Go West young man..(in this case a not so young couple...)

Doom, thanks for that, to be honest, have been paying a mortgage all our lives and now looking to settle in a smaller house, renting with 32 years worth of stuff to put into storage, and more importantly with 3 dogs, one of which is a German Shepherd might just be a nightmare, plus.. the fact, want to be young enough to enjoy our new surroundings, Ive spent a great deal of time in the area Oughterard/Clifden which is where I now think we are going to centre our search on, and am very familiar with the good Citylink bus service.. Gone are the 3 buses a day from Clifden to Galway..thank goodness.. Im lucky in as much as I can work from home once I have a good internet connection, and have other great plans... Only thing is.. why at the back of my head do I hear the old saying, 'if you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans'... I really do appreciate very much all of you who took the time to reply, and am taking your answers on board..

Thanks Rickwellwood, and I do understand what you are saying,and you are so right about the buses and the proximity to Galway. Ive spent about a third of my times over the last 7 years or so commuting from Dublin to Clifden, and so the Citylink buses are the best inventions ever, when I first came back to Galway I was relying on Bus Eireann which was a nightmare, so things have certainly improved from that point of view, not to Roundstone tho lol, in twice a week and out twice a week if my memory serves me correctly.. Im very very familiar with Clifden, winter and summer, in fact spent part of a winter in a cottage in a place called Shanaheever which was devoid of electricity, have to say it was one of the warmest winters ever. Being realistic, tho I loved it dearly, Im also aware somewhere like that would be completely impractical on a long term basis,and with the bones getting older, hence us I think more or less now deciding on Oughterard if we can find something suitable. Part of this decision is influenced by the fact Ive a dear friend living there also, but as you say, plenty of buses passing through, the knack being to find somewhere on a bus route..and Shakti, thank you also, your comments about Broadband fill me with fear, is it too much to ask out of life, Broadband and a bus....:) Rickwellwood, do you mind me asking you, did you rent first before settling?.. just interested in seeing if you didnt and regret it, or did and thats why you recommend it... I understand why you are advising it, but for some reason my old brain couldnt comprehend the idea of a double relocation especially with dogs etc, I think we have decided to be careful, but having once decided on where, we will just make the best of it.. I live currently in what was a rural farming area for many years before 'progress' reared its ugly head...

Thanks a million Dec, firstly, we are actually interested in 2 of those properties and are planning on travelling down week after next to see them, secondly, as far as the driving goes, would you like the story about the BRAND new Mazda a few weeks before the wedding?.. the Datsun upside down in the ditch?... The Toyota, ..and so it goes on, but when I very luckily managed to wedge the Uno between a litter bin and another car at Greystones Harbour one Sunday, (luckily as I was heading for the ocean having mistaken the accelerator fot the brake, AGAIN), I decided for the good of both myself and the Irish public to admit defeat ..