How rural is too rural?

Norrie Rugger Head

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058332604/how-rural-is-too-rural

I'm 1.5KM from local village and 30 minutes drive from the office. Perfect for me. Others find it too far out but I spent enough time stuck in Dublin traffic that 30 minutes is a breeze

barry181091

I have worked in Shannon and it is poor in terms of things to do. I would just keep that in mind. I wouldn't consider it a great place ot live.

gaming_needs90

Thanks everyone for all of your kind responses.

I should have added we are also looking at properies around the Ennis hinterland too. Shannon being grim is not lost on me and Ennis seems to be far more vibrant.

Again the same issue would come up there obviously. Obviously urban/suburban would be ideal but there are very few options.

It could end up being a house like below:

https://www.daft.ie/for-sale/detached-house-ballygriffey-south-ruan-ennis-co-clare/5539261

Further drive for my partner to shannon for example but then close(ish?) to a major town like Ennis.

Thanks again for all the responses. Its really a horses for courses kind of thing

SharkMX

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121664298#Comment_121664298

We'll see when the bike lords ensure it costs you an arm and a leg to keep your car and drive that 7km :)

Uncle Pierre

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121664668#Comment_121664668

Possibly the "best" answer you seem to be getting here to your original question is that 12km from town is not "too rural" if you decide that rural living might be suitable.

But whether or not it would actually prove to be suitable is a whole other question!

Best of luck with whatever you decide. As one who grew up in the countryside myself, before living in towns/cities for the best part of 20 years between studying and the first part of my working career, and then moving back to the countryside again, I can say I'm 100% happy to live in a rural area. But horses for courses...

elperello

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121663460#Comment_121663460

That's one type of service it's limited to maybe one day but it's door to door. I know a pensioner and the driver even carries in her shopping.

The other service outlined in the link is a series of rural routes which have several timetabled services each day of the week including Sunday.

SharkMX

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121668232#Comment_121668232

You do realize you are trying to say that a once a week or once a day bus service to a few places is good public transport?

listermint

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121668742#Comment_121668742

You're describing a taxi service which is pennies and a bus service which is everyday. It seems you completely ignored his entire post.

Lad I think your best of concentrating on the house sale you seem very buyers remorse already going on about the size of the place being 'fine for now.

SharkMX

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121668750#Comment_121668750

No, his post is trying to make out that that service is somehow acceptable. Its not. Public transport doesnt mean phone a bus and it will come and collect you once a day or once a week and take you into the nearest town. It means a reliable, functional and frequent network where you can get around whenever you wish.

rolling boh

Your age group and whether you plan as much as you can that the house will be your forever home may be a factor. Lots of people move closer to a town etc when they are older after living happily in a more rural area .

GerardKeating

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121651925#Comment_121651925

Which one is handier for schools ? Eventually it might be your biggest part of driving.

NSAman

Rural in Ireland means just a short drive. As long as you have internet (good internet) what difference does it make? Frankly, I prefer rural Ireland to built up Ireland, although with the plantation currently underway in the west, that has changed quickly.

Space for me is the driving factor.

SharkMX

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121668982#Comment_121668982

I haved lived rural myself and prefer it to urban living too. But the other half doesnt and also anyone I know who has moved rural with kids tell me dont ever do it. Whether thats having kids, or moving to a rural area with kids i cant be sure :)

listermint

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121668994#Comment_121668994

I have kids. I feel far safer here than them running around housing estate in dublin with fast drivers or flutes looking to take your phone at the bus stop.

elperello

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121668742#Comment_121668742

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121668771#Comment_121668771

I'd just like to add a little more detail about the rural bus services.

This is a link to the timetables for Offaly. I'm using them as an example because I used a couple of them last Summer on holiday.

You will see about six services in each direction from early morning to evening.

https://locallinklaoisoffaly.ie/timetable/

Now you may say that level of service is inadequate but don't forget these services didn't exist at all until last year.

Would additions to the timetables be desirable?

Yes of course and I hope if demand is there they will happen.

One of the advantages of being on holiday is meeting people. Bus stops are a great place for a chat.

I met people who used the service to go shopping, to appointments etc.

Students are using them to get to college.

Two people told me they used it to go to a restaurant. They went by bus, enjoyed a few drinks and a meal and home by bus three hours later.

