Can you see yourself staying in Waterford forever?

Wanderer2010

Ok, so we all know that there is a lot of problems with the country, what with banking woes, mass emigration and, particularly in Waterford, unemployment. I pose this question to any regulars here: do you see yourself living in Waterford for the rest of your life, even if you had to head away for a few years to build a decent career etc before coming back to settle here? I notice there are still quite a few young members here who all seem to have jobs and settled, although Im sure they also know of people who have had to leave etc but im curious, would you stay here forever?

I have one or two mates who are die-hard Waterford people who would never leave the place even if every single job was lost and the place was a lawless mess. Might seem a bit OTT but I presume this is an extreme reaction but how many people here would plan to live the rest of their lives here, whatever your job or family circumstances?

dazftw

Moving to Cork next week to look for work and start college in September. I honestly hope I never have to move back. I don't hate Waterford per say.. I just really don't want to live here any more.

deadybai

Nope. The second I can I'm out of here. Most of the people are only into themselves and their friends and refused to move out of their shell.

Also to make a living here has almost become impossible with everywhere closing down. Theres just so many more opportunities in another city. Its a shame because it could be a good place.

Whatsisname

I'll hopefully have my degree in 4 years, if I can afford it at the time, I plan to move to England. I don't know if I'd ever plan to move back here but I wouldn't say no to a visit, its not as bad as some people make it out to be.

wobbles

Im not from waterford originally. Moved down for college, graduated, got a job and am still here. While the job i work in is nothing to do with my degree, and is quite menial, a job is a job.

Believe it or not, from the part of the country im from got hit harder than waterford with the recession. No jobs at all now except for a few weeks during the summer doing farm work. Before almost everyone was involved in construction.

I wont say Ill stay in Waterford forever, but cant see myself moving anytime soon.

deisemum

Not from Waterford but married a Waterford man when we lived in the UK then moved here when he got an opportunity.

I don't plan on moving again but I expect my children will be emigrating in a few years time.

decies

God it's grim stuff but that's the reality of it I suppose .
Mind you I hope to be out of here in the near future not that far away but would miss Tramore and Dunmore East when it's quiet !!!

seven_eleven

I'll go anywhere my work/education takes me. I love Waterford though, its one of the most underrated cities/counties in the whole country.

Lovely place really. Shame about busineses struggling but hey, drive along the quays in dublin and observed the amount of boarded up and wrecked shopfronts. Looks like a slum in some parts.
All cities have their problem, waterford isnt any different. The people are nice, the scenery is lovely, there's a lot to see and do around the county and being in the south east the weather is some of the nicest in the country (at a stretch).

endacl

seven_eleven wrote: »

Shame about busineses struggling but hey, drive along the quays in dublin and observed the amount of boarded up and wrecked shopfronts. Looks like a slum in some parts.

Its like that for a good reason. We're hoping somebody will come along and make The Committments II.

All part of the master plan.

moose3844

I am a waterford man born and bred, As John Mullanne famously said "I Love me County"

In 2011 I moved to London as I got the opportunity to move away with work. I didnt want to go but it was to good to turn down. Waterford was on its knees and as everyone was saying this place is a kip. The first 6 months away were really good but then it all started to change. I really started to realise what I had back in waterford. God I missed the place so much. The people of waterford are some of the nicest people iv come accross anywhere. You could walk down the street and have 5 random people at diferent occasions say "well boi, hows it goin??" For the year I lived in London not one person said hello to me and if i said hello to them id get a look from them of, Oh god is he going to rob me.

Waterford for all of its bad points it has so many good points to. We have some of the most beautiful scenary you will ever see in our humble little county. People make Waterford out to be a hell of alot worse than what it actually is because its all small minded people who ahve never left. I never realised how good Waterford is untill i left, It really made me appreciate everything I have and everything waterford has to offer.

To all thoes people who are saying they cant wait to leave because its a kip, well believe you me I cant wait for you to go because with stink attitudes like theres Waterford will never get back to being as great as it once was. A positive attitude goes a hell of a long way in this city.

