Archive for countrytalkandtips.myfreeforum.org ........................ smallholding, crafts and country life ................................................... IN IRELAND .......................................................
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MrsL
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What's it really like.......................?Lving in Ireland, that is. Looking a bit ahead, at the moment, it's a toss-up between Orkeny/Shetland, Ireland and France. Somewhere pretty isolated, renovating a pleasure, hard work, simple life, that sort of thing.
All I can garner really is wet, green, expensive 
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blowin
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All of those things are true I'm afraid but I still wouldn't move back to the UK . Not Berkshire anyway .
I think a common misconception from the uk perspective is that Ireland is like a very wet bit of England , just across the sea , inhabited by people who have a big heart but are a bit thick , as everyone knows from those "Irish jokes" . It is all a bit old-fashioned and nobody ever turns up on time .
Best to think of this as a totally foreign country in terms of customs , the interpretation of "history" , feuds etc and even the meaning of some everyday phrases . Big mistake to believe any of those "jokes" , too . Most of the locals can run rings around me when it comes to anything of importance .
Technology anywhere outside Dublin seems to be about 20 years behind the uk , which can be seriously frustrating .
It is true that the Irish ( around here at least ) never turn up as promised but neither do any of the blow-ins who have been here for a couple of years so it becomes a way of life . You just have to chill a bit . Or maybe a lot .
I wouldn't change any part of it . Except for the telecoms provider but that is a different story 
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wayland
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Most things are expensive compared to the UK as most things need to be imported but petrol is cheaper. Even now. House prices are cheaper and most have a sizable garden. Farm land is very expensive. The Irish are the best of people and will make you welcome. They dont turn up when they say they will and see no reason to get upset about this. Chill is the word  Like Blowin, I would not change this way of life. As to the weather. Ireland has many micro climates. Blowin lives in a wetter part and loves midges. The SE has the best of the weather and is comparable with Cornwall. Kerry is beautiful but has three times the rain as Wexford. Their are plenty of opportunities for renovations if isolation is what you want. Cheap too but you would need a pioneering frame of mind. There is about 4million people living in Ireland. Space to breath and the roads are far less congested than the UK. The cities can be a problem though. The Irish are good at conversation and time must be spent at this me thinks. The common greeting of "How are yer?" is meant.
Luv it we do.
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wayland
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Hey Blowin  . Whats this "Social Secretary" stuff?.    A job for Sarah me thinks
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MrsL
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I love Ireland; I've been twice, once to Carlow with the family, stayed in a cottage int he middle of a field, cried when we had to come home!! Second time was to Clare, on my own, which I loved, stayed with a friend with an almost view of the Aran Islands, but sadly didn't quite get to tem for a number of reasons. One of my grandmothers was irish. I lvoe the poeple,a nd the laid back way of life, without the hurry - that would suit me very well. The wet doesn't bother me much, I take the weather as it comes. As I said, it woudl be somewhere quite remote, with a good hosue to work on, bit of land, room for all my equipemnt, looms, etc. Oh not that keen, though, but you never know! I spent an hour trawling last night and found a few good hosues - some even had roofs!
I think I have what could be called a "pioneer frame of mind" - wonderful expression, I shall tuck that awy for future use!
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quarryman
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Hi Mrs L.
As one of the native Irish on the forum I can give you a different perspective.
Ireland is an amazing land. We are not the stereotypical "Paddys" as portrayed by the tabloids. Not only is the educational standard one of the highest in Europe but we still have a sense of being with the land and nature. We like all nations, have assholes as well as wonderful people, living here, but that is only to be expected.
Blowin talked about 21st C technology not being available outside the greater Dublin area and for the most part he is right but if you pick your area correctly you will get broadband, even here in the bogs.
The Hispanic term Manjana also applies here. Supposed tradesmen will promise you all that you want to hear, so again you need to listen to recommendations by other people, who are usually right.
As the Celtic Tiger has gone for a well earned rest, the price of property will start to fall and builders will start to look for work, so it is a good time to start looking. Please be aware that 95% of Irish estate agents do not have your best interests in mind when they try to sell you a property so a second opinion and an engineers report will come in handy.
There is a great mix of nationalities living in Ireland. Out of a population of over 4,000,000 approx 450,000 are "bloody foreigners"
There is a UK ex pat population of approx 112,000 living in Ireland, all here for their own reasons. Some integrate, some remain in their own circles. My wife had a workshop here on Friday evening. 16 turned up, 9 were from the UK, 1 from the US and 6 from Ireland.
Ireland can be divided into East and West.
The East is much like SE England. Commuter belts, housing estates and motorways. All the facilities you could want but lacking a great deal of heart. My wife and I moved to Sligo from the East Coast. We lived 50 miles from Dublin and were delighted to turn our backs and head West. We would never go back.
The West is more easy going and connected to the land. There is space and clean air for both body and soul.
Orkney/Shetland. I would love to visit and when I was much younger wanted to live there. Colder, wetter, more Midges and an hours less daylight than the West of Ireland.
France. We have given serious thought to moving there. I have arthritis in both knees and when we go to Foix in the Pyrenees, within an hour there is no pain. Wonderful. I have very limited French and feel I would miss out on the essentials of living in France, the people.
Do head West and try out the real Ireland. You will be assured of a genuine welcome by both the natives and the "bloody foreigners"
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admin
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It would be difficult to add much to that .
Just had a thought about the weather , tho' -- as someone mentioned , my place is in a valley which almost has a micro-climate . I believe it is one of the wettest places in Ireland but that doesn't normally mean endless days of rain . Instead you get some of everything on most days - sun/shower/rainbow/breeze/calm/midge/midge . "Fast" weather . So you have to take showerproof with you all the time but you will normally dry out if you forget like I do . Often it is "soft" weather -- unlike anything I have experienced in the uk . Extremely fine rain but somehow not as depressing as drizzle .
Rainfall frequency may be more relevant to your activities than just volume so it might be worth checking that out .
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wayland
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This is all very interesting stuff. It would be interesting to hear more local opinions of where you live, be you Irish or blowin.
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