Buying in Craughwell Vs Tuam

toughone111.

Hi all,

We're in the process of deciding between two houses, one in Craughwell and one in Tuam, and could really use some local insight!

The main differences between the two:

Craughwell house: Smaller overall, with smaller rooms and only one ensuite, but it has the same number of rooms as the Tuam house. It's €8,000 cheaper but lacks big retailers (no Aldi, Lidl, Tesco, or SuperValu nearby) and doesn’t have food delivery options like JustEat. It seems quieter, but we’re unsure how practical it would be long-term.

Tuam house: Bigger, with two ensuites, larger rooms, and a much bigger garden. Tuam has more in terms of day-to-day conveniences (Aldi, Lidl, Tesco, SuperValu, a park, etc.) and has food delivery options like JustEat, which is a big plus for us.

We're planning to start a family next year, so schools and family-friendly amenities are really important for us. Does anyone have any experience with these areas in terms of schools, services, and general quality of life?

Is the convenience of Tuam worth the extra cost and busier setting, or would Craughwell's quieter vibe be better for raising kids?

Any thoughts, advice, or personal experiences would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

Claw Hammer

Tuam all the way, unless you are planning on living in your car as much as you live in the house.

Mrs OBumble

Which one do you work closest to? Choose that one.

felonious_Gru

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058377506/buying-in-craughwell-vs-tuam

I like Tuam but it's usually cheaper than craughwell which is oranmore spill over in many ways, Tuam has loads of amenities and is the biggest town in the county, craughwell will be far more cliquey if you are blow ins ?

Galway is an extremely cliquey place anywhere rural , craughwell is a nice village though and very in demand

Shehzad Hamza

Craughwell will boom as Dexcom is taking shape in Athenry which will create over 1000 jobs. Athenry is just 10 min where all secondary schools and supermarkets are there. Athenry doesn't have delivery option as far as I know. Lidl is coming in Craughwell. Athenry there is Tesco and Aldi. If delivery is primary concern then better avoid Craughwell. But as an investment I think Craughwell is the place.

Claw Hammer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122788105#Comment_122788105

That is thye point. Live in Craughwell, live in a vehicle!

Geuze

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122788081#Comment_122788081

I find it hard to believe that Lidl plan to open a supermarket in Craughwell. It's a one-street village.

felonious_Gru

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122796501#Comment_122796501

They can tap both athenry and oranmore catchment area, it makes sense

I see sheep

Has Tuam changed massively for the better in the last 15 years?

I always liked Tuam myself tbf, mainly due to good memories of Football matches I suppose but it was always a fairly rough town.

Craughwell is a nice quite village, it'd be a no brainer for me. (I'm from county Galway).

Fr Tod Umptious

Hi OP,

As someone who was working in Galway and house hunting in the area 20 years ago we very much considered Craughwell but never considered Tuam, it just didn't have a great appeal.

We ended up buying in Athenry.

You mentioned starting a family.

How do the layouts of the house compare when you might be thinking of dedicating one room as a playroom, or depending on how many kids you have would they be able to have their own rooms as teenagers.

What is the immediate environment around the house, is one or both in an estate that might also have young families that your kids can be friends with.

Again if they are in estates are there green areas for the kids to play, and would there me much passing or through traffic.

How are the houses for garden space, again for kids to play in.

How close are the schools?

I'd consider these more important than the availability of JustEat.

Someone mentioned being car reliant on Craughwell but even if you are in Tuam chances are you will be driving to and from Aldi etc anyway.

felonious_Gru

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122797312#Comment_122797312

Tuam has changed massively for the better in the past seven years but house prices have more than doubled since 2019 alone