So to answer the op's question, I will certainly be putting down my roots in this county that I love so much

Media999

Absolute child abuse leading children into a life of no opportunities and narrow mindedness. People refusing to move to better places just to make some kind of a point. Ill be gone at my first opportunity. 20 40 years people will still be complaining about the same things in Waterford. Blaming everyone else on their problems. Typical Irish saying sure its the same in every county so lets accept it.

Get a free college education paid for with my taxes and then head off for a good life somewhere else. Leave this country to be eaten from the inside out by travellers and eastern europeans who breed like rabbits and will never work unless forced.

fozz10

Media999 wrote: »

Absolute child abuse leading children into a life of no opportunities and narrow mindedness. People refusing to move to better places just to make some kind of a point. Ill be gone at my first opportunity. 20 40 years people will still be complaining about the same things in Waterford. Blaming everyone else on their problems. Typical Irish saying sure its the same in every county so lets accept it.

Get a free college education paid for with my taxes and then head off for a good life somewhere else. Leave this country to be eaten from the inside out by travellers and eastern europeans who breed like rabbits and will never work unless forced.

award for comment of the week. all of the above is a fact.

jennygirl

i came to Waterford at 16 yo to go to college-
ive stayed here since
i love the people & the City
i shout from the rooftops on what a great city it is
friendly people, great history, good craic
look to the skies and reinvent the city!!!

Totally Tropical

seven_eleven wrote: »

I'll go anywhere my work/education takes me. I love Waterford though, its one of the most underrated cities/counties in the whole country.

Lovely place really. Shame about busineses struggling but hey, drive along the quays in dublin and observed the amount of boarded up and wrecked shopfronts. Looks like a slum in some parts.
All cities have their problem, waterford isnt any different. The people are nice, the scenery is lovely, there's a lot to see and do around the county and being in the south east the weather is some of the nicest in the country (at a stretch).

Exactly Waterford has a lot of qualities but the problem is that it's not marketed as well as Galway and Kilkenny.The people are sound.I was down there last July the week after that Cork and Waterford match and i have to say the people were lovely and no one gave me any crap about where i was from.The recession is affecting every major urban area in Ireland but i still think Waterford is the most underrated city in the country the place has a load of great qualities if people are willing to look for them.I love the fact that it's a more urban and authentic place than somewhere like Galway with zero pretensions about itself.I can understand people feeling the need to leave ireland but with the exception of Cork i'd class Waterford as the best and nicest city in Ireland.

LuckyFinigan

Like a few of you have said, I'm out of here the first chance I get. Hopefully it'll be sooner rather than later, I'm actually starting to loose my sanity at this stage. Really can't see any kind of future for myself here.

Media999

jennygirl wrote: »

i came to Waterford at 16 yo to go to college-
ive stayed here since
i love the people & the City
i shout from the rooftops on what a great city it is
friendly people, great history, good craic
look to the skies and reinvent the city!!!

Do you mind me asking do you have a career here and what makes you so optimistic? Are you working and have kids?

Adyx

I've lived here for 14 years and if I get offered my course of choice in WIT I'll be here for at least 4 more. If I don't get it, well there's nothing else keeping me here. I certainly don't think it's a kip, nor is it a case of I can't wait to get out, but there really is no other reason to stay.

Nypd

There is a lot of positives about Waterford and lots of negatives that's life.
I love my city and it saddens me to see her on her knees.
For those of you who say its a kip and can't wait to move away I wish you the best of luck and genuinely wish you well.
I am going to stay and fight.

Tragamin2k2

always knew i wasnt gonna end up living there forever

Max Powers

Love Waterford, shame about unemployment/investment situation. I have worked and lived in Cork and Dublin for 5/6 years. Obviously I got on grand and had a good laugh but always knew i wanted to come home, not just to be near my family but this is my hometown, I love being here, I love friendliness/banter/character of people, dont want to leave, im lucky as I have a job in an neighbouring county. However, i do have other responsibilities and paying for those is no.1 so circumstances may but hopefully wont change.
A lot of my friends complain about Waterford, its usually the same ones who havent lived anywhere else. Grass is greener etc.

