Re-locating to Galway

Redshift

I'm looking at moving to Galway in January by relocating my current Dublin based job. I'm trying to read up as much as possible about the area beforehand, i've been to Galway city plently of times but I only know it as a visitor.

I will rent for a year or two to see how it goes before looking at buying.
What are good areas to rent in I see lots of houses available in the likes of Tuam and Ballinasloe.

I'm looking for opinions on where is nice to live and where to avoid; Nightlife ect, doesn't really interest me
My Job will take me to all areas of Galway and the surrounding counties so I don't have a fixed location to go to every day.

I'm really looking for any helpfull info at all for instance the commute time from Tuam to Galway is listed as about 30 - 40 Mins. How long does this really take;)

Thanks a Mil

kaizersoze

Ballinasloe is fairly central for what you're looking for. Has a bit of a rep and no shortage of bowsies but I suppose that can be said for any regional town. It is improving though.
You'd commute to Galway in 40-45 mins handy enough and a good train service if you didn't fancy driving. It'll be even less when the new N6 is completed.

If you want any properties checked out drop me a pm with the details and I'll make enquiries.

cazzy

Baalinasloe is nearly an hour away without rush hour traffic. It is nearly 40 miles from galway on a bad road in parts. Athenry is nearer as is Tuam, Headford etc. (although Ballinasloe and athenry are on train line)

What about Galway City ? Lots of houses to rent there ? Or the outskirts -Oranmore etc

Redshift

Thanks for the advice, I really appreciate it.
Ballinasloe does seem ideally located for me, closer to to Dublin for the frequent trips back to head office and family.
The actual commute time to Galway is not that critical once it's within a reasonable distance. I could be in Mayo one day and Clare the next or even same day:D it's really that whole western region I'll be covering.
Those commute times to Galway sound great though, well at least from what i'm used to;)
Access to the trains would be nice I suppose but no good for a job on the road with a van load of tools and equipment.:D

When you say Ballinsloe has a Rep, is that a nice way of saying avoid....
I accept everywhere has it's share of muppets, none more so than where I currently live;) but I don't to live in some mad dodgy area.

Whats Oranmore like? it seems to be the Lucan of Galway.

Thanks both of you for the advice; and the offer Kaizersoze.

kaizersoze

Redshift wrote: »

When you say Ballinsloe has a Rep, is that a nice way of saying avoid....

Not at all. It used to be a bit rough mainly because there was nothing really in the town and nothing for the youth to do. Anyone that wanted work usually had to travel and the lay abouts were left to play.
Over the last 3-4 years there has been alot of new residents because of the high house prices in Galway and it's a handy commute. With the new road under construction it'll be even quicker.
The influx brought a nice bit of investment like a new leisure center, hotel (http://www.shearwaterhotel.com/) and a few other businesses. There's also alot of retail and hotel developments in the pipeline and the railway station is currently getting a major redevelopment.
It's no Las Vegas but it's improving.

Oman

ok i wouldnt suggest ballinasloe. i live very near it(10 mins) and i think its rough but it is ideally located so i would suggest a village outside it like me. you said your not really interested in nigtlife and ballinasloe can be quite busy on a saturday night. just get out a map for villages around there and i could tell you what i think about them if you like, i know a lot of villages around here

Willymuncher

What about Loughrea? its closer to Galway city than Ballinasloe and theres not too many scummies in it, its a bit of a ****e town but that can be forgiven really...its situated in a good area if you've got to travel to different towns around the county.

Amimad

I had been living in Athenry & it's a great little town but recently moved further out the country side & my nearest town is now,Tuam.
A traffic-lees comute A to G is about 20mins, T to G about 35mins
With Traffic A to G 45/50 min , T to G , i don't know but Claregalway is a B**** so i reckon nearly an hour.

if i was coming to Galway for the first time to live, I'd rent near the city, probaly the east side to avoid city centre traffic.

Good look with move

dublin2galway

Hi there

Myself and my girlfriend are doing the same - moving to Galway in the new year. We have checked out a hell of a lot of places and found our ideal is along the N17 just past ClareGalway. That town is meant to be a bottleneck so maybe slightly closer may suit you better? (I'm a software dev so will work from home). Craughwell was very nice and close to city too. We just didn't find a place we liked enough there.