One man was going to collect his car which he left in a town garage for service earlier.

On one occasion a young lad got off at the same stop as me and went into the shop at the crossroads. He emerged with his electric scooter which they were obviously minding for him and disappeared up a boreen.

Rural Ireland is alive and well and adapting to change.

These bus routes have great potential to be a central part of that process.

SharkMX

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121669442#Comment_121669442

Sorry, you are not convincing me that this is not the very, very poor relation of a proper public transport service in Ireland.

Its Ireland. You'll get something small instead of whats actually needed and the politicians can all pat themselves on the back for providing it.

Blind As A Bat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121655017#Comment_121655017

You're right. I know somebody in their seventies, always a great driver, driving since he was 18, decided to give up because he had a mild stroke and was worried about having another one in the future when behind the wheel.

timmyntc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121669191#Comment_121669191

There is an entire country outside of those few areas of Dublin that statement applies to.

OP, if the perks of rural living for you are just bigger garden and bigger house, there are plenty of villages and towns across the country you could get that and still be within walking distance of a pub or shop or kids schools.

Rural living is great if you make the most of it and love gardening or forestry or farming, but if you dont actually do anything in the country other than exist in your house you will feel very very isolated.

I see sheep

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121664668#Comment_121664668

Ennis is much nicer than Shannon, Ennis has got very rough since Covid at night as well tbh but I still think it's a nice town.

CramCycle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121668994#Comment_121668994

I'd be the opposite, having kids is the best time to move down. I would only advise not moving rural once you are over a certain age and have lived in an urban environment, as you will struggle to get used to the lack of always on local services.

I love both, the adaptions for both are easy at a certain age but they are adjustments in mindset and preparation.

We are 18km from the nearest big supermarket and they deliver for €6 if that's an issue. Local pub and shop are close enough to walk if fit and only a few minutes if not. Most pubs do a taxi home after for near nothing around here.

Kids love it, can be out way more and unsupervised unlike in the city.

Only thing I have struggled with is shops not opening until 10 and the opening hours changing based on season and days of the week.

Rural driving is far more efficient for the people giving out about cost and so long as you aren't a speed demon is not really different to PT in terms of cost IMHO but that is distance dependent.

So long as your mildly sociable, neighbours are typically very helpful in regards lifts and covering for each other but maybe that's just here.

CramCycle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121668994#Comment_121668994

I'd be the opposite, having kids is the best time to move down. I would only advise not moving rural once you are over a certain age and have lived in an urban environment, as you will struggle to get used to the lack of always on local services.

I love both, the adaptions for both are easy at a certain age but they are adjustments in mindset and preparation.

We are 18km from the nearest big supermarket and they deliver for €6 if that's an issue. Local pub and shop are close enough to walk if fit and only a few minutes if not. Most pubs do a taxi home after for near nothing around here.

Kids love it, can be out way more and unsupervised unlike in the city.

Only thing I have struggled with is shops not opening until 10 and the opening hours changing based on season and days of the week.

Rural driving is far more efficient for the people giving out about cost and so long as you aren't a speed demon is not really different to PT in terms of cost IMHO but that is distance dependent.

So long as your mildly sociable, neighbours are typically very helpful in regards lifts and covering for each other but maybe that's just here.

elperello

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121669488#Comment_121669488

You seem determined to see a half empty 🍷 glass.

I can't help it but when I see things improving it puts a smile ☺️ on my face.

Rural Ireland may not be for you, good luck with your choice.

brokenbad

Grew up in a town. Purchased first house in our mid twenties out in the sticks and stayed for 3 years before buying a house in a new estate in a town....people told us we were were mad selling a beautiful home on a half acre in the country and buying a new semi-d with a back garden so small you wouldn't swing a cat in but at the time we hated the isolation of being in the country, we were blow-ins who didn't know anyone, nearest shop was 10km away and we felt cut off from everything.

Fast forward 13 years and 2 kids later - we sold up the semi-d and moved back to the sticks again - but this time with a different perspective and appreciation of rural living - we are now living 10km from town for the last 7 years, local village shop and pub is 3km away, work is 10km away and school is 3km. Also have good neighbours who are not in your face 24/7 and we have two cars which makes things a bit easier for sharing the burden of kids drop offs and collections.

Having done a complete 180 on rural-urban living, we do not regret a single thing.