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Relocating to Galway City- good primary schools/ areas?

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  • 23-03-2014 10:46pm
    #1
    Marrell
    Registered Users Posts: 5 ✭


    Haven't used this site before but would like to ask for some advice please. My husband and I are considering moving to Galway in the new year for a trial period of 6 months (we're waiting till then as I'll be on mat leave and won't have to risk giving up my job here in the UK) I'm from Ireland originally,DH is English so we are trialling it to see if it's what we want permanently. Only problem is our daughter will be due to start primary school Sep 2015 and having done a little research it seems waiting lists are long over there. I couldn't get any recent research on it so I'm asking for some help to 1) get an idea of good primary schools - we don't mind where we live really we want to base home round good school although my husband will still travel back to UK for work so maybe east side is better??? and 2) tell me if getting her on a waiting list 8months before Sep 2015 is too late. Sorry for long post and all the questions. Thanks for any help you can give me. If there's anyone who's recently moved to Galway and can advise us whether or not it's working out and give an idea of decent areas that'd be great too. I haven't lived in Ireland in 12 years so am fairly out of touch!! Thanks


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    #2
    ErnieBert
    Registered Users Posts: 1,155 ✭✭✭ErnieBert


    What area of the city will you be living in? If you're not too sure, which side of the river will you be on? East or west? Do you want to send your daughter to an all girls school or mixed? Would you prefer a non religion school?

    My daughter goes to Scoil Ide in Salthill. www.scoilide.com
    It's an excellent school and she is very happy there. The traffic gets a bit congested in the morning and at 2.30pm. The principal is a very 'hands on' lady. It is an old but warm building but the education facilities are modern.


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    #3
    Marrell
    Registered Users Posts: 5 ✭Marrell


    ErnieBert wrote: »
    What area of the city will you be living in? If you're not too sure, which side of the river will you be on? East or west? Do you want to send your daughter to an all girls school or mixed? Would you prefer a non religion school?

    My daughter goes to Scoil Ide in Salthill. www.scoilide.com
    It's an excellent school and she is very happy there. The traffic gets a bit congested in the morning and at 2.30pm. The principal is a very 'hands on' lady. It is an old but warm building but the education facilities are modern.

    Hi Erniebert, thanks for that reply. I suppose with my husband having to travel back to UK weekly/ fortnightly the east side might be better for us to access airports ? As Im guessing, living on the west side could add an hour to his drive to Shannon or Dublin ? We're not really bothered about mixed /co-ed but I think my husband wouldnt be too keen on a gaelscoil as he wouldnt be able to help her or know how she is progressing if you get me? We both love Galway but we need to do research to see if a move there will benefit us or cost us in the long run. It'll mean constant travelling for him so for both of us knowing she can get into a good school is a deal breaker. We moved into an area in the city we live in the UK specifically for good school/ nice area. It could be a case tho that stuff like that is more of an issue over here than in Galway and that most schools there are 'good' schools? Thanks again


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    #4
    Naux
    Registered Users Posts: 335 ✭✭Naux


    Traffic in Galway is a nightmare so the East/South East side of the city/suburbs would be best for the airport access.

    East side City or suburbs??

    Suburbs: Oranmore,Maree,ClarinBridge,Claregalway

    City: Renmore, Mervue,Briarhill, Ballybrit.

    I can't shed any light on the schools in these areas as I'm more north east but I'm sure someone can(like previous post about Salthill). Generally National schools in Ireland are pretty good by most accounts.


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    #5
    ErnieBert
    Registered Users Posts: 1,155 ✭✭✭ErnieBert


    Getting from my house in Knocknacarra to the start of the M6 motorway on the otherside of the city (probably 7km?) can take as little as 15 minutes off peak but three times that at peak times (8.30am & 5pm).


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    #6
    fergiesfolly
    Registered Users Posts: 3,383 ✭✭✭fergiesfolly


    Naux wrote: »
    Traffic in Galway is a nightmare so the East/South East side of the city/suburbs would be best for the airport access.

    East side City or suburbs??

