what's it like in Sixmilebridge as of 2019?

Feenie

I'm currently living in Limerick but I want to move back to my home of Clare, I'm just wondering how nice it is to live in Sixmilebridge-I.E how the area looks, How the people are, the price of rent and all that type of stuff.
They have a very good GAA club but I'm wondering if it's a good place to live in or not. I've heard some good things and some bad things.

Thatsthejob

I am also thinking of moving to Sixmilebridge with my young family. I'm an ex hurler and will be hoping my kids take it up so the Gaa club is a big plus. Also play golf so will hope to join a local club.
I drove through the Bridge today to try and get a feel for the place and it seems nice but there was a few heads around. I am looking for an honest opinion on what it is like to live there? Any help would be greatly appreciated as I have heard a few mixed reviews.

opinionated3

Sixmilebridge has grown beyond being a village anymore, it's now basically a small town. With that growth its population has exploded with a major influx of outsiders, the majority of whom are decent, hard working people. Unfortunately some of those who moved to the area are not as hard working shall we say, to put it politely. Anti social behaviour is on a slight increase but that hasn't put people off from moving there. It's generally a nice, well kept town which counts a large primary school and well run soccer and gaa clubs as well as scouts etc. It's probably lost a bit of its character due to its expansion but a few of my friends that live there wouldn't really swap it for anywhere else. Personally if I was thinking of moving I'd be taking a good look at Quin. A beautiful village that has kept its character and generally a nice place to bring up your kids. Probably has everything you'd need for a quiet life. The Bridge has just gotten too big......

Feenie

good to hear, but one question remains: In terms of rent and all that, is the bridge livable? would you have to be earning above minimum wage to afford living there?

opinionated3

Feenie wrote: »

good to hear, but one question remains: In terms of rent and all that, is the bridge livable? would you have to be earning above minimum wage to afford living there?

I'm not certain but I would think to rent a three bed house would be in and around the 800 euro a month mark. Fibre broadband is also available There are two grocery stores there ,a post office,and a number of pubs, some busier than others. Quin would be more expensive for rent I'd imagine but more desirable.

Feenie

and how about getting a mortgage out there? Sounds go so far...

opinionated3

Feenie wrote: »

and how about getting a mortgage out there? Sounds go so far...

Id imagine for a nice three bed in a decent estate you'd be looking north of 180000. Significantly less in the older estates. After that it's between you and your bank.....

chuckles30

check out the Property Price register and look for the prices of houses told in 2019 - that will give you an idea of the current prices, but obviously, price depends on the state of repair/location etc.

Thatsthejob

Thanks for the feedback. I had a look at houses in Quinn on daft and it looks nice. I was hoping to stay a bit closer to Limerick due to extended family etc. I was also looking at NOF as it has easy access to the motorway.

Last question what are the Bridge or NOF like in regards to rearing kids? I know you cant wrap them up in cotton wool but sometimes in a small town it can be easier to fall into bad company as it is right on your doorstep.

opinionated3

Thatsthejob wrote: »

Thanks for the feedback. I had a look at houses in Quinn on daft and it looks nice. I was hoping to stay a bit closer to Limerick due to extended family etc. I was also looking at NOF as it has easy access to the motorway.

Last question what are the Bridge or NOF like in regards to rearing kids? I know you cant wrap them up in cotton wool but sometimes in a small town it can be easier to fall into bad company as it is right on your doorstep.

Very similar tbh. Serious rivalry between both gaa clubs but the ironic thing is that most people in both parishes have more in common than not! As I said IMO the bridge has overdeveloped and it's probably inevitable that there are bad eggs around now, but a similar situation in Newmarket, just without the excessive size. Both places would be nice areas to go to school, with the added convenience of also being a short drive to the secondary schools in Shannon. I don't think you can go too far wrong buying a property in either village, but if you could afford a property just outside either village that would be ideal IMO.

ItAintMeBabe

I am originally from sixmilbridge but currently living elsewhere in the country. I go home frequently and was just speaking to my family about this subject over the weekend.

I couldn't move back to sixmilebridge.

It is not the place is was ten years ago. The massive influx of outsiders is beyond apparent. I was speaking with a very well known, well respected local figure over the weekend who told me it is well known that there is a massive problem with drugs in sixmilebridge, I have also felt this for a long time.

I know countless people my own age who never left the village and their lives are now ruined by cocaine.

If you aren't involved in GAA I think you're goosed.

Walk into the local shop any time and look at the clientele. A friend of mine was working in one of them and said that their hearts were broke with antisocial behaviour.

Now on the plus side, location wise it's close to everywhere, the new primary school building looks state of the art, and as said above the GAA.

I personally could never move home, I think it's lost its character and has become so grim. It saddens me so much.

golfball37

The Bridge like a lot of places in rural Ireland has gone downhill in the last decade through over population that turns villages into small towns. I work with 3 people who live there and know about 10 others , I'm from Clare btw, they all say there is a real scummy element prevalent there sadly.

opinionated3

There is a rising drug problem alright, but I reckon you could apply that to many villages. Its a terrible shame really what's happening these places. Under massive pressure to build build build from both the council and developers. I personally couldn't/wouldn't live in the bridge village, but as I said I would consider just outside it. Maybe bunratty, Newmarket or broadford roads. But you'll pay for that.......

un5byh7sqpd2x0

How about Cratloe? No scumbags there.

opinionated3

Alaric Breezy Dude wrote: »

How about Cratloe? No scumbags there.

