Lockdown - the Megathread

A lot of people talking about how we have come together etc to make the lockdown work, how we will hopefully keep that community spirit, clap for this group, clap for that group etc

I have to disagree. I have worked all my life , and pretty long days, so have been gone from early morning to 6 ish in the evenings. With the exception of 2 stints of maternity leave which were several years ago.

I didn't realise how annoying living in a fairly densely populated city suburb can be. Where I live is a very scenic middle class neighborhood. But I honestly didnt realise how noisy it can be during the day. Im working from home the past 3 weeks and there's constant noise, kids shouting, cars up and down , people cutting grass, hammering away doing DIY projects.

Yes, I know all normal stuff and its me who has the issue. But I really didn't appreciate how noisy and busy it is. I guess at weekends Im busy catching up on housework then I would be out of the house quite a bit.

My new 'dream' now is to locate somewhere quieter, nice country side location, just me and the fields.

Anyone else feeling like this?

smurgen

[Deleted User] wrote: »

A lot of people talking about how we have come together etc to make the lockdown work, how we will hopefully keep that community spirit, clap for this group, clap for that group etc

I have to disagree. I have worked all my life , and pretty long days, so have been gone from early morning to 6 ish in the evenings. With the exception of 2 stints of maternity leave which were several years ago.

I didn't realise how annoying living in a fairly densely populated city suburb can be. Where I live is a very scenic middle class neighborhood. But I honestly didnt realise how noisy it can be during the day. Im working from home the past 3 weeks and there's constant noise, kids shouting, cars up and down , people cutting grass, hammering away doing DIY projects.

Yes, I know all normal stuff and its me who has the issue. But I really didn't appreciate how noisy and busy it is. I guess at weekends Im busy catching up on housework then I would be out of the house quite a bit.

My new 'dream' now is to locate somewhere quieter, nice country side location, just me and the fields.

Anyone else feeling like this?

Yes. Although I live out of Cork city and it's nowhere near Dublin's levels of commuting. Our work from home system is working extremely well and I think it's going to be a game changer. I'm feeling alot less stress and have less distractions. I'm hoping that this will open our eyes as a country to the possibility of decentralisation. Hopefully take cars and traffic off our roads and drive house prices down.

looksee

then I would be out of the house quite a bit.

Before you give up the city for the country, where would you be when you are out of the house?

I am very happily situated in a house with an acre of garden that cost probably a third of what a similar house (without the garden) would cost in Dublin. I look out onto gorgeous scenery, its quiet and peaceful.

We have a septic tank and a well to manage, and getting hardware/furniture etc deliveries can be a bit of a challenge - not all suppliers will come here - and we are really not all that remote.

It is a 15 minute drive to the nearest small town - and I have just been stopped from driving (hopefully temporarily) for medical reasons. Since I am cocooning anyway it doesn't matter and fortunately I have someone to do shopping etc for me. I am about 40 minutes from a decent sized hospital and getting to Dublin for any reason requires a half hour drive, then a 2 hour train journey. Or a similar length drive.

Internet is very iffy. There are lots of places in the country where it is fine, I happen to live in an area with no decent access and no prospect of any.

None of this is a complaint, I love it here and would not want to live in Dublin at all. Just be aware that you may not find the grass greener on this side of the fence. If high quality cultural events, restaurants and shopping matter to you, stay where you are!

Ballso

[Deleted User] wrote: »

A lot of people talking about how we have come together etc to make the lockdown work, how we will hopefully keep that community spirit, clap for this group, clap for that group etc

I have to disagree. I have worked all my life , and pretty long days, so have been gone from early morning to 6 ish in the evenings. With the exception of 2 stints of maternity leave which were several years ago.

I didn't realise how annoying living in a fairly densely populated city suburb can be. Where I live is a very scenic middle class neighborhood. But I honestly didnt realise how noisy it can be during the day. Im working from home the past 3 weeks and there's constant noise, kids shouting, cars up and down , people cutting grass, hammering away doing DIY projects.

Yes, I know all normal stuff and its me who has the issue. But I really didn't appreciate how noisy and busy it is. I guess at weekends Im busy catching up on housework then I would be out of the house quite a bit.

My new 'dream' now is to locate somewhere quieter, nice country side location, just me and the fields.

Anyone else feeling like this?