Other places have their downsides:
-it never stops raining in galway, Dublin can be a pain, London is great, but its a young city and very expensive, etc etc Anyway, for now im gonna stay, im positive in general so things will get better, we can help ourselves on this front.

Baby4

This post has been deleted.

fricatus

Definitely staying. I love the place and it would take a complete breakdown of law and order to get me out. Even if I was unemployed, I'd find work in some other field at reduced pay rather than leave.

I've lived abroad (England, France, Spain) and done the whole treadmill thing in Dublin, and while they were all great places, there's nowhere quite like where you grew up. I'm glad I lived away during my 20s and early 30s for the experience, but I'm equally glad I took the plunge and moved home.

Sometimes I think I'm missing out on all the excitement in other places, but then I think of how I used to feel when I'd start a new job in a new town - excited yes, but with that sinking feeling of dislocation. Even in my latter years in Dublin when I was quite comfortable there, and was within easy enough reach of home any weekend, I still longed to stay on when Sunday evening rolled around.

I'm delighted that my son is going to grow up in the happy and relatively safe environment where I did, surrounded by loving grandparents, uncles and cousins. While he'll be free to go where he wants when he's older, I do hope there will be the opportunity to stay here in Waterford or move back if that's what he decides to do.

I know plenty of people who've painted themselves into a corner now and can't move back from Dublin or England without uprooting the kids or starting a new career, and you can see that while they have good lives and are happy on the whole, they would still move back in the morning if there was a chance.

BadCharlie

Just to say if people are looking for work and cant find it here in waterford you should move on. I went to america for 4months a long time ago and had a great time. Came home and got work but ok jobs at that time was not hard to find. But your time away will open your eyes. I feel everyone should work away from waterford for sometime of their life "early 20's would be the best".

I cant help to think that people are calling waterford a s**t hole because they cant find work ? without money you cant do much and the days are going to be long.

Had a nice walk in the park at lunch time and lots of kids running and playing. Other families out in the sun having a picknic. In this weather is nice to be out walking/running or cycling and you will find its not a s**t hole of a place to live.

I for one don't plan on moving again and will stay here.

Max Powers

BadCharlie wrote: »

Just to say if people are looking for work and cant find it here in waterford you should move on. I went to america for 4months a long time ago and had a great time. Came home and got work but ok jobs at that time was not hard to find. But your time away will open your eyes. I feel everyone should work away from waterford for sometime of their life "early 20's would be the best".

I cant help to think that people are calling waterford a s**t hole because they cant find work ? without money you cant do much and the days are going to be long.

Had a nice walk in the park at lunch time and lots of kids running and playing. Other families out in the sun having a picknic. In this weather is nice to be out walking/running or cycling and you will find its not a s**t hole of a place to live.

I for one don't plan on moving again and will stay here.

or even try neighbouring counties for a start. some people waiting for a suitable job to come to them. (yes i know there are many factors to take into account, travel, petrol, collecting kids etc but can all be sorted usually and needs must)

Jason Todd

BadCharlie wrote: »

Just to say if people are looking for work and cant find it here in waterford you should move on. I went to america for 4months a long time ago and had a great time. Came home and got work but ok jobs at that time was not hard to find. But your time away will open your eyes. I feel everyone should work away from waterford for sometime of their life "early 20's would be the best".

That's a good point! I live in (and love) Waterford, and passed up a few opportunities in my early 20's to live abroad, and it's something of a regret. I'm just 30 and only realising now not only the great things we have on our doorstep but also the potential that's here. So that softens the blow somewhat!