It's not perfect either though. Suffers from a raft of burglaries every now and again...

golfball37

Alaric Breezy Dude wrote: »

How about Cratloe? No scumbags there.

Housing is expensive in Cratloe.

Feenie

Alaric Breezy Dude wrote: »

How about Cratloe? No scumbags there.

I was considering Cratloe, Quin, Kilrush and Ennis aswell as the bridge. I'd know a few lads in Quin but I've heard it's expensive to live out there.

un5byh7sqpd2x0

golfball37 wrote: »

Housing is expensive in Cratloe.

That's why there's no scumbags I'd presume.

http://www.clare.fm/news/crime-legal/elderly-sixmilebridge-residents-fearing-lives-feud-rages/
Shame that a small element can cause so much havoc.

opinionated3

That's what happens when you gift known scumbags free houses paid for by the rest of us. It's not rocket science.....

afro man

opinionated3 wrote: »

That's what happens when you gift known scumbags free houses paid for by the rest of us. It's not rocket science.....

Whats the housing estate called I seen the videos and looks like the estate across road from train station

opinionated3

afro man wrote: »

Whats the housing estate called I seen the videos and looks like the estate across road from train station

Not sure of the name of it but it's nicknamed the horseshoe Inn by the locals..... It's not directly across from the train station, it's further in towards the village before you get to the soccer field, located very close to the Garda station but that is rarely occupied

Thatsthejob

When I was looking at houses in the bridge I happened to drive into that estate probably only about 15 houses in it but I remember thinking it looked run down and very out of place to be in the Bridge.

The reply's I have got to my post have actually put us off moving out there which is a pity because I knew a lot of lads from the Bridge when I was younger and they were all the finest.

colm_mcm

opinionated3 wrote: »

Not sure of the name of it but it's nicknamed the horseshoe Inn by the locals..... It's not directly across from the train station, it's further in towards the village before you get to the soccer field, located very close to the Garda station but that is rarely occupied

It’s called Fana Glas

Thatsthejob

Is it true Clarecastle has the same issues?

I'm going to have a look around Quin this weekend as the reports seem to be a bit more positive than the Bridge.

Thatsthejob

Is it true Clarecastle has the same issues?

I'm going to have a look around Quin this weekend as the reports seem to be a bit more positive than the Bridge.

opinionated3

Don't know a whole lot about Clare castle tbh. There's a lot of new houses built and about to be built in bunratty village. Have you considered that as an (albeit expensive) option?

Thatsthejob

Everything in Bunratty seems to be well north of 300k which is over our budget.

Clareman

I'd say it's fair to say that every part of Ireland has good and bad parts to it, the bigger the area the more good and bad parts there will be. My advice would be to go around the places you are interested in at a few different times that could be difficult, for example late on a weekend night, late evenings, etc. etc. Also, talk to the locals, the post office or bar can be a great place to get information. Also, don't forget that you could be in the best area in Ireland but if you have bad neighbours your life will be a misery.

In my opinion, Clarecastle and Sixmilebridge are lovely areas, the Bridge had a few estates that ended up being rented out to the council so there can be a rougher area but just because a few houses are rented by the council doesn't necessarily mean it's a bad place.

opinionated3

Agreed Clareman..... But if you're about to drop over 200000k on a new or second hand house the last thing you want in your area is a feud. That's only going to get worse because these areas are being targeted by an bord pleanala for further housing developments as emphasised by the overturned decision by Clare county council on a 90 house development in sixmilebridge which was opposed by the locals. These lovely villages are losing their character and charm rapidly and it's sad to see...

golfball37

Thatsthejob wrote: »

Is it true Clarecastle has the same issues?

I'm going to have a look around Quin this weekend as the reports seem to be a bit more positive than the Bridge.

Clarecastle has some nice areas. Primrose Gardens is a lovely estate for example. My kids go there trick or treating.

Clareman

Lots of areas have difficulty and the council are building houses for people because people have to live somewhere, for example, in Ennis up by the National School there's planning for houses to be built there that will be overlooking a lovely estate and making getting into the school a nightmare but the council are the gatekeepers for all these developments so we have to "trust" them.

Thatsthejob

Totally agree Opionated3. All areas have a few rougher parts where I am from is no different and there is no harm in that unless you want to look at things like a total snob. As you said my issue is buying a house for probably in around 250k and have to deal with Feuding families or serious anti social behaviour.

This in turn more than likely drive down the value of your house possibly leaving you in a bad position in years to come.


Clareman your advice about calling to a place at different times is exactly what I am going to do. We are easy going enough as long as place has access to the motorway a decent community feel, good Gaa club, couple of pubs and a golf club not a million miles away id be happy. Im sure my wife has her own ideas aswell

Clareman

In fairness the Bridge ticks an awful lot of those boxes for you

opinionated3

I'll refer you to the incident this morning outside one of the pubs. A minority is destroying the reputation of the village, and all in the middle of a music festival too

Johnboy1951

opinionated3 wrote: »

I'll refer you to the incident this morning outside one of the pubs. A minority is destroying the reputation of the village, and all in the middle of a music festival too

This
https://www.rte.ie/news/munster/2020/0118/1108258-clare-shooting/

Lawless minorities seem to do that almost everywhere.

Clareman

This is an ongoing criminal issue which is being investigated so can't be discussed in the Clare, sorry.

If you wish to discuss the recent shooting in another forum feel free but note that other charters will be in effect, lets get back to discussing Sixmilebridge rather than just the recent incident which occured there.