Best of luck with it anyhow, and let us know any pointers you pick up!

biko

Redshift wrote: »

When you say Ballinsloe has a Rep, is that a nice way of saying avoid....
Whats Oranmore like? it seems to be the Lucan of Galway.

I suggest you come over a couple weekends and drive and walk through Galway, Oranmore and Loughrea to get a feel for the places. That what I would do were I ever to move to another county.
I live in Galway city centre, can be noisy but is safe and parking permit is 10 Euro year.

Redshift

Thanks for all the advice and good luck to the other couple moving.
I got the go ahead from work to relocate just as soon as they find someone to replace me in Dublin.
I'm not sure how long that will take though.
I was working in Galway all last week trying to clear some of the backlog :eek:
and I got a good feel of it although I was so busy I had no time for sightseeing.
Loughrea seemed nice enough but it was like a ghost town at the hour I went through it, I got to see a bit of Tuam and Oranmore also.
I did like Oranmore I have to say.
I will be saving hard to buy in a year or two so Oranmore might be a bit expensive on the rent side.

Panthro

maybe tuam, milltown, or closer to galway, claregalway?
or even small towns such as lackagh? all within 20-40mins to galway city.so not too bad.roads farily good too

muckymuckygirl

Ballinasloe isn't bad at all...house prices are really handy and you should be able to get a decent place, plus there aren't any really bad traffic problems (usually). There are about the same amount of rough folks that you get anywhere. good luck with your move!

Mars Bar

Why not Corofin, there are back roads to go through Turloughmore(or even Turloughmore would be handy) so you can avoid Claregalway traffic and you are almost center of Tuam and Galway. You could always go Corrundulla so then you have both the City and Headford and 20 mins to Tuam. I honestly think Corrundulla would be your best bet. There is a new housing estate, the have a Centra(either centra or spar), St. Brendan's Church, a Post Office, 2-3 pubs and if you are willing to get a Taxi, there is Cunniffes and Regans in Clonboo. And it's nice and quiet.

kittensoft1984

Ive recently moved to Galway too! (must be something about this place!)

im living at doughiska - near eyre square. its quite central to a lot of things and as i work in Parkmore, its dead handy!

dublin2galway

@Mars - actually looking at a place there this weekend. Lovely little town. Although that bridge is well narrow (almost went head on into a van the other week!). Also considering the headford road. I think that's where Corrundulla is?? Still getting to knwo the county...

@kittensoft - I know, lot of people I knwo considering the same. We want to be a bit rural, or at least not in another city suburb to replace our Dublin location. Hoping for that elusive life-work balance!

kittensoft1984

[QUOTE=dublin2galway;54879093@kittensoft - I know, lot of people I knwo considering the same. We want to be a bit rural, or at least not in another city suburb to replace our Dublin location. Hoping for that elusive life-work balance![/QUOTE]

yeah i just didnt feel at home in Dublin - though ive lived there all my life!

Mars Bar

Yeah that's where Corrundulla is...and yeah that bridge is a bit of a b**ch!

takenow

Hi, I'm originally from AGP Lucan and moved to Galway in April 2002. I wanted to live as close to the city as possible but price dictated where I could afford. Eventually I bought a house in Tuam. I've got great neighbours and it's so small I can walk to my local in 6 mins, the SV in 7, post office, bookies, bank, etc, etc all within 10 mins. The town is very safe, compared to Dublin, and the locals don't mind the "Jacks". In fact I've met a few and there's a certain bond between us without being in each others face. When I go home I cut across the back roads to Athlone and can be in my Mothers in 2hrs and 10 mins. This will get better when the motorway is open in Moate.
I'm a Sales Rep covering Donegal to Shannon and if I plan my journey correctly I avoid the traffic with ease.
Rent in Tuam is very cheap without comprising standard.
Hope this helps.
Good luck with the move and I bet you'll love it. Galway natives are really different people to the time poor, rush-rush city folk of Dublin and I'm sure where ever you move you'll be happy.

dublin2galway

cool, hearing more and more good things! Now just to find a bloody house...:eek:

Mars Bar

Heytakenow...I live in Tuam too. Such a small world ain't it?
Also D2G, there are a lot of foreigners here so don't be surprised if your neighbours have very little English...the chances are about 99% that you will have non-Irish people living at least 2 houses away from you!

dublin2galway

Yeah, I'd heard that. But don't mind. Other than the roma pickpockets I have no problems with foreigners in Dublin, and a lot of the time I feel like the last Irishman left here! I've always been of the opinion that the more mix the better for a country. I think we spent too many centuries isolated from everyone but our oppressive neibours, unless we left never to return. Bring 'em all I say! Still, I'm surprised theres that level in the country. Thought it was all in the towns (isn't there some town of Brazilians over in Galway???)

