# Move from urban to rural (or vice versa)



## Caveat (29 Aug 2007)

Hi

Just wondering if many other posters, like me, have made the move from an urban to a rural area?

I guess for Dubliners different rules apply - let's say rural for a Dubliner should be less than 10000 population.  For everyone else I'm talking small village or less.

What have your experiences been?  8 months on, obvious minor disadvantages aside (like commuting, proximity to shops etc) I can honestly say I'm only sorry I didn't do it earlier.

Peace & quiet, privacy, lovely scenery, low crime rate, more house for your money, nice people...it's all good.

I have to say, I also find 'country' people in general to be more genuine and less pretentious than urbanites.

Anyone else made the move?


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## casiopea (29 Aug 2007)

Hi Caveat,
We've done a similar thing here (from Zurich city out to a farming village in the Kanton of Zurich), though I know your post really only applies to Irish locations.  Its been a great move for us all around, the only negative is the increase in creepy crawlies   spiders the size of my hands and grasshopers  bigger than bananas.


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## Green (29 Aug 2007)

Having done the same move, (lived in small rural town for 2.5 years) I would agree with you in the main. However, while country people are more genuine, there is still some snobbery or social divide in the country, e.g. I wouldn't want to be a townie! Also, I find certain country people more xenophobic than dubliners.


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## Caveat (29 Aug 2007)

casiopea said:


> grasshopers bigger than bananas.


 
 so your love of words extends to bizarre similes too?


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## Caveat (29 Aug 2007)

YOBR said:


> xenophobic


 
My experience hasn't been of xenophobia exactly - initial suspicion, yes, but this quickly evolved into acceptance & friendliness.


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## Jock04 (29 Aug 2007)

Well, I've come a long way from Europe's largest housing estate (it was at the time anyway) in Glasgow, albeit via a small town in the Highlands for a number of years, and I couldn't be much happier.

I'd agree with all of Caveat's plusses, although to be fair I'd also agree with YOBR's point about xenophobia. Not with me personally - I've been made incredibly welcome here, but just a general feeling. My impression is certainly that it's more of an issue outwith the cities, although I'd say it's more xenophobia towards immigrants than Irish "blow-ins".

One other thing I do miss from city life is the sense of humour. It's much more robust in towns, I find the humour out in the sticks to be funny, but very gentle, bordering on PC. Maybe that's a national trait to a degree, but when I'm in Dublin I find the craic to be much more like it was in Scotland.
Overall, I'm still very glad that I live where I do, though. Wouldn't change it.


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## MissRibena (29 Aug 2007)

I moved from a smallish town to a village and while there are plus factors, like I love the house and garden, I like being surrounded nature and having bike-friendly roads on my doorstep, there are some major down sides that I didn't realise would affect me so much.

A.  The winter is MUCH WORSE in the countryside.  It's darker, bleaker and much muckier than in town and makes for a very long, depressing winters (which I never cared about in town).  Spring/Summer is fab though (even with the rain) so it nearly makes up for it.

B.  Country people are not snobbish really but my village are very clique-ish.  They are friendly etc but we are still not really 'one of them'.  My OH is Romanian and they don't mean to be xenophobic but it can be good fun watching them trying not to stick their foot in it around us.

C.  It's GAA, Mass and mad drinking til all-hours or nothing.  Those are the pass-times that would get you involved with the locals and if you're not into them, you just won't have that many opportunities to meet/mix.

D. Your old friends won't drop by that much and after a while you don't drive back to town so much either and start to loose touch.

E.  It's obvious but things are not on your doorstep anymore.  I miss walking to the library, round to a friend's house, the shop, 26 (instead of 2) pubs etc.  It's all only ten minutes drive away now but I still miss the idea of it all being close-by.

All-in-all, I'd prefer the town but it's not really a reflection on the village, just my own realisation of what I prefer.