Christ no, the boredom and isolation of this crisis is horrible, I can't imagine voluntarily imposing it on myself by moving to the middle of nowhere.

theteal

OP I'd mindful that you're only hearing so much DIY, grass cutting and kids shouting because a lot of other people are stuck at home at the same time. I'm sure at any other time, a few random WFH days would not be half as noisy.

kippy

looksee wrote: »

Before you give up the city for the country, where would you be when you are out of the house?

I am very happily situated in a house with an acre of garden that cost probably a third of what a similar house (without the garden) would cost in Dublin. I look out onto gorgeous scenery, its quiet and peaceful.

We have a septic tank and a well to manage, and getting hardware/furniture etc deliveries can be a bit of a challenge - not all suppliers will come here - and we are really not all that remote.

It is a 15 minute drive to the nearest small town - and I have just been stopped from driving (hopefully temporarily) for medical reasons. Since I am cocooning anyway it doesn't matter and fortunately I have someone to do shopping etc for me. I am about 40 minutes from a decent sized hospital and getting to Dublin for any reason requires a half hour drive, then a 2 hour train journey. Or a similar length drive.

Internet is very iffy. There are lots of places in the country where it is fine, I happen to live in an area with no decent access and no prospect of any.

None of this is a complaint, I love it here and would not want to live in Dublin at all. Just be aware that you may not find the grass greener on this side of the fence. If high quality cultural events, restaurants and shopping matter to you, stay where you are!

There's a happy medium as well though in fairness. There are lots of small towns and bigger villages around the place where you can have a lot of facilities on your doorstep.

You would swear what WFH was a new thing however. The tech has been round literally for decades. However organisations have been slow to adopt it. This isn't exactly the best trial of it either for these organisations in that a lot of staff have a busy house with kids at home and a lot of business processes in those organisations are not WFH friendly. If those things were adapted you'd have a clearer idea of whether it works for an organisation. There's very few reasons why some staff couldn't WFH a couple of days a week however.

As for lifestyle changes, I'm getting daily exercise, making more time for the kids. Cooking a lot more, learning a few new skills and getting jobs done around the house.
I'd hop to maintain the exercise, more kids time and cooking long after this.
Not a big fan of long term WFH but a day or so a week would be a good and doable option in the job I am in.

kippy

theteal wrote: »

OP I'd mindful that you're only hearing so much DIY, grass cutting and kids shouting because a lot of other people are stuck at home at the same time. I'm sure at any other time, a few random WFH days would not be half as noisy.

100 percent

listermint

We bought nearly 4 years ago wicklow, i suppose it would be called rural in respect theres no shop right beside us and there is farm land near. But we are 5 minutes drive from a large town. You could walk it in 20 mins via woodland tracks if you wished.

Working from home now im looking out the window at the Irish Sea in the distance and quite sunshine bar the birds singing. Sounds idylic ? well for me it is. Its core reason i moved out of Dublin. Didnt want to be living on top of neighbours anymore.

Theres a happy medium a balance to be had. And it doesnt have to cost an arm and a leg. If i shifted this house 50KM north it would be 4 times the price given the views and size.

Cyrus

im in a small estate in Dublin, im also looking out the window at the irish sea and listening to the birds singing, i am a 5 minute walk from some of dublins most beautiful spots. I have some wonderful neighbours and i wouldnt trade living here for much else that isnt 2-3 times the price.

all depends on where exactly you are i guess.

listermint

Cyrus wrote: »

im in a small estate in Dublin, im also looking out the window at the irish sea and listening to the birds singing, i am a 5 minute walk from some of dublins most beautiful spots. I have some wonderful neighbours and i wouldnt trade living here for much else that isnt 2-3 times the price.

all depends on where exactly you are i guess.

Theres about >< much chance of getting that south of 700K tbf......

Thoie

Deleted User wrote: »

My new 'dream' now is to locate somewhere quieter, nice country side location, just me and the fields.

Are you going to bring the kids with you?

In the last few years I moved from an apartment in Dublin, to an interim stint out the country, and now living in suburbia where I intend staying for a long time - semi-d's as far as the eye can see.

The countryside had its benefits, but it's not always as quiet as you might think. Farmers spreading slurry on fine days leave an interesting odour that sends you back indoors. At harvest time, machinery can be running all night long as they rush to get it done before the weather turns. Cattle lowing, tractors up and down the road - and you'll still hear people cutting grass, hammering etc. Sounds carry further in the stillness, even if the neighbours aren't right beside you.

