Seriously worried ...

flyswatter

poussin78 wrote: »

Sorry, but I have a really practical question ... (am doing my moving research as we speak -;)

What is the absolute best package for TV, Broadband (wifi) and phone ? ... UPS ? Sky ? ... Or is it best to separate them ?

And, does anyone know of any phone operator offering free international calls ? I thought Sky Talk was supposed to be coming to Ireland, but no news ...

Thanks a million if you have any advice.

UPC for internet anyway, sky for tv, probably UPC for calls too with the internet but dunno anything about who has the best phone rates, sorry.

Qualitymark

OP, there's a deal with UPC where you get phone and internet, and calls to something like 22 countries are free. You can get TV from UPC too. Generally they've got good fast internet.

Areas for living: Rathmines is flatland, as is Portobello - students raving it up. Donnybrook is the embassy area, staid but classy. Sandycove (beside Dun Laoghaire) is lovely - a couple of nice restaurants, and there are sailing clubs, etc. Where are your people from in Ireland (and if Dublin, where in Dublin)?

What kind of work will you be doing?

Do you want somewhere that you can drive or cycle into work, or will you be taking buses, trains or trams?

Duggys Housemate

She didn't say her family were in Ireland. Just not in Paris. UPC have the best Internet connection in Europe but not available everywhere. You might as well get the tv package too.

Toby Take a Bow

Qualitymark wrote: »

Ireland is two countries now.

Ireland was always two countries. Maybe your situation changed and you realised how the other side lives, although I'm guessing you actually mean that middle-class previously well-off people are finding it a little more difficult now and not the issues of the homeless, destitute.

poussin78 wrote: »

Noooooooooo ... please tell me there are people out there who enjoy conversation over 2 or 3 glasses of wine max ? -;)

Depending on the wine, 3 glasses could have me locked.

Qualitymark

Toby Take a Bow wrote: »

Ireland was always two countries. Maybe your situation changed and you realised how the other side lives, although I'm guessing you actually mean that middle-class previously well-off people are finding it a little more difficult now and not the issues of the homeless, destitute.

Toby, I respectfully disagree. Statistically, wages and salaries varied by a smaller amount before the crash. In the last five years, they have drawn far apart, with the well-off doing much better, and the poorest much worse, while people in the middle become poorer.

Please don't ask me to hunt out the studies I've been reading about this over these years! But they're there if you look for them.

For a taster, though, here's something from The Atlantic a few months ago - note particularly the graph on the percentage change in equivalised disposable household income since 2010 (wish it were possible to post images here, as the graphi is, well, graphic!): http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2012/03/austeritys-wake-why-irelands-spending-cuts-should-scare-us-too/255181/

Fr_Dougal

Misleading title is misleading.

First world problems; €68k job and I don't noes where to lives on the southside or which tv package to go for! :eek:

Qualitymark

Fr_Dougal wrote: »

Misleading title is misleading.

First world problems; €68k job and I don't noes where to lives on the southside or which tv package to go for! :eek:

Give the woman a break, Fr! She's asking advice from kindly Dubliners, as you or I might on a Paris board if we were moving over there. As for the €68k, the best of luck to her! Long may she earn it!

Fr_Dougal

Fr_Dougal wrote: »

Misleading title is misleading.

First world problems; €68k job and I don't noes where to lives on the southside or which tv package to go for! :eek:

Nice thing to be 'seriously worried' about, isn't it? Wish my worries were like that.

I think if I were in OP's shoes, I'd just go to Dublin. In my opinion, it's become quite a kip over the last few years and I've been seeing more and more junkies, scumbags and general violence, but it still has a lot going for it, especially if you can live in a nice area and afford to go out and do things.

Toby Take a Bow

Qualitymark wrote: »

Toby, I respectfully disagree.

Oh, I'm not saying it hasn't got worse: it has, definitely. No question. But my point is that there was always two Irelands, even during the boom time years, and that doesn't even just apply to homelessness and severe poverty in working class areas. It also applies to people working around the minimum wage, with no savings and living under the threat of redundancy.

