Moving to Ireland

Have you thought about Donegal? I lived there for year and loved it. I was inbetween Derry and Letterkenny and it had quite good variety, lots of towns close by, friendly and was fairly horsey?!
 
loisb501 said:
Have you thought about Donegal? I lived there for year and loved it. I was inbetween Derry and Letterkenny and it had quite good variety, lots of towns close by, friendly and was fairly horsey?!
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I'd quite like the east coast, less rainy and having lived in Cornwall for six years, I've seen enough to last me a life time. :)
 
The south east wouldn't be a bad idea, less rain, , more open, quite a few outsiders, that is the right track to be thinking on. I say this as I was seen as 'exotic' living in rural Tipperary, and I'm from the next county! Real rural Ireland, is quite insular, so it's worth paying an extra premium to be somewhere with a bit of a mix IMO.
 
Irish gal said:
The south east wouldn't be a bad idea, less rain, , more open, quite a few outsiders, that is the right track to be thinking on. I say this as I was seen as 'exotic' living in rural Tipperary, and I'm from the next county! Real rural Ireland, is quite insular, so it's worth paying an extra premium to be somewhere with a bit of a mix IMO.
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I can't quite stretch to Wicklow, much as I'd like to, but Wexford and Waterford would be OK. Is there anywhere else you'd recommend? :)
 
Just a thought, how about Carlow. You might be considered vaguely exotic but again, it's relatively central, can make it to the east coast easily (borders Wicklow and Wexford) and has a decent enough horsie seen. Doubt it would be on the pricey side and though Carlow town itself isn't anything to write home about, there are some nice towns on the county and nice countryside too.
Kilkenny would be similar, next county across from Carlow but nice part of the country, Kilkenny town is lovely (or at least it was back when I used to go there - though that's going back 13 or so years). Some fab equestrian centres, nice countryside, very sweet towns.
 
Kilkenny as I*HM said would be good, it's a lovely big town and quite cosmopolitan, lots of foreign people living about doing artisan businesses. Thomastown in Co Kilkenny, a beautiful spot in gorgeous country, again open to people and having foreign residents - it has an art college, so that's maybe why! Around Dungarvan in County Waterford, most beautiful coastal town, again not insular, a big spot for holiday makers and the Copper Coast stretching from there up to Tramore, which is close to Waterford city, which also might suit for work.

Around Fethard in Tipperary, Coolmore is there and lots of foreigners coming in and out to work with horses, that's a nice town. Basically you want somewhere that when you enter the local bar, every single head doesn't turn to stare at you - which actually happens in some rural places. Kenmare in Kerry, is a great spot with lots foreigners attracted by the scenery. And some little coastal viallages outside Cork or even on the inland side of Cork would be open and used to people from abroad.

Again, Nenagh in north Tip, there's lots of foreigners there attracted by the beauty of lough Derg but just 25 miles away, the other big Tip town, Thurles, is the complete opposite and basically a bit red neck. All I'm saying is, there are places for sale at real bargain prices but beware if they are in a real backwater, that could be quite lonesome. It would be different if you were coming as a couple and really didn't need to integrate so much, but on your own, it will be nice to be somewhere a little open minded, where foreigners are greeted with excitement rather than suspicion. Are you going to come for a holiday and check some places out and get a feel for them - might be the best way to proceed TBH.
 
Thanks everyone. I've done the Ireland experience a couple of times, but I know from living in Scotland that visiting a place as a tourist with cash on the hip and being a resident are very different to local peeps. We drove thru all the counties, had meals or stayed in most. I really liked Wexford, but it seems there is nowhere to ride. We were greeted like long lost relatives in Galway until we said I was moving there, then the bonhomie disappeared :) Cork and Waterford are distinct possibilities, but I'd really like Kilkenny if I could afford it, sadly it's too £££ for me. Carlow was ok, not sure if there is any riding tho. It would seem trying to find a smallish place with a couple of acres and somewhere to ride in a friendly neighbourhood where it doesn't rain too much is about impossible. The search will continue tho.
 
You will find that when you actually move to a place, and get involved with the local riding club or whatever, its different than just saying to people 'Im thinking of moving here'. Im sure that Galway would be as friendly as anywhere, and certainly no different than a foreigner moving to an English country village!! My English friend who moved to Galway/Mayo borders very quickly became accepted, although she was affectionately always known as 'The English Lady' even after 20 years.
You will miss bridleways :) and road riding is dangerous in both countries, but Im sure wherever you choose, if you get involved with a hunt, a riding club, DI or SJI competitions whatever your nationality wont matter at all.
 