For me, the advantage of living within easy walking distance of shops and other facilities is a big positive. Out the country, getting bread and milk involved an 8km+ round trip. Going for a walk locally was very scenic, but due to narrow roads, you spent half your time stepping into the ditch when cars approached. During the last "big snow" you couldn't even make it as far as the shop in the car, and walking wasn't fun.

Where I live now has a number of scenic, off road walks (within my 2km radius). There are shops within minutes walk, and bars/restaurants (if that's your thing) are an easy walk/taxi away if you want to drink.

As your children get older, being closer to their friends makes life a lot easier.

As looksee said, living in the countryside might suit you perfectly, but it's not all beer and skittles!

Cyrus

listermint wrote: »

Theres about >< much chance of getting that south of 700K tbf......

nope, although that may change :eek:

but i never thought i wanted to live in an estate, now im 100% sure that we made the right decision (for us) and id find it hard to lave.

Granted we are talking about 22 properties so if it was bigger i might have a different view.

Balmed Out

Not maximum profit for builders but reading this gets me thinking low density estates where homes have plenty of outdoor space while still being walking distance to town centres would be great for families and those that can work from home and help repopulate a lot of small towns around the country.

listermint

Cyrus wrote: »

nope, although that may change :eek:

but i never thought i wanted to live in an estate, now im 100% sure that we made the right decision (for us) and id find it hard to lave.

Granted we are talking about 22 properties so if it was bigger i might have a different view.

22 properties :P thats a private street not an estate :cool: :P

Cyrus

listermint wrote: »

22 properties :P thats a private street not an estate :cool: :P

yeah perhaps, it has the benefits of an estate without most of the downsides to be fair

KaneToad

[Deleted User] wrote: »

.
But I honestly didnt realise how noisy it can be during the day. Im working from home the past 3 weeks and there's constant noise, kids shouting, cars up and down , people cutting grass, hammering away doing DIY projects.

....

My new 'dream' now is to locate somewhere quieter, nice country side location, just me and the fields.

All the noise, bar the levels of car traffic, are present in the countryside. The neighbors may be further away but the noise travels and, due to the general lower ambient noise levels, the relative impact would be similar. I lived beside a metro line (not in Ireland) for 10 years. The trains ran every 6 mins. When guests came to stay they couldn't believe how noisy it was. I, on the other hand, could barely hear it.

TLDR; noise & disturbance is relative.

Antares35

Definitely agree OP. Where we live is technically rural and yet only a few minutes in the car to shops, pubs etc. We are lucky the family bought an old plot and built otherwise there is no way we could afford to buy what we have. I do agree with posters that it is hard to find something that is the best of both worlds for a fair price.

It's only the pandemic that made me realise I had pretty much embraced isolation anyway! I don't miss commuting to work - that's 2 hours a day saved. And OH and I usually only went out around once a month anyway - even at that it was a meal and a couple of drinks - no major sessions and definitely steered clear of the high density places like Templebar etc.

There are a few downsides to living here:

- dealing with courier and delivery companies can be a challenge. Even though we are not that far out, a lot of people seem to have a mental block and once they see the road narrowing, they are on the phone panicking saying they can't find the place

- several times a year we will be without water for a day or two. A couple of years ago during the snow when all the numpties in the city ran their taps overnight, there wasn't enough water pressure to get any pumped up to us - so we were snowed in AND without water for 5 days

- where you might get a few inches of snow in the city, there will be far more here. Makes for awkward conversations with the boss when you are snowed in and he/she is looking out the window at a mere dusting

- antisocial behaviour can occur such as fly tipping, joyriders and Sunday trippers who don't respect the speed limit, parking restrictions or the fact that there are actually people living and working in the area, as well as children and livestock.

- no public transport so it is drive and abstain, or pay for a taxi. This is probably the only one that bothered me when I was younger and going out drinking!:D

Aside from that I can't think of any more negatives, and for me it is still worth it. I moved here when I was very young, and could never imagine myself being happy living very close to others. I'd go mad without space around me, and would prefer a tiny, modest house with lots of garden space than a big, impressive house with a small garden. OH and I are actually thinking of going more rural when we get ourselves sorted financially, because we already feel this is too near the city.