I also wouldn't move now as I have a small child and another on the way and don't want to take them away from their family, my parents in particular would be heartbroken. In the next year or so I plan on opening my own business, and it's my hope that hanging in there in the tough times will stand us in good stead for the future. I think things will get better eventually, and with a bit of good planning and luck we as a City can improve and grow even more like Galway did in the last boom.

But if you're young / single / a teenager / whatever, I would say why not have at least a Summer away and try something new!

jennygirl

Media999 wrote: »

Do you mind me asking do you have a career here and what makes you so optimistic? Are you working and have kids?

yes - i have a career - i work hard
not the best paying job, but it pays the bills
i have a good outlook, good friends, i love my job
my mum always said - if you love your job, then its not work

Waterford's Viking Triangle is looking great, as is JR Square
michael st & John St need a bit of TLC
the housing estates are nice, well kept.
its a good, friendly city to live in

daaave

I'm here to stay anyways. I love where I come from and my appreciation has been heightened in recent months. I have been in training for most of this year with a group of lads who are all away from home (cork/Dublin/galway etc.) since the course began, the lads are always asking me where to go for food/drink/something to do etc. and I've relished in giving them recommendations.
the following day i'll always get the praise for the advice given which gives me a sense of pride in all that we have to offer as a city and county. the approval has lead to every single one of them at some point staying for the weekend to sample in the wide selection of pubs/restaurants and beautiful scenery. each time they've stayed down, their other halves and in some cases group of friends have also dropped down to share the wonderful experience of staying down in the sunny south east.

they have been/done the copper coast drive from tramore to dungarvan, the guillamene,mahon falls, Waterford municipal and Dunmore golf club, pitch and putt at the RSC and tramore, some got 6month membership at goldstone and others went to spirit followed by pigging out in some of the takeaways around town (mainly the cleayboy for a 1/2LBer!)we've played lots of games of astro-turf in town,had a few pints/frames of snooker in the showboat,walked the tracks from the red iron bridge out to kilmeaden,crossed over the bridge to dive in off poullanassa waterfall,kayaked around the coast and kayaking/camping trip in clashganny/graiguenamanagh,barbequed out on Woodstown beach,pints in the lovely beer garden on the vic in tramore after a day on the beach, fished off the many coastal areas and also bell lake.

I feel like i'm doing my little bit to help promote our little corner of this beautiful island and to be honest its extremely easy to do!

I know for a fact that each of the lads will go away with a fond memory of Waterford and its surroundings and that they will return to relive the craic with the lads later in the year and all the while the local economy is making a few pound from it. its a pity there isn't a few more people have a more positive outlook on what we have to offer and shout from the rooftops that Waterford is one of Ireland's best kept secrets.

thankfully, I have a good job that just about pays the bills and we can afford for the wife to stay at home and help shape our kids into good,well rounded adults who will hopefully develop the same fondness for where they grew up as we have.

MRnotlob606

im a young person living in the city,there really isnt many jobs around ,its an absolute nightmare if there is nothing for the youth

bilibob

Here to stay. ( as long as job lasts) im from Mullinavat originally and when I was 21, after graduating and getting a well paid job I moved into town. I LOVE the place, The people, walking through the town, enough to buy a house over in Ferrybank when I was 24

I think locals will complain of course because grass is always greener etc but I am really, really happy here. I have my friends and I really think Waterford has something that I haven't felt anywhere else. I feel I belong here. I think its beautiful. ( laugh if you want) and has incredible potential. I'm on holidays at the moment so probably feeling homesick, but it feels more like a city than Kilkenny or limerick (where I studied for four years) its not a tourist trap like Kilkenny.

I have lived for a year in new York and in Spain. Waterford has what I need, and I love it. Like a previous commented I would shout it from the rooftops.

mooseknunkle

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuERn32OuV8

johnnykilo

Just moved to Dublin 2 months ago for a job, was offered a job in Waterford at the same time co-incidentally, but fancied a bit of a change and the Dublin job had better prospects. That being said Waterford will always be home and I hope to come back in 5-10 years to stay for good.