Lesbian Family Moving to Ireland (Ennis, most likely)

EresMama

Hi everyone! New here and seeking any and all info! My wife, 5-year-old daughter and I are relocating to Ireland from the states this summer, hoping to reside in Ennis but not opposed to some others of interest (namely Cork or Galway). Any idea on what it's like for gay families in these areas? Advice?
Also, we have a few schools in mind but enrolment is closed. We'd be looking for a secular or progressive-style primary for our little one. 
Thanks in advance!!  

Boards.ie: Niamh

Moved from Test forum; you should get some replies here EresMama

L.Jenkins

Hi Eres, congrats on moving to Ireland. Secular schools are few and far between here, but there are non-denominational schools all over, which can be found here --> http://www.educatetogether.ie/schools

baby and crumble

I know nothing about Ennis, OP, but Cork and Galway are big sized cities, so you'll have no real problems there, and I doubt you'd have any in Ennis either. (Choice of Ennis seems random, but fair enough!)

Your biggest issue will be find a secular. progressive school. Most schools in Ireland are run by religious orders- mainly the Catholic Church. What you'll want to do is look to try and find an Educate Together school. There is one in Ennis (See here). These are the only (to m knowledge, I stand to be corrected) non religious schools in the State. As soon as you decide where you'll be living, get onto the school, because places fill up FAST for every year.

Best of luck, and welcome to Ireland!

liquoriceall

There will be no problems moving anywhere in general, Ennistymon in Clare has a Steiner school (not certain if Im spelling that correctly!) Which may be an option for you or Limerick which is midway between Cork and Galway is building a new school campus in Mungret which will include Educate Together and a Gaelscoil with a secondary school on the same site

Nekarsulm

Where ever you go, check the national school (primary school) bus routes if you are not living in a town. You are eligible for subsidised bus travel IF you are more than 3 kilometers from the school. And if the existing route comes close to your house. Its about 100 euro for the year.
Also for the first year of school, they get out an hour earlier, so won't get the bus home, will have to be collected.

EresMama

Thank you all!! She's enrolled in the Steiner school in Ennistymon, hence our Ennis choice! I just am hoping we are well received. 😊

dbrunson

EresMama wrote: »

Thank you all!! She's enrolled in the Steiner school in Ennistymon, hence our Ennis choice! I just am hoping we are well received. 😊

Hi, that is a bit of a trek every day, on a not so fabulous road, and from a point of view of settling in , your child will be a long distance form class mates who may live closer to ennistymon, which will restrict play dates somewhat. I would like at launch or indeed ennistymon to live, ennistymon being a particularly vibrant little town that might surprise you!

baby and crumble

Yeah Ennistymon is a good 30 minute drive every day. You could look at Lahinch, it's a great spot, and much closer. Plus great surfing! The West coast is fairly chilled in general, OP, very arty in parts. My brother lives over that way, it's great.

EresMama

This is great advice, thank you! Our concern for Lahinch is that it's more of a holiday spot. Are there enough year-round residents (open-minded ones at that) to connect with? Moving from the states, we don't want to further isolate ourselves as the trying-not-to-be-stereotypical-loud-Americans!  We are visiting in May to purchase a home and plan to look between Ennis and the ocean...but will strongly consider Ennistymon since my daughter's school is there. Thanks again!!!

Nekarsulm

Can't guarantee 100% open minded people, but then no place can.
Just take a good look at the practicalities of living more than a few miles from the school.
It quickly becomes a major pain if you have to drive fifteen miles every morning, drive home again if you have nothing to do in Ennistymon, and repeat in a few hours.
Sixty miles a day.
Five days a week.
For the next eight years.

If you found the perfect house, in a community you liked, I'd be inclined to compromise on the choice of school.
There are nine listed in and around Ennis. Perhaps check them out when you're over.
Good luck with the move!

Clareman

Hi,

Mod of the Clare forum here, feel free to post in out little part of boards if you'd like.

My 2 cents would be no one will bat an eye lid at you and your wife with a child, I'm nearly 40 and when I was in primary school there was a child with same sex parents and it wasn't anything out of the ordinary that I can remember. Theres a big history of "hippies" in Clare, especially in North Clare, my recommendation would be not to decide on 1 place until you're sure, as you pointed out there's a lot of holiday people around the area which means it can be easy to get a long term let, especially in the winter months.

Sonics2k

Son of a lesbian couple here!

Moved over to Ireland in early 90's from England and I can say in all honesty no-one really cared about my parents sexuality, at least not in any that impacted me.

Cork and Galway are both great places to live, as is Clare. Though I'd have to echo the others and say maybe consider moving closer to Ennistymon or Lahinche as the commute would be a nightmare on a daily basis.

EresMama

Love this. Thanks so much!! We hope to find something available in ennistymon though pickins look slim!! Appreciate all the guidance!!

Rob G

We live in a remote 'backarse of nowhere' area, it's even a joke in the the local 'main town' 50 miles away that our bus gets called the time machine because going to our village is like travelling back to the 1940s.

Even there, where a small village still packs a church to capacity, we've had almost universal acceptance of our trans daughter (except unfortunately from some family members). Attitudes vary from well done on supporting your daughter to hate the sins but love the sinners, but very little by way of people avoiding us or criticising.

We were the first country to legalise same sex marriage by way of a public referendum voting nearly 2 to 1 in favour. Would have been even higher if not from church pressure to vote against.

I'd say we've gone a long way from the days of criminalising gay people and banning condoms, and I reckon Ireland now is probably one of the most LGBT friendly countries in Europe, if not the world, to live.

EresMama

Rob, 
Your words are so very comforting and they validate our choice to move to Ireland. I'm so happy to hear that the response to your daughter has been overwhelmingly supportive or at the very least, non-critical. Family, as I know, can be a whole different story! 
Thanks to everyone for your encouraging words! I'm thrilled to soon call your country our home!!