Guess it depends on your lifestyle too. Some people love being out and about, the buzz of town, going for nice lunches, shopping etc. and having all that on your doorstep. It just isn't for us.

Very interesting responses all, very thought provoking.

Re my kids they are both in college and drivers, so they would stay in the city and visit when they want. With the career they are both pursuing they will be going abroad for a bit anyway once they qualify.

I do take on board that the grass might be greener. And its everyone home now hence the noise and activity level is higher.

Might try renting for a while to see how that works out.

KathleenGrant

I am reconsidering lots of things. I am lucky i live in a rural setting but just 2k from a very good shop, 3k from supermarkets. I always had the best of both worlds.
I am not working for last few weeks and since then I have had a long hard look at my life.
The first thing that struck me is how long it took me to relax. Three weeks before I could relax. I was agitated and restless. I think we can get too caught up in being busy, busy, busy.
Secondly I was not liking my own company so I had to find ways to fill time alone. I walk a different route each day now and actually look at what's around me that I never took time to notice before. I read and have taken up learning French.
I have changed my thinking process. First I was lonely for family, now I am thankful we are safe. I was bored with doing nothing so I either do something or actually look and listen to the world around me for the first time in years.
Lastly i am sleeping 3 hours more at night than I did 3 weeks ago.
If the virus doesn't kill me I do know that this change will most likely have added a few years to my life and has definitely improved my mental health.

Eric Cartman

Deleted User wrote: »

A lot of people talking about how we have come together etc to make the lockdown work, how we will hopefully keep that community spirit, clap for this group, clap for that group etc

I have to disagree. I have worked all my life , and pretty long days, so have been gone from early morning to 6 ish in the evenings. With the exception of 2 stints of maternity leave which were several years ago.

I didn't realise how annoying living in a fairly densely populated city suburb can be. Where I live is a very scenic middle class neighborhood. But I honestly didnt realise how noisy it can be during the day. Im working from home the past 3 weeks and there's constant noise, kids shouting, cars up and down , people cutting grass, hammering away doing DIY projects.

Yes, I know all normal stuff and its me who has the issue. But I really didn't appreciate how noisy and busy it is. I guess at weekends Im busy catching up on housework then I would be out of the house quite a bit.

My new 'dream' now is to locate somewhere quieter, nice country side location, just me and the fields.

Anyone else feeling like this?

Absolutely do it. Theres nothing like a bit of space. Ive been spending my lunch breaks in my garden surrounded by only trees and wildlife having a beer in a hot tub, wouldn't trade it for any neighbours overlooking me and screaming kids.

Thoie

Deleted User wrote: »

Very interesting responses all, very thought provoking.

Re my kids they are both in college and drivers, so they would stay in the city and visit when they want. With the career they are both pursuing they will be going abroad for a bit anyway once they qualify.

I do take on board that the grass might be greener. And its everyone home now hence the noise and activity level is higher.

Might try renting for a while to see how that works out.

Renting sounds like a good idea. The other question is what happens 30 years down the line - where do you want to spend your retirement? A nice big garden in the country is great if you're well and active, but if you couldn't drive, how would it be? What if you weren't able to garden - would an acre of grass to cut become a burden?

What will the age group be like in your current estate at that point either? Are the neighbours likely to stay and age along with you, or is it the kind of place that will always have a high population of primary-school aged kids?

None of these are insurmountable (grocery deliveries, gardening services), but they are considerations.

nthclare

There used to be an urban renewal scheme where people from Dublin would be relocated to West Clare.
It was great, they'd interview you and your background etc.
It wouldn't matter where you are from, whether its Ballymun Talllagh or Ballybough.

What they used to look for was a family who can adapt to rural or village life and have something to offer their new community and not take away from it.

Just gentle city folk who are decent members of their own community and need a change of direction.

Imagine waking up and opening your curtain and, looking out over the Atlantic ocean and your kids looking forward to get outside and the local beach is a ten minute walk away.
Pure bliss.

A move like this would suit anyone who's articulate, crafty and looking for a change.

DEFTLEFTHAND

I have lived in estates type houses in both Limerick and Naas for a period. Utter hell for somebody like me who was raised in a big house in the countryside. Used to space and freedom. Not living up against other folk, postage stamps gardens and bland souless architecture.