Qualitymark

Toby Take a Bow wrote: »

Oh, I'm not saying it hasn't got worse: it has, definitely. No question. But my point is that there was always two Irelands, even during the boom time years, and that doesn't even just apply to homelessness and severe poverty in working class areas. It also applies to people working around the minimum wage, with no savings and living under the threat of redundancy.

Absolutely true. What makes me crazy and sad is that Ireland, which was gradually moving towards being a country of decency and equality where everyone had a chance to make a good salary and have a good life, is now going rapidly the other way.

Typical example: my neighbours in the 1980s were a family of 6 kids with a father who was a long-distance trucker. His income - around £15,000 - was just over the level for university grants. Now, these kids were seriously bright, great people, courteous, creative. Not one of them went to university.

Ten years later and I was constantly talking to entrepreneurs whose parents were truckers or binmen or milkmen, and who had taken degrees and gone on to found profitable export companies.

Now we're going back to how it was in the 1980s, and it breaks my heart. All that loss of potential and talent.

Peregrine

poussin78 wrote: »

Sorry, but I have a really practical question ... (am doing my moving research as we speak -;)

What is the absolute best package for TV, Broadband (wifi) and phone ? ... UPS ? Sky ? ... Or is it best to separate them ?

And, does anyone know of any phone operator offering free international calls ? I thought Sky Talk was supposed to be coming to Ireland, but no news ...

Thanks a million if you have any advice.

As said previously, UPC would be the best for phone and broadband. Sky would be the best for TV but UPC is okay too. You can get a UPC bundle package with TV, 50Mb broadband, unlimited local landline calls and 400 minutes to certain international landlines (includes France) for around €70 a month

I think Sky Talk will be using eircom's network when they start offering broadband..

And for cheap international calls try Lycamobile, I'm not sure how much they charge for calls to France though

Edit: It's 1c per min to French landlines and 9c per min to mobile

Qualitymark

Nimrod 7 wrote: »

As said previously, UPC would be the best for phone and broadband. Sky would be the best for TV but UPC is okay too. You can get a UPC bundle package with TV, 50Mb broadband, unlimited local landline calls and 400 minutes to certain international landlines (includes France) for around €70 a month

I think Sky Talk will be using eircom's network when they start offering broadband..

And for cheap international calls try Lycamobile, I'm not sure how much they charge for calls to France though

Edit: It's 1c per min to French landlines and 9c per min to mobile

There's a UPC bundle (phone and internet) has free calls to French landlines and 21 or so other countries including the US and UK. About €50 a month.

Eve_Dublin

(Takes out sad violin music) Just to say, OP. I'm very envious of you getting to live in Dublin. I can't go home. There's nothing there for me right now. I wouldn't even be entitled to dole. For all the moaners here on Boards, spare a thought for those of us who can't be in your shoes and live in the place they were born for the foreseeable future. Not all of us left to spend a year in Australia on daddy's credit card. Some of us have to be here (puts away sad violin music). I think you'll love Dublin. I've lived in a few cities but Dublin was by far the most fun. Good luck!

poussin78

Eve_Dublin wrote: »

(Takes out sad violin music) Just to say, OP. I'm very envious of you getting to live in Dublin. I can't go home. There's nothing there for me right now. I wouldn't even be entitled to dole. For all the moaners here on Boards, spare a thought for those of us who can't be in your shoes and live in the place they were born for the foreseeable future. Not all of us left to spend a year in Australia on daddy's credit card. Some of us have to be here (puts away sad violin music). I think you'll love Dublin. I've lived in a few cities but Dublin was by far the most fun. Good luck!

Thanks for all the advice ! I'm sorry if the title is misleading - obviously I'm not "seriously worried" about my situation as such - just about the move and the cultural aspects.

Eve_Dublin

poussin78 wrote: »

Thanks for all the advice ! I'm sorry if the title is misleading - obviously I'm not "seriously worried" about my situation as such - just about the move and the cultural aspects.