We've never had any hassle in W Ireland, and I can't recommend Cork highly enough for all sorts of things.
If you stay away from the more expensive areas on the coast there are still some bargains to be had. It does rain - but when the weather's good it's fantastic. And you don't get the cold east winds we get in UK.
Since the recession there are a lot of properties hanging about, one near us went from 240K to 47K with an acre with it. It's bad luck on those selling but a fact of life and if people wish to sell, now is the time to buy.
I think there are only problems when people come in and act 'lord and master', put up huge fences, and generally be unfriendly.
Cork is so full of blow-ins no one notices any more. The hippies were up the mountain round Dunmanway in the 70's and if you love horses you'll always find someone to talk to. Not everyone does things the way they do in UK, they're often a lot more casual and less sentimental.
There's quite a lot of riding club activity too if that's the sort of thing you're in to.
 
buzyizzy said:
It would seem trying to find a smallish place with a couple of acres and somewhere to ride in a friendly neighbourhood where it doesn't rain too much is about impossible. The search will continue tho.
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I think that might be the problem - it does rain here, probably more than England. About the same as Scotland I'd imagine. Looking for somewhere that it doesnt rain often is pretty impossible :p
South coast Ireland would be the driest, but they still get fair amount of rain.

Basically everywhere in Ireland is good for horses, except within major cities. The more remote you go the less horse facilities there are. the main road networks are excellent. Plus the more remote you go the smaller the communities of people.
I ride on the roads and it is fine, there are a lot of country roads normally off a B road that are perfectly good to hack on. If you want to hack the majority of the time it's worth looking at houses that are close to either a big estate or a forest park. I've found that Some massive estates are normally happy to let you ride round the outskirts of their land if you ask them.

Most vet practices will have an equine vet working there, so I wouldn't worry about that too much. Not everywhere will have a decent Physio or farrier but that's the same for everyone I'd imagine! There are a few dentists that are excellent and they generally travel the country.

I don't know about riding clubs really so can't say anything on that, but the affiliated community is lovely and lots of choice. The eventing season works differently here, most of southern events are held on Sunday where the northern events are held on Saturday. Season starts around March/April and there is one southern and one northern event each weekend till around June. The eventing stops then and starts up again around end July/start of August and continues to end of September/mid October. Show jumping and dressage are all year round.

It's worth looking at houses taken by Nama or up for auction as you might get a bargain!
 
don't rule out carlow... it never gets the credit it deserves!. it is such a beautiful place and fantastic horse country.
we live near rathvilly but over the wicklow border and we are surrounded by horse stuff. If you are near rathvilly you have tons of hunts, xc courses, hunter trials, fun runs and http://www.themunnytrail.ie/ within a few mins. There are lovely quiet roads for hacking and the local pubs are used to seeing people sitting outside with horses having a pint! I find once you are involved in the local horse scene you get to make friends easily regardless of where you are from. Ireland isn't as insular as people imagine.

Doyle run registered showjumping regularly and there are a good few riding clubs there that would be running events all the time.

Carlow is absolutely gorgeous!
 
Thanks all. I'm not looking to be involved in any competitive way, and I don't hunt. I'm really after just somewhere I can enjoy the horses and slow down a little. I had a health fright last week, brought on by working too long hours, so it's more important to move now so that I can live more simply. As has been pointed out to me, I'm at a dangerous age and I want to grow old disgracefully. With that in mind, I've seen a property near Ballinamore Bridge plus the one in Waterford, so once I have half a dozen to see, I'll trundle over (again) and set about finding myself a new home. The one in BB is in perfect condition, which is essential for me.
 
It might be a good idea when you trundle over (again) to maybe not be so vocal on your opinions on the locals.

More than one of your posts has not been overly complimentary towards the Irish, so you can hardly expect to be welcomed with open arms if you express those same sentiments when you are there.

It might be an idea to also consider how YOU can integrate into the county and what you can put back into the community, rather than only what it can offer you.
 
cronkmooar said:
It might be a good idea when you trundle over (again) to maybe not be so vocal on your opinions on the locals.

More than one of your posts has not been overly complimentary towards the Irish, so you can hardly expect to be welcomed with open arms if you express those same sentiments when you are there.

It might be an idea to also consider how YOU can integrate into the county and what you can put back into the community, rather than only what it can offer you.
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I agree entirely! We have a home in rural Mayo and whilst my mother was from there and I have always felt v at home, my OH had never been. He instantly fitted in brilliantly and has an extensive network of friends that he can call upon to help with our house renovation and in turn they are happy to call upon him to help with fencing/farming anything else. We couldn't wish for better neighbours and have been made to feel incredibly welcome. We are quite a long way off the beaten track, but whenever we are over we have more people dropping by to see us than we do at home in the heart of the Home Counties! I cant wait for my kids to finish going through the school system so we can move out there permanently
 
Buzyizzy, there are loads of places to ride in Ireland. First of all, it's far less populated here and on the very minor country roads there is hardly ever traffic. I'm talking about roads so small they only take one car. In that case with a car behind, you just trot to the nearest house and stand in the drive way til it passes.