Rebecca


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## z109 (29 Aug 2007)

Moved from Dublin to the outskirts of Tullamore a couple of years ago. After six months in a housing estate in Tullamore while our house was being built, I thought I was mad to do so. Then we moved into the new house and I've never been happier. I think the 'more house for your money' has a lot to do with it (sarry (sic) to all the people who hate one-off housing), but I also can't imagine trying to bring up two kids in a two bed apartment in a city.


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## Green (29 Aug 2007)

Jock04 said:


> although to be fair I'd also agree with YOBR's point about xenophobia. Not with me personally - I've been made incredibly welcome here, but just a general feeling. My impression is certainly that it's more of an issue outwith the cities, although I'd say it's more xenophobia towards immigrants than Irish "blow-ins".


 
Exactly my point more towards immigrants, especially eastern europeans that Irish "blow ins". I was told recently in wexford that there were 500,000 poles in Ireland, along with 250,000 Latvians, some people are badly informed.


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## z109 (29 Aug 2007)

YOBR said:


> Exactly my point more towards immigrants, especially eastern europeans that Irish "blow ins". I was told recently in wexford that there were 500,000 poles in Ireland, along with 250,000 Latvians, some people are badly informed.


Yes, but talk to many Dubs and you'll hear about the yellow peril or Pearse Street being the new Soweto and how it's all going to end in social disorder!


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## ClubMan (29 Aug 2007)

YOBR said:


> I was told recently in wexford that there were 500,000 poles in Ireland


I'd say that's possible. But as for _Polish _*people*, that's another matter.


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## GeneralZod (29 Aug 2007)

ClubMan said:


> I'd say that's possible.



Indeed. According to this [broken link removed] there are over a million poles in the country and that's only the ESB poles.


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## colc1 (30 Aug 2007)

MissRibena said:


> I moved from a smallish town to a village and while there are plus factors, like I love the house and garden, I like being surrounded nature and having bike-friendly roads on my doorstep, there are some major down sides that I didn't realise would affect me so much.
> 
> A. The winter is MUCH WORSE in the countryside. It's darker, bleaker and much muckier than in town and makes for a very long, depressing winters (which I never cared about in town). Spring/Summer is fab though (even with the rain) so it nearly makes up for it.
> 
> ...


 
God that sounds depressing!  Not having a go at you or anything just reinforces my opinion that I couldnt move to the country being a city person all my life.   Clique-ishness or whatever the word is, is that not the same as snobbery more or less or certainly as bad.  God I cant take snobs!!


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## Trafford (30 Aug 2007)

As the last poster just said, being a city person all their life they don't think they could be happy in the country and that's fair enough. It's huge change. I am a country person all my life and lived in Dublin for 7 years for work but never settled. I moved back to the country last year and have never been happier.


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## Green (30 Aug 2007)

GeneralZod said:


> Indeed. According to this [broken link removed] there are over a million poles in the country and that's only the ESB poles.


 
I never thought I'd see the day when that very old joke would be recycled


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## Green (30 Aug 2007)

yoganmahew said:


> Yes, but talk to many Dubs and you'll hear about the yellow peril or Pearse Street being the new Soweto and how it's all going to end in social disorder!


 
I agree.


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## Jock04 (30 Aug 2007)

YOBR said:


> I agree.


 

That you'll hear it, or with the sentiment itself?


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## Betsy Og (30 Aug 2007)

Country born and bred, 5 years in Dub, now in diff country area.

Only thing I find a bit uncomfortable in country areas is that everyone expects you to know everyone and their business. I'd be a quiter type, wouldnt go to pubs unless meeting mates etc., so I dont feel the need to know everyone and what they do. I'm not overly private about my own affairs - dont mind people calling to the house or being involved in community stuff etc.

So I constantly find myself shrugging my shoulders when people are referring to such and such a person. Urban areas have anonymity going for them - you're not expected to know or care about every joe soap in the community.

