West Living Case Studies

"Late in 2006 we moved to Galway from New York having spent 4 years there and 4 years prior to that in the Cayman Islands all the while working as Senior Vice President with international insurance brokers AON. We chose Galway primarily due to lifestyle issues and the purchasing power of property in the country as opposed to Dublin or London. We wanted our children to grow up in the country yet be part of a thriving cultural city. I love to fly fish with a little boat on the Corrib and of course chasing salmon up and down the weir. I have joined Cregmore Park Golf Club to meet more people and also am a member of Annaghdown GAA Club.

"I am CEO and Managing Director of Westwind Alternative Risk (Ire) Ltd. We offer Strategic Consulting Services to International High Net Worth Clients looking to establish Reinsurance and Insurance Companies for tax deferral and estate tax planning.

"I had an easy time sourcing offices in the IDA centre in Mervue with access to broadband and networking and a professional exterior for visiting clients etc. The office space provided by IDA is vastly superior in terms of costs versus Dublin. Peripheral issues such as convenience of offices, traffic, and access to infrastructure, as well as clients' positive attitude to Galway and the west are all positives versus Dublin, New York or London."

"As a Graduate of UL, and my wife a Graduate of NUI Galway, we both respect the calibre of graduate available. UL's work placement programme is a definite plus for operations such as mine. Galway compares more favourably on employment costs etc as houses/rent are cheaper than Dublin. Allied to this is the more positive, more attractive lifestyle in the west which helps in recruiting and more importantly, retaining, quality staff."

"Galway Airport is just five miles away and the ease of flights to Dublin (cheaper and more efficient than driving to Dublin, traffic, parking, tolls etc), ease of connections to Dublin and Europe make it easy for us and for clients to visit."

"We live in Corrandulla just a 20 mins drive from the Galway office. It's rural, pretty, with lots of space, great neighbours who keep an eye out for you, better purchasing power than any other city in terms of size, quality of house and acreage, safety of children, member of a local community, wonderful retreat and decompression from stress and from travel of the job, great fly fishing, great golf and easy access to Galway city and the rest of the west!"