West Living Case Studies

“I had been thinking of returning to the West for some time and I am now delighted that I made the move” said Tommy.  “I am not working at the moment, so as a result I take advantage of the quality of life attractions that brought me home.  The scenery is second to none, family and friends have been a great support and I am making use of all the amenities that I have on my doorstep – the gym in Louisburgh, cycling, walking, mountain climbing – the sonas festival for kids, the halloween kids party, the cake sale in aid of the primary school and renewing old acquaintances and creating new ones in the local watering holes!”

Tommy, who is qualified to teach Broadcasting and Electronic Media at third level education, is currently looking for a job; “There are reports about cutbacks across the board in the media, but I still hear of job opportunities and have been keeping an eye on the net for notices of teaching posts. I have already been commissioned for a few hours by the Mayo Education Centre as a multi-media advisor to the Mayo Science Fair, so there is work out there”, he said.

Internet access is really important for Tommy who has been keeping friends in the US updated about his move home through his blog.  Commenting on internet access in the West, Tommy said “I would have to say that my experience of wireless broadband in the area has been fantastic – it did take a little while to get the connection hooked up but now it is excellent.

“The only real down side I have taken notice of is that cars and petrol are more expensive than in the States but on the whole, I am very positive about living in Louisburgh again.”

Tommy and his family are still in the early stages of settling in, but already they are enjoying the benefits of living in Mayo with more time to spend with the family.

“The impact on my 2-year-old is probably the best thing about the move home” added Tommy.  “He is thriving in his new found ‘space’. I can’t explain it but he loves going for walks on the beach and visiting Nana, not to mention the cousins and friends.  Where we live in the country there is a sense of freedom for him that I never expected to see even though I have heard others talk about it; that is just something I that I find difficult to imagine could be experienced anywhere else other than the West of Ireland”.