MaureensFry

Anywhere is better than Dublin. Literally.

Dufflecoat Fanny

MaureensFry wrote: »

Anywhere is better than Dublin. Literally.

suffered dublin for too long it's no way to live. I had to live in a hostel in temple bar for 18 months and it will either make or break you when ya have to work in back breaking contructuion from 6 till 7. no privacy and no sure time to cook eat **** or wash. pure fcuking misery and then the snoring.

ceadaoin.

listermint wrote: »

We bought nearly 4 years ago wicklow, i suppose it would be called rural in respect theres no shop right beside us and there is farm land near. But we are 5 minutes drive from a large town. You could walk it in 20 mins via woodland tracks if you wished.

Working from home now im looking out the window at the Irish Sea in the distance and quite sunshine bar the birds singing. Sounds idylic ? well for me it is. Its core reason i moved out of Dublin. Didnt want to be living on top of neighbours anymore.

Theres a happy medium a balance to be had. And it doesnt have to cost an arm and a leg. If i shifted this house 50KM north it would be 4 times the price given the views and size.

Sounds amazing. I'd love to live somewhere like that when we move back to Ireland. For now, its American suburbia. But it's very quiet and plenty of space!

beggars_bush

Thoie wrote: »

Renting sounds like a good idea. The other question is what happens 30 years down the line - where do you want to spend your retirement? A nice big garden in the country is great if you're well and active, but if you couldn't drive, how would it be? What if you weren't able to garden - would an acre of grass to cut become a burden?

What will the age group be like in your current estate at that point either? Are the neighbours likely to stay and age along with you, or is it the kind of place that will always have a high population of primary-school aged kids?

None of these are insurmountable (grocery deliveries, gardening services), but they are considerations.

Buy a robot mower. Great job.

Planning for old age is scary though

dubrov

I think the sweet spot for rural living is for those in the age bracket 35-65 and without teenage kids.

looksee

Thoie wrote: »

Renting sounds like a good idea. The other question is what happens 30 years down the line - where do you want to spend your retirement? A nice big garden in the country is great if you're well and active, but if you couldn't drive, how would it be? What if you weren't able to garden - would an acre of grass to cut become a burden?

What will the age group be like in your current estate at that point either? Are the neighbours likely to stay and age along with you, or is it the kind of place that will always have a high population of primary-school aged kids?

None of these are insurmountable (grocery deliveries, gardening services), but they are considerations.

Thirty years? You move! I just spent exactly 30 years living in a house on an estate and I have just moved - and I am over 70. It was put to me that I was a long way from a hospital but I have no intention of living beside a hospital for the next whatever number of years, 'just in case'. (And the 'just in case' has happened). If I really have to move again I will do so, but I hope not.

Cyrus

Dufflecoat Fanny wrote: »

suffered dublin for too long it's no way to live. I had to live in a hostel in temple bar for 18 months and it will either make or break you when ya have to work in back breaking contructuion from 6 till 7. no privacy and no sure time to cook eat **** or wash. pure fcuking misery and then the snoring.

To be fair you made a decision to live in cheap accommodation I presume to save money ? Wouldn’t matter where that was it sounds awful

sweet_trip

Honestly, I've never been happier I'm living rurally.

You just can't compare the quality of life that comes with rural living vs living in a city especially now that we're all on lockdown.

I feel like people whove never lived outside of a densely populated city will never understand rural life tbh.



Noise pollution is a serious bug bear of mine, and with all of this going on it's never been quieter around here. The reduction of traffic is a god-send.



Feel sorry for people in dense urban area's who never get a moments peace between noise pollution, light pollution and air pollution.

dubrov

Cyrus wrote: »

To be fair you made a decision to live in cheap accommodation I presume to save money ? Wouldn’t matter where that was it sounds awful

Yeah. That's a long way from normal urban living.
I hope it was worth it for the poster as most wouldn't last 2 weeks let alone 18 months with that lifestyle

_Brian

Deleted User wrote: »

A lot of people talking about how we have come together etc to make the lockdown work, how we will hopefully keep that community spirit, clap for this group, clap for that group etc

I have to disagree. I have worked all my life , and pretty long days, so have been gone from early morning to 6 ish in the evenings. With the exception of 2 stints of maternity leave which were several years ago.

