLT with no traffic. From the Dublin side the JLT is backed up well before 7.30 am.

OP, Dun Laoghaire to CUH would be at least 3.5 hrs spin. It is not possible to commute 5 days/week for anyone remotely sane.

Travel down on a Monday morning and back on Fri evening is the only way. If you think otherwise you are insane.

Spanish Eyes

IMV not possible for your health, sanity, or travel costs, unless you want to be a client of the hospital you will be working in.

Even taking the train every day is costly.

I can only echo what most others have said, up and down on say a Monday and Friday, stay there the other nights.

Best of luck. It's a tough call for you.

d.pop

If you choose cork you will need to take the dunkettle interchange into account on way to work and the jack Lynch tunnel on your way home.
They will add 30-60 mins on to your journey before you ever enter or leave cork.
Coming down the M8 into the tunnel (dunkettle) in mornings is mental and the jack Lynch tunnel north bound in evening is worse.
I worked nearby to the tunnel until recently and if we weren't through the tunnel by 7am and gone the other way by 3:30 it was a lost cause.
Km wise 80-90% of your journey is in motorways but that last 10% could take an extra hour each way on a bad day, which is happening more often now.
Be sure and factor local traffic in, you are right bang in the worst of it doing those hours....
I would second the B/B if you can manage it, drive down Monday morning, 4 nights in b/b check out Friday morning.

_Kaiser_

There's no way you could do that sort of mileage every day and not be exhausted, as well as being a danger to your patients and other road users as a result. You'll also be wrecked at the weekends so you won't really be doing your family any favours either. It's just too far.

Even at early hours in the morning you're talking about 2 and a half hours to Cork (source: I've done it lots of times) and as mentioned, during peak the Jack Lynch tunnel approaches and N40 are a mess.

Then there's the extra diesel/fuel bill to consider, the 2 tolls (each way), mileage you'll put up will mean a lot more things like tyres, servicing costs and maintenance from increased wear and tear. You're talking maybe 5/600 a month at least.

It's just not practical... best option would be a B&B for 3 nights of the week and maybe do the trip early on a Monday and late Friday.

Water John

Yeah, the B & B option looks best. Use some of the time in the evening to Skype family if they are of an age to do it. update on school etc. I'm sure your OH would appreciate the regular input.

AFAIK the only one doing such a commute each day is Daithi O Se, RTE, Galway to Cork.

boardsuser1

Water John wrote: »

Yeah, the B & B option looks best. Use some of the time in the evening to Skype family if they are of an age to do it. update on school etc. I'm sure your OH would appreciate the regular input.

AFAIK the only one doing such a commute each day is Daithi O Se, RTE, Galway to Cork.

That's even worse than Dublin to Cork, once you hit Limerick you're shagged due to the lack of an M20 Motorway.

XPS_Zero

Looking at both public transport options and driving options with a daily commute you would be psychologically burned out in a way you can't imagine

Let's look at this logically. Your thinking in brainstorming out a possible commute is to avoid major disruption to your family, however I think the key thing to understand here is that if you do commute daily you won't have much of a family life left, or any life in fact, you'll be living to work not the reverse and much as I'm a career type myself I don't care what any 'eat lunch at my desk and stay late to impress the boss' careerist says living to work is a bad thing

It will burn you out to such an extent all your off time will be spent recovering from the commuting and work. I'm not sure why but long commutes are inherently mentally exhausting. Apart from the time factor, the time you do spend at home you'll be too burned out to get off the sofa, or take your head out of your hands, some nights you'll need to go str8 to bed coming home OR stay up late to try compensate but time being a zero sum game you sacrifice more sleep and energy that's not banked for the next day

DL to Galway or Cork on Public Transport means either the first DART to CC then an Aircoach (expensive daily and you'd be getting up at like 4:39/5am) or DART to Connolly Luas to Heuston train to work then 3 hour ride

The earliest you can get to Galways 10:10 using this way Cork 9:30 so that leaves the Aircoach way or a daily drive and driving means paying careful attention on a long commute which = more mental burnout (at least you can go back to sleep on the train) I honestly worry you'd burn out to such an extent your attention driving would be impaired and you'd have an accident

I'm assuming like me you're the career type or you'd not be considering this so given these factors these are your logical choices:

1. Move house
2. Stay there during the week come home weekends
3. Explore some flexi time or part time option, See if there's some option of starting at different times or a more broken up week
4. Turn down the job try to get one closer

People get burned out traveling from the Dublin commuter towns
Don't do a daily commute, you're a stranger I've never met an honestly I'm cringing at the mere thought of what that would be like for you.

gifted

Op...I drove oranmore in galway to Cork city every day for 5 months....that was using the old roads, no motorway and no limerick tunnel...had to get up every morning at 4.45 and leave at 5.30....that gave me three hours to be in work at 8.30.....250 miles round trip .it's do able.
However, there are downsides...icy roads will slow you down...massively
Slow drivers will slow you down
Your road rage levels will go through the roof, they will because of what you will see on the road.
Your own driving skills will suffer because you will end up taking risks to make up for lost time due to said slow drivers etc etc
On weekend drives with friends/family they will notice your road rage even if you don't.
You are shattered on the weekends because your body clock is all over the place
Your back will suffer...I bought a brand new 2 litre diesel car for the journey and my back is still giving me trouble.
Stay at least 2 nights during the week for your health.
Hope this helps

Nicknamed

Thanks to all of you. It has cleared my mind. I will look for the alternatives suggested.

_Kaiser_

gifted wrote: »

Your road rage levels will go through the roof, they will because of what you will see on the road.
Your own driving skills will suffer because you will end up taking risks to make up for lost time due to said slow drivers etc etc
On weekend drives with friends/family they will notice your road rage even if you don't.

That's true too. I do a lot of driving myself and my patience for idiocy and muppetry (tailgating, lane-weaving to get a car length ahead, pulling out in front of someone/cutting someone off etc) is very limited as a result - probably because I see so much of this stuff and it "disrupts" my already long enough commute.

That said, I enjoy driving and do about 1200k a week, but there's no way you could be doing the mileage the OP is talking about without snapping I reckon.

NiallBoo

Dun Laoghaire to Galway wouldn't be so bad by train. The hospital is only a short walk/cycle from the station and you could sleep/read/work/try to remember when you last saw your family while on the train.

...The problem is that the trains just don't seem to run that early.

Actually AFAIK there aren't any buses or trains that get to Galway that early.

magicbastarder

if you were offering a B&B owner consistent business four nights a week - and the four quietest nights of the week, i'd guess - maybe they'd be willing to do you a good deal.
my father used to do a bit of travel and was based in sligo for about a year, found a B&B owner who was delighted with the business (plus, for my dad, it was great - he'd been staying in hotels before then and found it a soulless experience).

Water John

Magic, yeah he should get a very good rate. He may not even want the breakfast option. B & B owner doesn't have to change the bedclothes each night.

quartz1

I don't believe it would be humanly possible withoit burning yourself out from exhaustion. If you really really had to take it on you would have to get a b&b for some rest during the week and mayby make use of the cork Dublin air coach which runs hourly on other occasions. The motorway from Dublin to Cork is fine but the Jack Lynch Tunnel can be slow at busy times

Chivito550

Your employer seem to have no regard for your health and family if you are being forced to relocate. I'd consider that point very carefully and ask yourself do you want to work for somebody who would create you so much upheaval.

Water John

Are you serious? I'm all for balance but many people have worked most of a working life only seeing home at weekends.
This is for a period of 2 years. Same as going somewhere for further education.

Checked OP, it's only for 1 year.

n97 mini

Op, are you able to expense your travel at PS rates? I did Dub-Cork for a month. It was tiring, but quite lucrative. I think you'd have to be under 40 to do it though, dunno if I could do it now.

K.Flyer

O.P.
The idea of a daily 3 hr each way commute is only going to end badly.
Your journey will be a MINIMUM of 3 hrs each way EVERY DAY !
I travelled to Cork on Christmas Eve from near Spawell intersection on the M50 (good 20 min headstart from Dun Laoire) bad weather and traffic as far as Laois, then dry clear enough roads to arrive just past your hospital.
Keeping to not too much over the limit it took 2 hrs 35mins exactly. After an hour or so the return journey at 7.30 pm with No traffic on the road 2 hr 25mins total distance 505 km with two tolls each way (have you costed this out?). It was a straightforward drive because there was practically no cars on the road, but nonetheless it was still tiring.
This plan of yours means No family life whatsover as you will be using all your down time and the weekends to recover.
The biggest problem with this idea is driving while very tired or exhausted, considered to be as dangerous as drink driving.
Stay for the weekdays in Cork and be home relatively fresh to enjoy your family at the weekends. Is there a possibility of doing 4 long day shifts and leave early on a Friday?

