Thinking of relocating from US to Millstreet

Igotadose

Hello. My wife (dual citizen Ireland/US) and I are thinking of buying a small place and relocating near Millstreet. We're both US born/raised, have vacationed to Ireland and UK a couple times, and as she's a citizen now, this seems like the time to make a big move.

What pitfalls should we be concerned with? Are we in for a rude surprise, like the area's to become a new hazardous waste site or sewage treatment plant?

We like outdoors, hiking, camping and found what looks to be a perfect home with a few acres nearby, hence our interest. I know there's tons to do to buy a house in Ireland, and its harder for non-citizens, but we're seriously thinking of it.

Thanks for your recommendations and insights.

Rhys Essien

Hi OP,I will give you my honest opinion.Millstreet is a bit of a one horse town/village.It is in North Cork.There is nothing really there.The scenary would be nothing much.Fair enough,property would be cheap because there is not much there including jobs etc.

If it was my choice I would choose somewhere in West Cork.It would be up there as one of the nicest parts of Ireland.It has a lot of peninsulas along the coast with some lovely towns and villages.A lot of tourists would holiday in West Cork.

Property is also relatively cheap there.Have a look here.
http://www.daft.ie/

For more info,scroll down page here
http://www.discoverireland.ie/Places-To-Go/WestCork

Luca Brasi

Rhys Essien wrote: »

Hi OP,I will give you my honest opinion.Millstreet is a bit of a one horse town/village.It is in North Cork.There is nothing really there.The scenary would be nothing much.Fair enough,property would be cheap because there is not much there including jobs etc.

If it was my choice I would choose somewhere in West Cork.It would be up there as one of the nicest parts of Ireland.It has a lot of peninsulas along the coast with some lovely towns and villages.A lot of tourists would holiday in West Cork.

Property is also relatively cheap there.Have a look here.
http://www.daft.ie/

For more info,scroll down page here
http://www.discoverireland.ie/Places-To-Go/WestCork[/QUOTE]

Perhaps the poster doesn't want to be lumped in with a lot of tourists. Millstreet is a short run from Killarney and the beaches of Kerry. It is a scenic area with a good community spirit. I'm not sure how regular the rail service is but it does have a service. There are many good properties for sale in the general region at prices more competitvwe than West Cork

who the fug

First what are you going to live on?
Second have a look at the area in the middle of winter ?

goldie fish

The thing with millstreet is if you have winters like we had in the last few years, you will be stuck there for the duration. i.e working in the city and living in millstreet is not a practical option, all year round.

roadrunnermick

Well I would disagree respectively with the replies. House value in Millstreet is really good compared to other locations in Cork. The locations it is central between Killarney and Cork. As a town it is quite , Crime is not really too much of an Issue compared to other locations . Quite a diversified population. Very close knit community. Winters and driving conditions are no different to living anywhere outside a city.

gobnaitolunacy

The scenery is good though probably better further west, a few waymarked trails have been created in last few years. The locals are more colder and standoffish than, say Newmarket, and the culture/nightlife is nothing to write home about.

The place rather rested on its laurels post Eurovision 1993 and not a lot has happened since.

Luca Brasi

gobnaitolunacy wrote: »

The scenery is good though probably better further west, a few waymarked trails have been created in last few years. The locals are more colder and standoffish than, say Newmarket, and the culture/nightlife is nothing to write home about.

The place rather rested on its laurels post Eurovision 1993 and not a lot has happened since.

You will find people standoffish anywhere you go. It is up to you to make the initial effort and then you will find people friendlier. Of course Newmarket is known far and wide for its hospitable people

Dob74

Igotadose wrote: »

Hello. My wife (dual citizen Ireland/US) and I are thinking of buying a small place and relocating near Millstreet. We're both US born/raised, have vacationed to Ireland and UK a couple times, and as she's a citizen now, this seems like the time to make a big move.

What pitfalls should we be concerned with? Are we in for a rude surprise, like the area's to become a new hazardous waste site or sewage treatment plant?