I didn't realise how annoying living in a fairly densely populated city suburb can be. Where I live is a very scenic middle class neighborhood. But I honestly didnt realise how noisy it can be during the day. Im working from home the past 3 weeks and there's constant noise, kids shouting, cars up and down , people cutting grass, hammering away doing DIY projects.

Yes, I know all normal stuff and its me who has the issue. But I really didn't appreciate how noisy and busy it is. I guess at weekends Im busy catching up on housework then I would be out of the house quite a bit.

My new 'dream' now is to locate somewhere quieter, nice country side location, just me and the fields.

Anyone else feeling like this?

We live on our farm in a rural area and at the moment we thank god every day for it. So much space, freedom and space from others.

Multipass

I live in the countryside, it has it downsides.
Slurry spreading, don’t underestimate the misery this can cause, it also gets dripped along the roads so good luck walking anywhere.
Smoke, practically every sunny weekend everyone seems to burn everything.
I thought I’d be going for lovely walks, but actually have to drive places to walk as my road is too dangerous. Same for cycling, taking a bike out would be suicide.
If you have kids consider the teenage years, you will spend day and night driving them around.
Crime is a worry, especially if you live on your own. There are dodgy people in white vans around. Medical emergencies too. A Garda car or ambulance would take at least half an hour to reach here. At least with eircodes they should find the house. I once had to drive to the main road to meet an ambulance and lead it to the house, that was 45 minutes after 999 was called.
Social life is only possible without drink, unless you have €50 for a taxi.

For all that it’s nice to have a garden, and the rent is cheap (my reason for being here)

old_aussie

Single man with toilet paper seeks woman with hand sanitizer for good clean fun.

jester77

I don't mind the noise, there's something almost therapeutic about it, apart from crying babies, that is irritating. But when I want peace to concentrate on something I just close the windows and noise is gone.

jester77

sweet_trip wrote: »

Honestly, I've never been happier I'm living rurally.

You just can't compare the quality of life that comes with rural living vs living in a city especially now that we're all on lockdown.

I feel like people whove never lived outside of a densely populated city will never understand rural life tbh.



Noise pollution is a serious bug bear of mine, and with all of this going on it's never been quieter around here. The reduction of traffic is a god-send.



Feel sorry for people in dense urban area's who never get a moments peace between noise pollution, light pollution and air pollution.

I grew up rurally, nothing or no one for miles. Wouldn't wish it on anyone, awful awful existence, especially for children. Would never ever consider moving rurally now. My parents live there and it's awful now for them with this cocooning.

The best rural( ish ) situation to live in is, 2 to 3km outside a village or very small town with a secondary school and amenities, within say 30/40km of a large city other than Dublin. I suggest Limerick or Sligo or Waterford they are also near enough to lovey beaches as well as an added bonus.

It will mean children can walk to school there may well be a path into the village friends are near enough but far enough and small enough area that activities can be controlled for teenagers.

Third level and employment within a commutable distance in the city.

Large house on your own ground.

The big issue that such places tend to be expensive and sought after.

_Kaiser_

I live an hour from Dublin in a large town so have the benefits of having everything I'd need 10 minutes or less drive away, but also lower rents, less traffic, and luckily a quiet enough estate. The motorway is 5 minutes away and I can WFH 2/3 days a week (and full time at the moment) without any issues as I have decent broadband.

The ideal for me I think would be to buy either in another "better" estate in the town, or a penthouse apartment in a nearby complex. Lower mortgage than I pay in rent, all the same benefits, and if I did move somewhere else I could keep it as a rental because it's handy for Dublin, or move back when I retire.

Living in the middle of nowhere wouldn't be for me, but neither can I ever see myself moving back to Dublin.

ShatterAlan

kippy wrote: »

100 percent

Yes. You should factor in that the weather has been quite good and this brings out the kids, lawnmowers, shed-hammerers, etc. On a rainy Wednesday when the kids are back at school you'll be able to take your lunch break as a peaceful catnap on the sofa. Also when the restrictions are lifted and you are allowed the opportunity to WFH you could also head off to a hub/library a couple of days a week and work from there instead of from the house. That way you maintain a routine that's kind of like a commute. Bring a flask and some sandwiches. Meet a few others there to have a chat. In a previous job I always worked from home on a Friday and would go to the local pub when it opened at 10am. The place would be completely empty and I'd sit in the back room and log onto their wifi. Barman would bring me down a pot of tea and the old ham & cheese toastie and leave me to my own devices. He wouldn't have music or the tv on or anything, he'd just be busy checking orders, wiping down the bottles, etc. One or two old boys might come in around 3pm and sit quietly chatting at the bar. No distraction. Around 4:30 I'd order a pint and start finishing up, firing off the last few emails then log off. Read a few online newspapers, have another pint or two and that was it.