Ah of course, OP. It's hard moving anywhere. I moved to Spain at the beginning of the crisis (mainly cos I had a level in the language and there's huge demand for English teachers here because the Spanish need to learn it to help their job prospects) and things are bad here but you find your niche and if you work hard at it and you're lucky and have a job, you can carve out a nice life for yourself anywhere. Everywhere you go, there you are and all that. If you've a positive frame of mind, you'll be grand. I wish you all the best over there anyway, OP!

Lunni

Eve_Dublin wrote: »

Ah of course, OP. It's hard moving anywhere. I moved to Spain at the beginning of the crisis (mainly cos I had a level in the language and there's huge demand for English teachers here because the Spanish need to learn it to help their job prospects) and things are bad here but you find your niche and if you work hard at it and you're lucky and have a job, you can carve out a nice life for yourself anywhere. Everywhere you go, there you are and all that. If you've a positive frame of mind, you'll be grand. I wish you all the best over there anyway, OP!

I'm also teaching English in Spain. I get told I'm lucky to have a job, which is true, but it's not a walk in the park leaving all your friends and family behind and working for low pay in bad conditions with no benefits or career progression. Still, it is better than being back in Ireland on the dole or working in a meat processing plant which is what a lot of my friends there are doing. I hope to be in poussin78's position one day. I can dream!

poussin78

Lunni wrote: »

I'm also teaching English in Spain. I get told I'm lucky to have a job, which is true, but it's not a walk in the park leaving all your friends and family behind and working for low pay in bad conditions with no benefits or career progression. Still, it is better than being back in Ireland on the dole or working in a meat processing plant which is what a lot of my friends there are doing. I hope to be in poussin78's position one day. I can dream!

I understand. Congratulations on the job though, you've done well in hard times. May I also point out that I have also done both : taught English for a pittance and worked in a meat factory (I'm a vegetarian ...) -;)

All : another practical question if I may - I've seen a nice place online at the old distillery, Smithfield. Would this be a dodgy area to live ? Trendy ? Lively ? Thanks for your feedback !!!

Eve_Dublin

Lunni wrote: »

I'm also teaching English in Spain. I get told I'm lucky to have a job, which is true, but it's not a walk in the park leaving all your friends and family behind and working for low pay in bad conditions with no benefits or career progression. Still, it is better than being back in Ireland on the dole or working in a meat processing plant which is what a lot of my friends there are doing. I hope to be in poussin78's position one day. I can dream!

Yup. Conditions are pretty bad for us here but it's pretty bad for many Spanish people (have you heard about the Beca system for graduates, for example? :eek:) and I do feel blessed to have a job here. Things are much worse for people here. My boyfriend is unemployed and his dole is up next month and then he's completely on his own. That's not the case generally in Ireland.

Still, the people manage somehow to appreciate the small things in life - having a few beers with family and friends, going for walks...whatever. You don't need much to be happy. I'm not discounting those without a job and those who are genuinely struggling because I know it's hard to be happy when you're worrying about your finances but if you're getting by, you don't need much to have a decent quality of life.

Duggys Housemate

poussin78 wrote: »

I understand. Congratulations on the job though, you've done well in hard times. May I also point out that I have also done both : taught English for a pittance and worked in a meat factory (I'm a vegetarian ...) -;)

All : another practical question if I may - I've seen a nice place online at the old distillery, Smithfield. Would this be a dodgy area to live ? Trendy ? Lively ? Thanks for your feedback !!!

Smithfield is a "mixed" area. It can be rough enough. Although dublins public transport isn't that good in general the Dart is good. Look along the dart routes and you will find plenty of nice areas close to town in terms of time to get in. It's a city on the bay too, and the Dart straddles the bay.

RADIUS

Duggys Housemate wrote: »

Smithfield is a "mixed" area. It can be rough enough. Although dublins public transport isn't that good in general the Dart is good. Look along the dart routes and you will find plenty of nice areas close to town in terms of time to get in. It's a city on the bay too, and the Dart straddles the bay.

By mixed he means a mix of apartments, gypsies, guns and horses.

dermiek

Plus you get to drink Guinness until it comes out your eyes and vomit all over the pavement.

poussin78

RADIUS wrote: »

By mixed he means a mix of apartments, gypsies, guns and horses.

