Moving to Ireland...

OHCAC

Hi, I've been thinking about moving to Ireland for a little while now, am after some recommendations of where though. I grew up in London but would like to live somewhere I could have a few acres, that has low crime, schools and amenities not stupidly far away, anyone have any suggestions?

SteM

Have you been over here before? If you have do you have any favourite parts of Ireland? What sort of money are you looking at spending? What age are your kids?

OHCAC

Yes, used to go 3 or 4 times a year but only ever back to Dublin and no way I'm getting 10 acres in Dublin with the money I have!

Kids range from 4 to 14, so would need primary and secondary not too far away.

Top end of budget would be around €750,000.

baxterooneydoody

Places in Connaught will get you what you need for that money

Wanderer78

no clue on pricing, but with that budget, id say you d be fairly rural, which means you ll be doing a lot of driving, as public transport is effectively non existent, especially in rural ireland, noting average house prices in serviced towns and cities in ireland are heading towards 500k, so 750k…..

be aware, this thread is in the wrong part of the forum, so expect a lot of p1ss taking

best of luck with the search, be interesting to see what pops up here, i could be surprised myself

Danny healy ray

all roads lead to south kerry ..

SteM

Yeah, if you want somewhere with a few acres it'll be rural and there will be a lot of driving involved, especially if the kids are split across primary and secondary schools. Leitrim/Roscommon might be good areas for you to start your search.

boetstark

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365081/moving-to-ireland

Just my opinion but you need to give your head a wobble.

Moved here in 2001 and lived to regret it.

So expensive , eg. health service is poor unless you set aside 7 / 8k per year for private health care insurance based on a family of 5. Taxation is near robbery , payed, prsi use, vat , vrt etc etc.

Public services are crap despite paying through the nose , LPT etc.

Terrible climate.

You will never be accepted fully by local community , always considered a blow in.

I'm not sure if you are British, but in my opinion there is still an ugly anti British sentiment running through Irish society. People will laugh it off as banter but it does exist.

Just my opinion.

LambshankRedemption

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365081/moving-to-ireland

Based on those aspirations, my suggestion is not Ireland.

NIMAN

Have you considered NI?

Since it's still uk, you might find yourself with less issues?

Plus, the place seems to be coming down with English accents these days. And not just tourists. Seems to be quite a few British living there.

2Greyfoxes

I moved over to Ireland in 2017, never regretted the decision.

I'd recommend somewhere in Connaught. Sligo, Leitrim, or Mayo especially. Roscommon is nice, but a bit far from thr coast. Galway is nice, just I think it is the most expensive county in the region.

LambshankRedemption

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122519219#Comment_122519219

You wont get a house and 10 acres for 750k.

I know someone selling a 4 bedroom house on half an acre in the west and the asking price is 550k.

yagan

As a general rule of thumb any town with at least a Lidl and an Aldi will have schools. Bonus points if there's a primary care centre and it's on a bus/rail route to a larger town/city.

If a town has just a Supervalu then it's probably too small.

There's lots of towns that fit that basic criteria and very often you'll find houses with good sized gardens around the town or in its hinterland. Try to avoid car dependency as you'll end up being your kids taxi. Finding houses that don't need some work may be more difficult but you could get lucky.

If you don't mind being your kids taxi and go rural watch out for a potential property being surrounded by agri land where slurry spreading is common.

If you've never lived rural before you might find the darkness of winter oppressive. If you go rural it can be hard to build a social life if you or the kids aren't into GAA or golf.

NIMAN

@OHCAC

What do you plan to do with the few acres?

In rural parts, a half acre or acre site is mostly just the person's garden.

Are you planning to keep animals? Plant food?

Escapees

If you have that much money to spend, then it makes better sense to spend a little on a recci trip over here to judge for yourself!

ednwireland

I think getting land with a house is the tricky bit as newer houses will be parceled off into 0.5 to 1 acre sites.