Mars Bar

In Gort
All my dad's family is from there and we used to live there. They are great workers, my granny and aunt have employed a few of them. They have never had any problem with them.

Ballyroe7

Decided to return to the old sod after 16 years in America!!! Went with hubby and two kids and am coming back with hubby and 7 kids!!! :eek:All love Gaelic football and hurling? Best outside village/town to move to..Am a primary teacher so will be looking for subbing and eventually a job!!!:rolleyes:
WHat type of car/van is good?
mobile phone service?
any other advice...will be renting for a year or two till we get our bearings so need settling advice..Tuam, Athenry, claregalway and moycullen are the towns/villages we are looking into?
Will welcome all advice!!

dublin2galway

Ballyroe7 wrote: »

Decided to return to the old sod after 16 years in America!!! Went with hubby and two kids and am coming back with hubby and 7 kids!!! :eek:All love Gaelic football and hurling? Best outside village/town to move to..Am a primary teacher so will be looking for subbing and eventually a job!!!:rolleyes:
WHat type of car/van is good?
mobile phone service?
any other advice...will be renting for a year or two till we get our bearings so need settling advice..Tuam, Athenry, claregalway and moycullen are the towns/villages we are looking into?
Will welcome all advice!!

Hi there,

Best of luck with the move. Doing a slightly smaller move from Dublin to Galway myself. We have looked at a lot of towns and have been sale agreed on two houses that fell through and just on a third today, so have seen a lot of what's available.

Corofin/ClareGalway/Turloughmore are great for GAA (but almost anywhere in Galway is!), Headford is amazing for the lake and still close enough to Galway (where we are hoping to be). Tuam is very well serviced and a big enough town, Spidal for the Irish language, or anywhere west of that, but can get remote the further out you go. Oranmore is a very nice suburb - far enough out to be a village in its own rightbut can be quite expensive for property.

Cars? Well, if you are off the main roads a jeep can be good for the rough roads. Personally I hate them for the fuel/environment but cansee the justification outside the city. I guess a big van/people carrier/bus!! is your best bet with 7 kids

Mobile coverage is very good almost everywhere. It is broadband that can be hard. You can check the line for the house you like on the eircom site to see if the exchange is suitable for broadband, and there is 3G wireless almost county wide. I know for fact Headford exchange at least is broadband enabled, as is Turloughmore, but have no idea for the rest of the county. I think there is a topic in the galway section listing where has broadband. Do a search and you'll find it.

Hope that's some help.

D2G

cailindearg

Moved back with 12 year old daughter last August. Have you been home recently. Its a different world. How old are your kids? Mine hates it and wants to go back to the States. Part of that may be age. Things are not the same here as they were. Seems like everything is very complicated. Better check out schools. They are jammed full and not always easy to get kids into schools. Small towns probably better choice for you. Good luck on the move. When plan to move? Better give lots time to sell home in States. Mine on market for 8 months and finally had to rent because could not sell.

bblissful_2000

I've seen a few of you mention Corrandulla as a possible place to move to and I just wanted to give you some information on it - hope it helps! I've lived here all my life and I am currently building a house here. I work right in the middle of the city, I leave for work at 8am and i'm usually parked at about 8.40. Without traffic it takes about 15 mins to get to the city. I think it's a safe place to live, I always take the usual precautions but i've never heard of a house being robbed or car stolen etc touch wood! The house prices over the last couple of years have been quite high but they are coming down now and in fairness the houses for sale are normally quite big. Just to warn you if you were thinking of buying a site to build check if you can get planning permission before you buy because it is impossible in places to get if you are not from the area. In Corrandulla village itself there is 1 housing estate and there is a Costcutter right beside it. Hope this gives you a bit more of an insight

Mars Bar

Yeah Corrandulla is a great place!
Hey bblissful 2000, do you know of Greaney's Buses from Cloonboo, it's my Uncle that runs that!

dublin2galway

Well, I should be just up the road from you guys from this day next week. Moving up near Headford. Can't wait!

Mars Bar

Congrats!!

dublin2galway

Thanks!

mars bar wrote: »

Congrats!!