Carlow I'm sure is full of places to ride, even if you can't stand the roads. A good idea is to get the Coillte forest map for Ireland and buy somewhere adjoining a forest, where you can ride to your hearts content. Even if you're not into competing there are lots of horsey things to do to meet people and integrate; you can follow the local hunt as a spectator, volunteer to be a ring steward at your local horse show etc.

Getting just a few acres is difficult, as most places are farms and are sold as such, that's why you're not finding many.
 
I didn't voice my opinions at the time, obvs I'm not silly or insensitive, we noticed the change in attitude once it became apparent we weren't tourists but potential residents.
I am a naturally gregarious person and by virtue of my work on the community, I get to know lots of people very quickly.
I have found about 8 properties which may be suitable, we shall see. The logistics of organising yet another trip over are not easy, so I need to make sure all the viewings are worth it.
I realise the roads are very small, living in Cornwall, we do small here too 😊 Sadly it doesn't slow the traffic down.
 
we noticed a similar thing when we were moving to a different part of the country, and we are irish. If people think you are going to move there permanently they definitely size you up a bit more. We understood it as being part of living in a smaller, more inter-dependent community. If you are in a smaller, more isolated place, you depend on your neighbours more, so people feel like they need to get a feel for you and see what you are like a bit more. We felt like we were being interrogated by neighbours at times, but they have all proved to be absolutely lovely people, and have helped us out no end. If you do community work you will be welcomed with open arms into your area, as they love fresh blood and energy in helpers. The horsey network is also very strong in areas, we found a very ready network of horsey people once we started doing a few horsey things in the area.
 
So you did have 'opinions' buzyizzy!! You dont have to voice them, people can pick up vibes.... Galway city is one of the most cosmopolitan places in Ireland, and Im sure wherever you moved, as long as you have an open minded attitude you will be fine. Moving to a village in UK would be the same- everyone knows each other and people with the wrong mindset take it as 'cliquey' when it isnt.
But your posts do always seem to be about finding the perfect place, and what you want and expect. Go with the right mind, enjoy the craic, help people, join in with the community and you will be fine wherever you decide. Go with the wrong attitude and you wont be accepted anywhere.
And dont necessarily expect a 'slower' pace of life here than in UK- it can be busy and fast here too, we dont live in the 1950's any more!! Your pace of life is what you make it....
 
stormox said:
So you did have 'opinions' buzyizzy!! You don't have to voice them, people can pick up vibes.... Galway city is one of the most cosmopolitan places in Ireland, and Im sure wherever you moved, as long as you have an open minded attitude you will be fine. Moving to a village in UK would be the same- everyone knows each other and people with the wrong mindset take it as 'cliquey' when it isnt.
But your posts do always seem to be about finding the perfect place, and what you want and expect. Go with the right mind, enjoy the craic, help people, join in with the community and you will be fine wherever you decide. Go with the wrong attitude and you wont be accepted anywhere.
And dont necessarily expect a 'slower' pace of life here than in UK- it can be busy and fast here too, we dont live in the 1950's any more!! Your pace of life is what you make it....
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Wow! I was just saying that after some people became aware that we were potential residents rather than tourists they weren't quite so welcoming. I have lived all over the UK and have spent the last six years in Cornwall. I have had a mixed reception here, but because of my work, I know most of the population of the town and each shopping visit is a social occasion. It doesn't have to be a village I assure you :) Of course my posts are about finding the perfect place and what I want, that was the purpose of the thread. And yes it is a slower pace of life I'm after, Cornwall is a lot slower than London, but you can't choose your pace of life, whatever you may think.
I am building a list of potential properties to see on a visit later this year, having read that parts of Kerry, Waterford and Wexford may be worth looking at. Thanks for all your thoughts. :)
 
I'm glad I stumbled upon this thread as my partner and I are planning to move to Ireland in the new year. We have so far been looking at West Cork because he knows people from that area who say it's lovely, friendly and unspoilt. I am from south Devon so really want to be near beaches/the coast. We also have quite a few dogs so need to be rural so we can pop some kennels up and not have any excited barking annoying neighbours! I own a 5 year old TB who I am hoping to compete a bit on when he decides to behave himself and grow up lol so need to be within decent distance of livery with great facilities.

Would love to hear from anyone who lives in West Cork or from anyone who has any other suggestions of suitable areas :)
 
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