Pablo Escobar

As mentioned above, the M8/Dunkettle Interchange/N40 as you hit Cork is my ultimate reason for saying don't do it. With the times you've given, you will be adding lots of extra travel time and frustration. The Dunkettle Intrechange is close to the worst traffic black spots in the country at rush hour.

Chris_5339762

Chivito550 wrote: »

Your employer seem to have no regard for your health and family if you are being forced to relocate. I'd consider that point very carefully and ask yourself do you want to work for somebody who would create you so much upheaval.

Sadly thesedays employers just don't care about your personal life. Work is all that matters to them and if you say you can't hack it, they say "hack it or we'll find someone else".

Nicknamed

Chris_5339762 wrote: »

Sadly thesedays employers just don't care about your personal life. Work is all that matters to them and if you say you can't hack it, they say "hack it or we'll find someone else".

Is there any place where a person can complaint against employer?

Mrs OBumble

Chris_5339762 wrote: »

Sadly thesedays employers just don't care about your personal life. Work is all that matters to them and if you say you can't hack it, they say "hack it or we'll find someone else".

Increased health and safety focus means that's not entirely true. As employers become more liable to being sued for workplace stress related issues, they will care more about ensuring that your private life does not impact on your workplace performance.

In the OP's case, it would be irresponsible of any employer to let them take on a regime which involved a daily commute like that suggested. Most employers would be looking for the employee to take one of the alternatives suggested, involving staying over a few nights each week.

_Kaiser_

Nicknamed wrote: »

Is there any place where a person can complaint against employer?

Well I'd first start out with negotiation before the complaint myself

- How "required" is this move? Do you have the option to say no?
- What about asking for a relocation fee to help you find a place down there during the week?
- What does it say in your contract about moves like this? If it's the health service, is there a union rep you can speak to for their advice?

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

In the OP's case, it would be irresponsible of any employer to let them take on a regime which involved a daily commute like that suggested. Most employers would be looking for the employee to take one of the alternatives suggested, involving staying over a few nights each week.

Probably ironic then that the OP works in the health sector

Chivito550

Water John wrote: »

Are you serious? I'm all for balance but many people have worked most of a working life only seeing home at weekends.
This is for a period of 2 years. Same as going somewhere for further education.

Checked OP, it's only for 1 year.

I am deadly serious. Work to live, not live to work. Family comes first.

Del2005

Water John wrote: »

Are you serious? I'm all for balance but many people have worked most of a working life only seeing home at weekends.
This is for a period of 2 years. Same as going somewhere for further education.

Checked OP, it's only for 1 year.

The OPs original idea of commuting daily is the problem. If they commute daily they'll have no family live and will be a danger on the road, if they spend a few nights staying at work they'll be able to see their family during the weekend and be less of a risk on the road.

Water John

People work all sorts of situations, oil rigs, lighthouses, army, shift work.
Best for most in these situations is, concentrate on the job while your at it and spend your down time with the family. Kids are very adaptable, harder on the OH.

J.pilkington

n97 mini wrote: »

Op, are you able to expense your travel at PS rates? I did Dub-Cork for a month. It was tiring, but quite lucrative. I think you'd have to be under 40 to do it though, dunno if I could do it now.

The subsistence rate falls dramatically after 4k miles, at this point it is no longer lucrative, more break even if anything

http://www.impact.ie/members-info/pay-incomes/travel-subsistence/civil-servcie-mileage-and-subsistence-rates/

yermanoffthetv

Op its probably been said before but both cities have chronic traffic issues and if you have to be there at 8.30 your slap bang in rushour traffic so you could probably add on at least 45 minutes to what ever commute your already doing. There's no way you could stick that for more than a month or two before you'd burn out completely. You'd be better off renting a room in either place or a commuter town where the rents would be cheeper, travel home at the weekend.