We like outdoors, hiking, camping and found what looks to be a perfect home with a few acres nearby, hence our interest. I know there's tons to do to buy a house in Ireland, and its harder for non-citizens, but we're seriously thinking of it.

Thanks for your recommendations and insights.

Millstreet is a very small town, more of a village. The roads around it are very poor even for Ireland so getting other places is difficult. It is also very wet there compared to other parts of Ireland.
On the plus side there is nice hill walks in the area and surrounding area.
I would move closer to the coast. Bandon ,bantry or kenmare bigger towns near the ocean.
If you do move good luck. Be prepared for a culture shock. I have lived half my life in the US and half in cork. Ireland isn't a bad place to live but things feel very bleak hear at the moment .

trotter_inc

I agree with most of the comments above wrt Millstreet; it's a small country town with not much going on. I can't recommend West Cork enough, take a look at Clonakilty instead. It's a fantastic little town with loads to do all year around. It is also within commuting distance to Cork city. If you need further info on Clonakilty drop me a PM.

goldie fish

Is 2 hours drive considered commuting distance these days?

Odelay

goldie fish wrote: »

Is 2 hours drive considered commuting distance these days?

I wouldn't have thought it was that long, I know someone that commutes that plus another 30mins further past cork.

goldie fish

I do it most weeks. It can take an hour to get from the city centre to the viaduct alone.

Keith in cork

Milstreet is a dead end town, and even as a town its more a village for all its got. Its too far to commute, reads are poor.

Whats the reason millstreet has popped into your head? family or visited or spun the globe and put your finger somewhere?

As said above, its wetter than most other area's of cork. Work is a no no.

Millstreet Locals standoff-ish...... I'd ignore that..........

We've recently bought in bandon, much closer to cork, 1hr dead to killarney. is more of a town but still not great by any stretch of imagination. We paid €120k for 3 bed semi brand new all mod cons. Rent for same is circa €650-850 p/m depending what you want.

Public transport much better, 10+ busses both to and from cork daily (hourly at peak times). Closer to Kilbrittan / kinsale / clonakilty etc etc etc for scenic and coatal life. Fantastic river fishing / wood land walks (once your not afraid to go off the beaten track)

Oh, and the poster who suggested Kenmare.... unless you want to retire and do alot of hill walking AVOID. I'm typing to you from Kenmare now. The town has little and is further removed from main line everthing than millstreet and that says alot. Bantry? Commuting...... again unless you want to retire with a little fishing boat and be self sufficient.

Keith in cork

roadrunnermick wrote: »

The locations it is central between Killarney and Cork.

I dont think anybody from millstreet drives to either daily. If anywhere they go to macroom both work + daily essentials / weekly shop etc etc

Igotadose

Thank you everyone for your thoughtful responses. It's this kindness that makes us want to live in Ireland.

What is shopping like in Millstreet? For example, to get reasonably good vegetables and fruit would you have to go to a larger town? And my wife wants to learn Irish. How far would she have to go to get to classes?

Keith in cork

Igotadose wrote: »

Thank you everyone for your thoughtful responses. It's this kindness that makes us want to live in Ireland.

What is shopping like in Millstreet? For example, to get reasonably good vegetables and fruit would you have to go to a larger town? And my wife wants to learn Irish. How far would she have to go to get to classes?

Quality fruit and veg is never a problem in irish towns and villages. Even if some larger supermarkets / shops carry shinier lesser quality items there's always a local market / fruit and veg shop / farm shop selling better quality.

From millstreet you wouldnt be too far from Ballvourney a gealteacht area i.e irish speaking. That said, you can take irish classes in most towns in ireland. If not your town, a very short commute.
The biggest problem will be like most of us, practice. We grew up learning irish and most were pretty decent in irish class, but conversational irish we're generally pathetic as asides from irish homework we'd never have spoken it.