Tis a small price to pay though


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## Vanilla (30 Aug 2007)

MissRibena said:


> C. It's GAA, Mass and mad drinking til all-hours or nothing. Those are the pass-times that would get you involved with the locals and if you're not into them, you just won't have that many opportunities to meet/mix.
> 
> Rebecca


 
I can understand this. But what did you do in the town exactly that you can't do in the village? Besides being able to walk as opposed to drive to things?

I live in a very rural community and as I said I can understand that when you first move into an area you might feel the only thing to do is go to the pub. But having lived in this area for 7 years now I can see there's a whole lot more to do if you want to get involved. There's the local hunt ( dry runs), local drama, book club, toddler groups, golf, walks, and all sorts of events that go on- I haven't counted but I'm guessing it averages out at at least two a month. Like the local races, halloween parties, markets, concerts, mobile cinema, plays etc etc. The good thing about this community is that when you make the effort to go to these events the mix of people is great. Young and old, local and visitors, foreigners etc All are welcome and more importantly made to feel welcome. My husband is also 'foreign' and I can say that we have never felt anything but welcome from the locals. Maybe I live in an exceptional area? 

The other thing is that if there is something in particular that is missing from your area, a pasttime that you love and miss, then could you be the one to introduce it?


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## Green (30 Aug 2007)

Jock04 said:


> That you'll hear it, or with the sentiment itself?


 
That you hear it. I think Conor Lenihan made some noises recently about the percentages/distribution of non Irish nationals in certain areas in Dublin. Sorry, I can't be more specific but I don't tend to take much notice of him since his "kebab" remark in the Dail and then they make him Minister for Immigration/Integration, unbelievable!


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## ClubMan (30 Aug 2007)

YOBR said:


> I think Conor Lenihan made some noises recently about the percentages/distribution of non Irish nationals in certain areas in Dublin. Sorry, I can't be more specific


If you are going to make such accusations then it's surely incumbent upon you to back them up!


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## Caveat (30 Aug 2007)

TBH I think a lot of country 'nosiness' is misinterpreted.

Of course there are nosy people everywhere - in fact the classic 'curtain twitching' image is to me an urban phenomenon!

I just think country people are more direct in their 'enquiries' - urban people will find out just as much about you but it tends to be more by suggestion and deduction etc.

Also, there are often practical reasons why country people seem concerned about the movements and habits of others - Mr X who is going on holiday for a week might also be the local coal delivery guy, or he might be a farmer which means a certain farming practice may not happen for a week or so ( I know farmers don't take many holidays but it's an example of how small things can affect the local community at large).

There is genuine curiosity too - confirmed rural dwellers who would never dream of living in a city can find it bemusing/interesting why a former apartment block devotee would want to live in the 'middle of nowhere'.

The pace of life is also noticeably slower - city people in country pubs can appear to be fidgety, restless or even shifty to locals. Their often louder voices can appear arrogant.

I suppose all this can lead to misunderstandings.

No offence to anyone intended - I'm just suggesting how things may be perceived!

I hope Miss Ribena's experiences are the exception - they certainly don't reflect my current lifestyle.

Another big country living plus for me is the amount of 'characters'. Don't even get me started on that one...


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## Green (30 Aug 2007)

ClubMan said:


> If you are going to make such accusations then it's surely incumbent upon you to back them up!


 
I wasn't making an accusation, I was simply saying I couldn't recall the precise details of the news story. I have done a quick search (Irish Times Monday 30th July 2007) and pasted it in below. If you read it, you will see that my recall was correct.