15.5 acres with a derelict house 130k

https://www.daft.ie/for-sale/detached-house-cuilmore-gurteen-co-sligo/5403768

8acres with a site for 95k

https://www.daft.ie/for-sale/site-brickeen-castlebaldwin-co-sligo/4697963

the_amazing_raisin

My recommendation is Wicklow, Kildare, or Meath. Countryside living but within reach of Dublin

OHCAC

Thanks, I was thinking maybe West Cork/Kerry due to the scenery but have no idea what life's like out that way in terms of crime rate, stuff to do, schools, employment etc.

Also, was wondering how the locals would view us, whether we'd have issues etc. I'm Irish but was brought up in London so have a mainly English accent, my wife is English and obviously the kids all have English accents. I've family in Dublin who say they get funny looks and get treated differently when down in Cork, would having English accents be a major issue?

Padre_Pio

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122519230#Comment_122519230

West Cork!!

Im sure the the older children are going to be delighted to move from London to rural Ireland.

Clare, its lovely and it's near a big city, lots of alternative life style people there already, you wouldn't get costal Clare for that money but you would possible get somewhere more inland.

OHCAC

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122519268#Comment_122519268

Thanks, have heard different stories form people I know who've moved. Some say it's been great others like you day they're viewed/treated very differently due to coming from England. Suppose it depends where you go and how you act to some extent. I know Ireland is more expensive in some regards, and can deal with that up to a point if it ticked the other boxes. I'm sick of England though and need to move somewhere, was hoping Ireland would be the place!

OHCAC

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122519283#Comment_122519283

No offensive to anyone here from the North but no **** chance. I'm Irish with an English accent, I'd be equally targeting whether on the Falls or the Shankill, I'm looking for a nice quiet life!

beachhead

e750,000 not bringing much from London.Have you taken your current and moving expenses out of that,done your own currency conversion? Could it be £639-640,000 for e750,000? There is latent resentment around West Cork/Kerry towards English people or returned emigrants.English accents would only increase it.One well known criminal case in Cork a few years ago would give an example of resentment existing.Burglary attacks should be considered if neighbours are any distance away(out of earshot distance),applies all over Ireland but the easier accesss to motorways the more likely.

#17 said Wicklow.With e750,000 it could be manageable in Wicklow with a few acres but rural location.But the house would probably need modernisation/extending.

OHCAC

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122519286#Comment_122519286

I've thought about Galway, some beautiful areas there, does seem a little more "progressive" or left leaning but suppose as long as I can go about my business what others believe in is up to them. Thanks. Did you move to Ireland from the UK, and if so have you had any issues because of it?

OHCAC

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122519287#Comment_122519287

I've seen plenty of places, and even 5 acres or so would be grand. I just don't know the areas, suppose I'll have to go visit some of these places and find out for myself.

LilacNails

What is it that makes u sick of England? There fairly similar countries in terms of climate, taxes, immigrants, social housing etc. Crime rates are fairly high in alot of places.

Ireland is a great country but it is being ruined by our government.

OHCAC

Think it'd get used to the rural nights soon enough, but things life slurry spreading and other aspects of rural life I haven't the first clue about.

I appreciate public transport will be next to non existent, kids will have to get themselves a licence ASAP!

A few years ago a young English guy, who was a regular visitor to a rural area when his ancestors were from, was beaten to death and it was believed his English accent has something to do with it.

As long as you don't express any nivea or romantic notions about Ireland to the locals you'll be grand.

Ireland is a modern European and has the same issues as everywhere else.

What does sick of England mean?

Why would it be different here,?

yagan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122519503#Comment_122519503

Muck in really.

You're going to meet people from nearly everywhere if you move to Cork. Lots of Spanish seem to spend a year here as part of their secondary education. An English accent in school is nothing special these days.

Another thing to consider is forgoing having a massive garden if you can have a decent house that is surrounded by lots of nice greenery trails. Plenty of them in Cork.

OHCAC

Yeah, I fancy growing my own food, keeping some animals (chicken, a couple sheep etc) nothing major just enough to feed my family.

boetstark

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122519541#Comment_122519541

Best wishes in whatever your decision.