Wouldn't mind the horses !
Ok, noted !

RADIUS

poussin78 wrote: »

Wouldn't mind the horses !
Ok, noted !

Ah yes but you haven't met our lovely lads who like to ride them around housing estates without a saddle or horseshoe.

As was said before I would also recommend to look along the Dart line , just outside the center you can live in a lovely area and still be within a few minutes train ride from the city centre. Trains are regular and really cheap here compared to the UK for example.

There is Clontarf to Raheny on the North, Pretty much any estate on the Southside Dart line that's not too far out. There is also Drumcondra and Ashtown on the west side commuter line.

All nice areas with nary a tracksuited jockey in site.

Peregrine

poussin78 wrote: »

Wouldn't mind the horses !
Ok, noted !

The horses aren't the problem..it's the owners of those horses Wouldn't recommend living there. Along the DART line would be good

DART = Dublin Area Rapid Transit
..it's not that rapid if I must be honest though

Eve_Dublin

Nimrod 7 wrote: »

The horses aren't the problem..it's the owners of those horses Wouldn't recommend living there. Along the DART line would be good

DART = Dublin Area Rapid Transit
..it's not that rapid if I must be honest though

I think they mean rapid as in "Bleedin' rapi'".Har har.

poussin78

Eve_Dublin wrote: »

I think they mean rapid as in "Bleedin' rapi'".Har har.

Along the dart would be good but it does mean early home on a night out !

Peregrine

Eve_Dublin wrote: »

I think they mean rapid as in "Bleedin' rapi'".Har har.

I'd say it's bleedin rapi if you're stoned out of it

Along the dart would be good but it does mean early home on a night out !

Where did you say your job was again?

RADIUS

poussin78 wrote: »

Along the dart would be good but it does mean early home on a night out !

That's what taxi's are for! It's not exactly a long commute. The Dart runs through Dublin city not outside it.

Anywhere with a post code and your 10-20 drunken minutes away in a taxi at night. Unless you live in Tallaght then your screwed.

Duggys Housemate

RADIUS wrote: »

That's what taxi's are for! It's not exactly a long commute. The Dart runs through Dublin city not outside it.

Anywhere with a post code and your 10-20 drunken minutes away in a taxi at night. Unless you live in Tallaght then your screwed.

yes, I mean you could live in Clontarf, which is suburban, and where you could walk home at night. If not a taxi is five minutes. On the north side, the Dart takes 25-30 minutes to Howth - which is nice. It takes 45-50 minutes to Bray which is outside the city, no need to go that far. All the rest are within 30 minutes DART, and that or faster in a cab outside of rush hour.

FTA69

Madam_X wrote: »

It's definitely not the hell-hole a few miserable people with no sense of perspective say it is.

incorrect.

It's not incorrect at all actually. A few years back Dublin had a considerably higher murder rate than London due to elements shooting each other over drugs.
Not to mention the fact that unlike London city centre, Cork and Dublin centres are full to the brim of junkies and general scuts.

Duggys Housemate

Ireland is about at the French level. It is true that the troubles in the French ban lieu isolate French people a bit from the troubles we see in the centre. But killings are in fact in the suburbs, mostly, and of people involved in the trade. I can't remember anybody normal getting shot.

FTA69

Duggys Housemate wrote: »

Ireland is about at the French level. It is true that the troubles in the French ban lieu isolate French people a bit from the troubles we see in the centre. But killings are in fact in the suburbs, mostly, and of people involved in the trade. I can't remember anybody normal getting shot.

There was a fella shot in Limerick in a case of mistaken identity, and a few years back a woman called Donna Cleary was shot with a machine pistol after refusing to admit local gangsters into a party.

Luxie

Leonard Shy Hoagie wrote: »

OP, I'm not implying anything, but not only do you have perfect English, you also use idiomatic expressions, even Irish expressions flawlessly...

Where did you learn your English?

Having seen op's posts before I would have said Irish abroad..

RADIUS

Ireland is a puppy compared to France when it comes to crime! The French gov have an official list of no go areas. Even the cops need to move in riot squads to enter these areas.