*Lenihan highlights issues in integration*


The Minister of State with responsibility for integration, Conor Lenihan, has expressed concern that some Dublin suburbs are becoming too concentrated with foreign nationals and that new steps are needed to create more sustainable communities, writes *Carl O'Brien* , Social Affairs Correspondent.
The high use of rent allowance in areas of Tallaght and west Dublin meant that any foreign nationals in receipt of rent allowance were renting in investor-owned housing estates and apartment complexes, he said.
He also warned that Irish parents were becoming increasingly concerned that their children would suffer from a lower standard of education in schools where there were large numbers of foreign national students.
When asked if there were signs of what US commentators called "white flight" - where white people move away from racially-mixed neighbourhoods - Mr Lenihan said: "There is a concentration of non-Irish nationals in particular areas. It's essentially driven by the rent subsidy scheme. We'll have to work with local authorities to address this."
He added: "There are also fears among Irish parents that their children are falling behind where the numbers of non-Irish students are particularly high. The fear is that Irish parents will just move on and take their kids elsewhere."
While foreign nationals will ultimately move from the rent subsidy scheme on to local authority housing lists, he said this could pose problems as Irish nationals compete with immigrants for housing. "It will be a big change and it will be a big issue with our own people. That will create its own tension," he said.
Mr Lenihan said the Government is examining a number of policy options to help address these issues, such as "subtle" changes in rent allowance and greater input from local authority social inclusion units to help ensure there is a social mix in neighbourhoods.
In the area of education, he said officials were looking at introducing common enrolment policies for schools to ensure individual schools cannot discriminate against non-Irish national students.
Separately, Mr Lenihan said the provision of English language courses aimed at foreign national adults will be a key plan in the Government integration strategy. One of the major failings of integration plans in other countries such as France was that second or third generations of immigrant families often did not know the language of their adoptive home.
He also said the Government will introduce citizenship ceremonies for immigrants who become naturalised. The concept could also involve young people when they turn 18.


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## Caveat (30 Aug 2007)

How did this manage to be come a 'non-national' thread?


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## HMC (30 Aug 2007)

Betsy Og said:


> Country born and bred, 5 years in Dub, now in diff country area.
> 
> Only thing I find a bit uncomfortable in country areas is that everyone expects you to know everyone and their business. I'd be a quiter type, wouldnt go to pubs unless meeting mates etc., so I dont feel the need to know everyone and what they do. I'm not overly private about my own affairs - dont mind people calling to the house or being involved in community stuff etc.
> 
> ...



I grew up in Dublin and then lived in a few European cities over the years.  Recently moved back to Ireland to a VERY small village in Cork and so far so good.  I love having a garden, albeit a small one, but no one lives over the backwall (there's a graveyard).  I am a private person and don't want to make friends with neighbours as such but they are friendly and we pass the usual greetings with a friendly wave without getting nosey. 
Two of my male neighbours are first to offer to help with lifting/carrying heavy stuff if they spot me at my car.
The peace and quiet is fantasic after working in Cork city during the week, there's no children hanging around corners, no anti-social behaviour, no screeching tyres, traffic noise...So a nice balance between city life and country life I think.


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## MissRibena (31 Aug 2007)

Oh dear, I didn't meant to paint a picture of out-and-out misery.  It's just most of the posts were leaning in favour of villages and I just wanted to point out that it's not all sunshine and roses for everyone.

There are things that I have here that I'd never have back in town; the space to grow veggies and all kinds of gardening, the privacy, the type of house I have wouldn't be possible in town in either, the walks, cycling etc. etc. are all fab.

Maybe things are more cosmopolitan in other villages but I was not exaggerating about the restrictive list of activities available here (although I did think of bingo and ceomhaltas since).  All the things Vanilla mentions are available _but back in town, _not in the village with the local village people.

The other thing is the roads - great for cycling on, not so great for commuting on.  These are minor backroads that are poorly maintained, not gritted in winter, with too much traffic, driving too fast.  I didn't realise how bad these road were until I had to drive them every day.  I was used to what I though were bad roads but now look back at those with fond memories.

You can't have everything and eventhough I'm 70/30 in favour of town, I don't regret moving.  I do plan to live in a bigger town again some day (if I could bear to leave my house & garden).  It's a completely subjective question in any case and you won't know for sure what you really think about one or the other until you give it a try.

Rebecca


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