ShatterAlan

Dufflecoat Fanny wrote: »

suffered dublin for too long it's no way to live. I had to live in a hostel in temple bar for 18 months and it will either make or break you when ya have to work in back breaking contructuion from 6 till 7. no privacy and no sure time to cook eat **** or wash. pure fcuking misery and then the snoring.

Good GOD, I think I'd prefer 18 months in the Joy

ShatterAlan

looksee wrote: »

Thirty years? You move! I just spent exactly 30 years living in a house on an estate and I have just moved - and I am over 70. It was put to me that I was a long way from a hospital but I have no intention of living beside a hospital for the next whatever number of years, 'just in case'. (And the 'just in case' has happened). If I really have to move again I will do so, but I hope not.

I hope I am as active and positive as you when I'm 70. Some people dread moving and have a meltdown when they're 40.

Antares35

MaureensFry wrote: »

Anywhere is better than Dublin. Literally.

Depends what part of Dublin IMO.

dhaughton99

It’s all part of a racist agenda.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/apr/10/coronavirus-park-closures-hit-bame-and-poor-londoners-most

Thelonious Monk

If we all decided to build houses on a bit of land it wouldn't do the country any favours. I live fairly central Dublin but the only way I could get infected is by going to a supermarket, and rural people have to do that too. I actually like the buzz and noise of cities but it's still pretty quiet where I live, I'd also hate to be car reliant and wouldn't fancy cycling on rural roads.

hmmm

The lack of commute, better food, nicer work environment, more sleep, all game changers for me and my outlook on working. Feel that I'm significantly more productive also. I could see a lot of movement after this, and smart companies will be able to hire good staff willing to work remotely on salaries.

otnomart

Great to read how everyone have their different opinion of what quality of life is.
For me, it is: a reasonable rent combined with a short commute to work, and shops and a few restaurants/cafès in walking distance.
Good public trasnport connections to everything else.
Have happily traded square feet of space for all the above.
Working from home during this lockdown, having the shops in walking distance has been a Godsend, not having to risk taking public transport just to buy necessities.
Used to live in Dublin by the way, many moons ago, now in Continental Europe.

Cedrus

There was an interesting "Question Time" discussion on TV a few years back, I don't remember the programme or even the channel, but one of the subjects under discussion was the public services cutbacks. I remember particularly that the imminent closure of Stepaside Garda Station was discussed, a couple of people raised hell that the expected Garda response time in area would rise from 7 minutes to ten minutes.The next speaker, from one of the west cork peninsulas, was then asked what her Garda response time would be and as far I recall she said "45 minutes to the next day". The Stepaside woman looked like she'd been slapped with a full side of wet haddock.

As many above have said, rural life isn't all it's cracked up to be and neither is city life, I've lived both.

However, this new life arrangement definitely should change the way people work, working from home will be proved to be viable for some at least, I for one took a day to two to normalise, the previous occasional few hours at home were hard, commuting should be less inevitable, and trust from bosses and colleagues will be more expected.

Ubbquittious

I live waaaay out in the sthicks and tis mighty. Only thing I want to try at least once is to go even remoter. Perhaps somewhere 100s of miles from the nearest town, a proper barren outpost with a few ramshackle buildings, some broken machines laying to rust and the odd fella passing on a quad bike with a rifle

Harry Palmr

So the ideal for many is essentially a big field with all amenities. ie the absolutely worst option for Ireland's sustainable development.

beggars_bush

Ubbquittious wrote: »

I live waaaay out in the sthicks and tis mighty. Only thing I want to try at least once is to go even remoter. Perhaps somewhere 100s of miles from the nearest town, a proper barren outpost with a few ramshackle buildings, some broken machines laying to rust and the odd fella passing on a quad bike with a rifle

Leitrim