Take a trip in summers to area's like dingle / ventry / ballyferriter / dun chaoin in kerry and speak irish with them. Spend a few weeks in a caravan / rent a house / pitch a tent and engage with the locals. I lived and worked there for 8months in 2008..... you wont meet a more welcoming and engaging community ANYWHERE.....ever.

grange mac

Hav friends both commute to cork from millstreet daily. They say its a long drive to cork but he is from there and they like it there. Its a quiet town though the main town is macroom that they do there shopping etc. but im from west west cork and that area is too remote for me. My opinion about towns in west cork are; bantry and dunmanway keep away, bandon dead town since flooding skibb and clon are the best towns.

Balmed Out

It really depends what youre looking for. Millstreet is a very rural country community.
There isnt a big range of pubs, restraunts, social outlets etc.Unlike what was said earlier I wouldnt consider the area to have a diverse community at all, Irish the very odd English and some Eastern Europeans.

The only towns in Cork id consider living in outside the city would be Clonakilty (where I moved to 4 years ago) or Kinsale but each to their own. My relatives living in Millstreet wouldnt want to live anywhere else. (I dont see why)

Lisha

Igotadose wrote: »

Thank you everyone for your thoughtful responses. It's this kindness that makes us want to live in Ireland.

What is shopping like in Millstreet? For example, to get reasonably good vegetables and fruit would you have to go to a larger town? And my wife wants to learn Irish. How far would she have to go to get to classes?

Op just on the above points I would look at Macroom town there is a great farmers market there and it is nearer the Gaeltacht for Irish speaking reasons
Just my opinion that Macroom as a town is bigger and more diverse and is near on the main rd to cork city and Killarney

Best if luck op

who the fug

grange mac wrote: »

Hav friends both commute to cork from millstreet daily. They say its a long drive to cork but he is from there and they like it there. Its a quiet town though the main town is macroom that they do there shopping etc. but im from west west cork and that area is too remote for me. My opinion about towns in west cork are; bantry and dunmanway keep away, bandon dead town since flooding skibb and clon are the best towns.

Any particular reason for Bantry on the avoid list ?

gobnaitolunacy

Lisha wrote: »

Op just on the above points I would look at Macroom town there is a great farmers market there and it is nearer the Gaeltacht for Irish speaking reasons
Just my opinion that Macroom as a town is bigger and more diverse and is near on the main rd to cork city and Killarney

Best if luck op

The one downside with Macroom is the traffic is chronic.:(

who the fug

gobnaitolunacy wrote: »

The one downside with Macroom is the traffic is chronic.:(

Is there talk about a bypass

gobnaitolunacy

who the fug wrote: »

Is there talk about a bypass

That was thwarted by a rare snail or some endangered critter,:rolleyes: I wouldn't hold my breath.

Edit: just saw an article that it was held up by residents nr Carrigaphoka (sp?) castle rather than the slug.
In any case, there's prob little money in the kitty to do it now.

Christ on a bike, it was bottle neck 30 years ago

Plus ca change, as our French friends say.

who the fug

gobnaitolunacy wrote: »

That was thwarted by a rare snail or some endangered critter,:rolleyes: I wouldn't hold my breath.

Christ on a bike, it was bottle neck 30 years ago

goldie fish

who the fug wrote: »

Any particular reason for Bantry on the avoid list ?

It's 2 hours from civilisation.

mp22

goldie fish wrote: »

It's 2 hours from civilisation.

Not really you can get to killarney in a hour and a half:D

123 LC

Millstreet is in a good enough location, it's about a 50 minute drive to cork and around half an hour or 35mins to Killarney, also around half an hour to Mallow. There is plenty of places to buy fruit and veg etc. The train service is good.
Living in the rural area around Millstreet would be a good idea as you are still so close to main roads and larger towns/cities, while still being in the countryside

goldie fish

mp22 wrote: »

Not really you can get to killarney in a hour and a half:D

But you have to pass through 1 hour 25 minutes of wilderness first.

who the fug

mp22 wrote: »

Not really you can get to killarney in a hour and a half:D

You can get from beyond kilorglin to Keakill in 80 minutes in a Fiat 131 2 liter diesel

and go up the road by kellys sweet shop to the church in third gear

who the fug

goldie fish wrote: »

But you have to pass through 1 hour 25 minutes of wilderness first.

ring road to killarney