Wanted to get people's recommendations for favorite neighborhoods to see in the main Irish cities. In March we are doing an exploratory trip to Ireland decide which city (Dublin, Galway, Cork) speaks to us the most as we plan with visa to move to Ireland this summer.
Posted by
Mountains of S. Oregon
1111 posts
Of those three, I'd probably pick Galway, although the weather in the west is wetter (not an issue if you're from Seattle). Cork would be my second choice. Dublin is more crowded and relatively expensive.
We've talked about emigrating to IE for about ten years, and we've spent 12 weeks in IE and have a pretty good idea where we'd be happy. And your three cities are probably not on the list although County Galway might make it. We'd want a rural setting, but that's just us. I peruse the real estate sites and BIDXI on a regular basis. We'd probably be happy in Scotland as well, but emigration rules are not welcoming.
If you're moving for political reasons, IE has many of the same issues and one election could swing the country. That applies to almost all countries in today's environment.
Posted by
OP
Seattle, WA, US
477 posts
Thank you! Yes we are looking just at the main cities though I know a smaller community in a more rural environment would be a great experience.
Posted by
Bellingham, WA
1679 posts
Do you have an Irish passport, jjgurley? If so, you can live in Scotland under the Common Travel Area/Agreement (either way, it’s CTA).
OP, Ireland is facing a serious housing shortage, so not much is available/affordable. Take a look at daft.ie to see what you find that appeals to you. Here is a link that can help you identify areas of deprivation that you might want to work around. https://www.pobal.ie/pobal-hp-deprivation-index/
Posted by
Mountains of S. Oregon
1111 posts
I wish I had an Irish passport...
Posted by
Seattle, WA & Bordeaux, France
627 posts
If I lived in Ireland, my top 3 places would be Malahide, Killiney (both outside of Dublin) or Cobh (outside of Cork). All 3 places can be a bit pricey, and the weather in the first two is a bit like Seattle (though surprising LESS rainy if you can believe it!) Galway is great, especially if you are younger (20's-30's) but for me I enjoy visiting Galway but probably wouldn't live there. My son, however, loved living there. If you want to explore Galway, look at Salt Hill.
As someone had mentioned, there is a housing crisis in Ireland currently. So finding a rental could be challenging. If you have friends or family in the location you are moving, it is a bit easier as they can be a recommended source. Additionally, it will be easier to find accomodations once you are living in Ireland as landlords want to meet you/see you in person. It is virtually impossible to secure a rental from abroad unless you are transferring with a company that uses relocation experts.
Ireland is great and I hope you enjoy your adventure! If our son decides to stay permantley in Ireland we may also relocate so I have given lots of thoughts to locations.