    Suburbs: Oranmore,Maree,ClarinBridge,Claregalway

    City: Renmore, Mervue,Briarhill, Ballybrit.

    I can't shed any light on the schools in these areas as I'm more north east but I'm sure someone can(like previous post about Salthill). Generally National schools in Ireland are pretty good by most accounts.

    I wouldn't have classed Oranmore, Maree, Clarinbridge or Claregalway as suburbs of the city. Satellite villages at a push.
    Renmore, Wellpark, Mervue, Ballybane, Ballybrit, Doughiska, and Roscam would be most of the suburbs on the East side.
    Of these, I'd be inclined to go for Renmore. Its quiet, has a fantastic primary school( Scoil Chaitríona ), has easy access to the motorway, a good bus service and is within walking distance of the city centre ( 1 mile?) and most of the industrial estates on the east side.
    Only thing to look out for in Renmore is that some of the houses are rented out to students of the nearby college and there's the student lifestyle that goes with that.
    Having said that, it's gotten considerably quieter in the past few years as a lot of the students have moved to on-site acomadation or student villages and most of the houses seem to be family occupied. A good scout around would give you a clearer picture of the area.
    Hope this helps.
    Good luck with the move


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    #7
    shenanagans
    Registered Users Posts: 896 ✭✭✭shenanagans


    Renmore is a good spot if you want to be close to the city. Oranmore is very popular if you want a suburb, plus it has new train station which if handy. Clarinbridge for country living. All have good choice of schools.


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    #8
    Marrell
    Registered Users Posts: 5 ✭Marrell


    Fergiesfolly, Naux and ErnieBert
    Thanks a million for your replies. It's seems there are some 'good' schools all over Galway so I guess I need to go and have a look at locations, travel time etc and make decisions based on that. Its good to know that the gap between good and bad schools isn't anywhere nearhere as bad or as big an issue there as it is here.
    Hopefully if we do decide to take a gamble and move we'll manage to get her into some form of a halfway decent school as I'd hate to think the damage I'd do if i'd to homeschool her!
    Thanks again for the suggestions. just have to work out now if living in one country and having a busy business in another is do-able really.


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    #9
    Marrell
    Registered Users Posts: 5 ✭Marrell


    shenanagans wrote: »
    Renmore is a good spot if you want to be close to the city. Oranmore is very popular if you want a suburb, plus it has new train station which if handy. Clarinbridge for country living. All have good choice of schools.

    Thanks Shenanagans. I do like Oranmore but I think I'd like to be closer to the city while we're trialling it. Moved to the country over here a year ago and I dunno if it's cos I want to move home or I prefer city living but haven't really settled in the area I'm in.
    Renmore is a good suggestion , didn't realise it had quietened down, back in my day it was full of students.


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    #10
    Mrs OBumble
    Registered Users Posts: 25,960 ✭✭✭✭Mrs OBumble


    Roscam might be a good option too. It's a little further out than Renmore, but not nearly so many students. New, generally well built houses. (Kind of a cross between Renmore and Oranmore, with newer houses!)

    The primary school in area is Merlin Woods, which opened in 2011 (or 12? I can't remember!) and has just moved into brand new purpose built buildings which were designed in the Celtic Tiger years (so very well done). Very enthusiastic, youngish staff and a great vibe about the pace. And it has a secondary school right next door.


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    #11
    Marrell
    Registered Users Posts: 5 ✭Marrell


    Mrs OBumble wrote: »
    Roscam might be a good option too. It's a little further out than Renmore, but not nearly so many students. New, generally well built houses. (Kind of a cross between Renmore and Oranmore, with newer houses!)

    The primary school in area is Merlin Woods, which opened in 2011 (or 12? I can't remember!) and has just moved into brand new purpose built buildings which were designed in the Celtic Tiger years (so very well done). Very enthusiastic, youngish staff and a great vibe about the pace. And it has a secondary school right next door.

    Thanks a mill for that Mrs O Bumble, had Roscam on my list as have people I know live there. Good to know its got a good school too. Thanks for that. I'll definitely make enquiries bout that one.


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