West Living Case Studies

Mary says that she decided to relocate to the Northwest because she wanted to get away from the traffic in Dublin, she wanted a better environment for her son to grow up in where he would be able to learn in smaller classes and schools, and where it would be less expensive to buy a house, eat out, and enjoy other aspects of life.

“I love the countryside, walking and spending time at the beach.    And I could not believe how reasonable the price of property is here!  I live in a 400-year-old stone farmhouse in a wonderful peaceful setting.  I have a large garden and private parking which I didn’t have in Dublin,” says Mary. “Eating out, drinking, socializing, joining a gym - all cost less than in Dublin.”

Another advantage of moving that Mary cites is that there is no traffic for her 10-minute commute between work and her countryside home.  “I feel this is the perfect work life balance; a rewarding and dynamic career with a multinational company combined with a tranquil and peaceful living environment.”

“When I moved here, I missed some of my friends in Dublin, and it took my son a while to get used to having cows and sheep living next door rather than his friends.  My friends from Dublin use the Donegal airport sometimes to visit me.  Also, the roads to Dublin and Galway have improved greatly since I moved here putting both cities just a little over three hours drive away” says Mary.

Her son is now at college in Dublin and Mary feels that he had a better quality of life as a teenager than he would have had in Dublin.  On childcare Mary says, “I had no problem at all.  When I moved here in 2000 my son started immediately in the primary school which was about a mile from my house.  It is a wonderful little country school.     He then attended Loreto Community School in Milford where they place a big emphasis on bringing out the best in each student by fostering their talents, academic or otherwise.   Mary says “he has grown into a very well rounded and confident young man well prepared for college life”.   

“The countryside is beautiful where I live.  I can walk out my front door and go for a walk through lovely country boreens, enjoying spectacular mountain and lake views, while a short car journey would bring me to a number of glorious beaches” she adds.  

Letterkenny offers many leisure and social amenities including the cinema, bowling, theatre, restaurants, pubs, gyms, sports clubs, swimming pool, night clubs etc.  Outside the town, there are other amenities in the locality including horse racing, riding schools, water sports, hill walking, golf etc and Mary considers that they are more convenient than in Dublin.

Summing up Mary says “I am really pleased that I moved.  I feel I have a much better quality of life as a result.  I did enjoy spending time in Dublin and I would never regret it, but the city was just getting too expensive and too busy for me.”