Qualitymark

Duggys Housemate wrote: »

Ireland is about at the French level. It is true that the troubles in the French ban lieu isolate French people a bit from the troubles we see in the centre. But killings are in fact in the suburbs, mostly, and of people involved in the trade. I can't remember anybody normal getting shot.

Actually, not so:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_intentional_homicide_rate#By_country

Madam_X

FTA69 wrote: »

It's not incorrect at all actually. A few years back Dublin had a considerably higher murder rate than London due to elements shooting each other over drugs.
Not to mention the fact that unlike London city centre, Cork and Dublin centres are full to the brim of junkies and general scuts.

You said the toughest estates here are worse than in London. Go to South London.
Cork centre is not full to the brim with junkies; Dublin seems to have improved in that regard compared to five years ago - in my experience anyway.

This isn't a national or civic pride thing from me by the way - I'm simply saying you're making incorrect statements.

Duggys Housemate

Qualitymark wrote: »

Actually, not so:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_intentional_homicide_rate#By_country

Whats not so? That shows france at 1.1 ( per 100000 I think) and Ireland at 1.2. Which proves my point, in fact I went to that site before I made my point - that Ireland and France have similar homicide rates.

later12

If you have a job in Ireland, it can be a great place to live. Especially if you live in the countryside, or a city borough where rent is particularly inexpensive. You can save quite a lot of money by European standards even on a low/mid-20k salary.

For every € you earn on the minimum wage in Ireland, the total contribution to the state (including social insurance, levies & other charges) is 14c in that €1.

The effective overall contribution on a €25,000 salary is about 17%, incl. all taxes & charges.

The effective overall contribution in a €35,000 salary is about 21%, incl. all taxes & charges.

These tend to compare well by European standards, and you can live in Ireland pretty cheaply if you are clever with your money. My anecdotal experience would be that a lot of Europeans use their time in Dublin as a good opportunity to contribute to their savings.

Madam_X

Qualitymark wrote: »

This is exactly what I'm talking about, exactly.

Ireland is two countries now. In one, people are comfortable, secure, well-off, with nice jobs and good wages and health insurance, good holidays, a career structure; they've never missed a meal and they live happy, relaxed lives.

And they're completely unaware that many people - indeed, if they only knew it, perhaps the prosperous-seeming solicitor sitting opposite them and laughing - are living lives of terror and desperation, mired in mortgage debt. They walk (or more likely drive in their fairly new cars) unheeding past the shops that have closed, and past the people calculating whether they have the money to pay for a meal or should try to pay their home insurance with that money. They simply have no conception, for instance, that more than 77,000 people in Ireland are in arrears with their mortgages.

Of course they're aware many people are in dire circumstances. My point though is that a few people are maintaining Ireland is a terribly poor, repressed country overall. It is not. Do you think people should discontinue doing small things to enjoy themselves like going for lunch on a Saturday because there are people who can't afford to do this?
I feel more for the people who are in abject poverty as Frada mentioned, or the people who were just unlucky and lost their jobs, rather than those who didn't bother their holes paying for stuff and are now in a debt of their own making. You'd be surprised at the number of people who don't want to pay bills simply because they don't feel they should have to, because they merely don't want to.
How do you know that those people who are lucky to be living comfortably don't make charity contributions/work for charities? Because many do.

I wish them happiness of their unawareness, as I wish happiness and good rest to the wealthy families of Corofin in 1850 who ordered lobster and wine while their neighbours starved around them.

Hysterical comparison. Going for lunch, driving a newish car, wearing moderately priced clothes... is hardly the same as being a greedy fat cat while people surrounding you fade away.
I'm not talking about rich people - I'm talking about people who have the means to get by without too much stress, and that is the life for a lot throughout Ireland, so the nonsense of comparing it to Haiti or somewhere really should be kicked into touch.

Qualitymark

Madam_X wrote: »

Do you think people should discontinue doing small things to enjoy themselves like going for lunch on a Saturday because there are people who can't afford to do this?

Heavens, no! Of course not!