[Sbom]

Ok, this is just in the very early stages at the moments, but we are considering moving from the Midlands to Southern Ireland.
So was wondering if anyone had experience of doing this or recommendations of places that would suit.

Wanting between 10-40 acres with 3-4 bed house.

Pros and cons of living in Ireland over England?

Schools?

We are both self employed and currently have our own business which we would hope to continue when we/if we move.
Thinking SE so slightly closer to pop back over once or twice a year.

You seem to get so much more for your money there compared to over here.

Any thought good or bad appreciated....

[ballingall]

I can't add much to what it's like to live in Ireland as I've never been there. However, I just wanted to add to research what animals you want to keep, and be sure how you are either going to get your stock there, or, be prepared to buy stock over there.

We exported to Ireland a few times, north and south, and it isn't easy. Regulations are different to here, and if there is any disease risk over here, ie blue tongue, FMD, then they simply won't let in any animals from the UK.

Ferry costs for trailers are expensive I do know.....

But in terms of life quality, I think it could be a good move. Will be interesting to see what people who have done it already say.

Beth

[Sudanpan]

The Guinness tastes way superior to even good Guinness over here........ 
But then again that might not be the reason you would want to move there!
I have lots of family in Ireland (Eire) but quite a significant proportion of the younger generation seem to move over here rather than stay in Ireland - that might suggest something?

[shygirl]

I used to live in the north and loved it. holidayed in the south and looked online at southern properties but found it too pricey. Scotland was much better value and a great place to live.

[Q]

My experience of southern Ireland is a business one but having visited there a few times I find the people are fantastic and very good at haggling.  When you are all haggled out then they haggle some more.

I think I lost money but even to this day I am not sure. 

[chrismahon]

We used to holiday in Ireland and found Feakle in Co. Clare the best place of all. It's to the West. Surprising how many English were over there living life in isolation. Gave some thought to moving from the Midlands but the weather was awful- never stopped raining. They don't get bad frosts though. As the years went on more new houses were built in the middle of nowhere and they started to tighten up on it, but too late as the character of the place had been rather spoilt. The roads were bad and very overcrowded and we thought at the time the price of houses was ridiculously high. Of course that was before the crash, so if they are cheaper now the place would be more attractive.


The Guinness was great as were the simple local dishes but we found holidaying there very expensive. Used to fly Birmingham to Shannon because Dublin traffic became unbearable.


Quite normal for people to have several jobs and work incredibly long hours. A lot of the so called 'travellers' in England have come over from Ireland to do cash jobs over Summer.

[PhillipWillie]

Live in Northern Ireland myself and wouldnt want to be anywhere else!

[devonlady]

My dad was from Cork and I brought my children up on  a holding near Bantry, on the shores of Bantry Bay. Most Irish folk are wonderful but some have very long memories and who can blame them!
The weather in the South West is comparable to Cornwall though the days are often "soft" ie drizzly.
The Irish education system is second to none. It's been a few years now since we left but when my children were at school it was deemed a privilege to have an education and not a torment. Education was free but all books, pencils, exercise books etc. had to be paid for, discipline was strict in the Catholic schools and you had to beware of bullying (teachers not children) and you had to be prepared to stand their corner. The Protestant schools were much as they are in this country.
I dare say times may have changed a bit but women, especially had to be very circumspect it being a largely Catholic country especially in the "bogs" So, say if your wife was at home on her own when someone arrived to do indoor work, she would take a chair and sit outside, knitting or do some gardening or visit a neighbour. You wouldn't wear "revealing" clothes etc.
If you wouldn't be prepared for this kind of thing than Ireland wouldn't be the place for you. If you are prepared to accept it than you won't find a better place to live if you searched the world over!!

[Sbom]

Thanks everyone, it's all interesting stuff......
Doing loads of research as it's a massive decision

[devonlady]

Also, you will need Health Insurance, there is no NHS in The ROI.

[gwern]

We looked at moving to Ireland for entirely different reason to owning a small holding. It was the cost of living that put us off.

[devonlady]

Ah, yes I forgot about that. Anything imported cost a lot more than home produced but as we lived a peasant life that didn't affect us much. A pound of Irish cheddar or Irish beef was very affordable, a tin of baked beans was beyond our budget as were luxuries such as olive oil, a bottle of wine, etc.
Petrol, gas, heating fuel I couldn't tell you about as I burned turf, cooked with a Wellstood range and got us about with a pony and trap.
I suppose it depends what you want out of life and whether you want a simple life or a good life, whether you want quality of life or quality of living.

[Sbom]

We very much lead a peasant life! Only drink what we brew ourselves and grow our own meat and veg 

[Baois Glas]

I also moved from the Midlands (Shropshire) to Ireland, we've been here almost a year now. We live close to the NI border and it's about 1 1/2 hours to both Belfast and Dublin. Recently went over on coach and plane with Ryan Air to Birmingham and it cost £40 there and back for one person. Family members also regularly travel over by ferry. 

For us, property was much cheaper than over in England, we couldn't have got a place like this over there, and we looked. No mortgage either, if you need a mortgage you might struggle to get one over here.
For us we don't find the cost of living too bad, we shop both in NI and ROI, have a private water and a solid fuel rayburn to cook on and it will heat the house when we get it sorted, but for now we have Calor gas fires.
Depending on where you go the land quality varies, and the house prices seem to get more expensive the further south you go, go west and the prices drop, although so does the land quality.

[devonlady]

Ahh, but the west is so lovely!! For choice I would live in Mayo