Moving to Ireland

The more I learn about moving to Ireland, the more I find I still need to learn. I'm ready to give up. Three years and thousands of bits of information and yet virtually no progress on moving to Ireland. My wife and I are both artists. The majority of our work is of things, and places Irish. We are both retired. Our retirement income isn't a lot, but after a dozen visits over 16 years, we find that we can manage to live well enough (dollar vs euro fluctuations notwithstanding). No one seems to know how much is enough to satisfy those who control entry. So we have decided, the next time we go over will be for 3 months, we will apply for an extension once we are there and attempt to address some of the other obstacles we've encountered. The worst that might happen is only being allowed in for a few weeks. Or we "only" get to spend 3 months there. The best that might happen??? I'll let you know. I'm going to do this now because I am about to turn 67 years of age and I don't know how many quality years I have left. All we want is a quiet life, time to paint, a few pints at Mary Tap's, a round or two of golf at Farrangalway and Skibbereen and maybe some visits from our children and our grandchildren. The most insurmountable problem seems to be proof of medical coverage. Most plans that we can afford in America, won't provide coverage in Ireland. So the plan is 3 months or bust.

I am lost after hundreds of hours reading blogs, staring at job advertisements and house listings. I am an American with a wife and child who have decided to make a life change. We want to move, live and work in Ireland. This has nothing to do with the economic crisis in the world, the presidential elections of our country or any other motive than a fresh start. Any information on where to start would be greatly appreciated. The reality is as follows. My wife is an HR Director/Manager with a Masters Degree (highly educated) and works for two of the entities involved with Notre Dame University. I am currently a Field Supervisor for a company that sub-contracts to public utilities. We locate and mark buried utility cables and pipes. I have no degree and have only gone to college for a short time before the opportunity came for me in my field of work.

There is no County in Ireland I would not prefer over another. I had family that lived in Kilkenny County that I found according to some family tree tracking kept by my aunt. My sister attended college and had a room-mate from Wexford County. I have been talking with her about the move and she does not have much information to give that I haven't already looked at.

So, I am really just looking for a point in the right direction or what you may have done and in what order.

Thanks in advance.

I use the picture for this entry as a way to convey the reactions of my friends, family, work-mates and enemies...

...when I was planning this new life/adventure/challenge

after 7 years of travelling back and forth to visit my Irish caveman, then 3 years of marriage to this same man and STILL I would get this look of 'Ireland...why there'.....

Apparently many folks failed to see any connection.

When the opportunity came for me to take a redundancy package from the company I had worked for the last 14 years of my life...I felt it was the time to make the move. My teenage daughter of 14 was not as thrilled, but thankfully decided to move over as well.

I started to plan the actual move about a year in advance. July 2006 I started e-mailing international removal companies and within a month, I had all the quotes in-hand. I had 4 quotes which included door-to-door and door-to-port. I found the website www.movingscam.com to be very helpful and I would recommend anyone about to undertake a move like this, to have a look at the site.

It took me months to decide which shipping option I wanted to use or, if I just wanted to store everything and decide what to do in a couple of years. The idea of trying to sell my furniture was not an option for me. After putting my house on the market in May 06, getting a quick sale in June (I feel very fortunate on that note), signing a year’s lease on a loft in July...it was hectic and tiring. I had furniture in storage and furniture in my new place.

About January, I decided (to the relief of all who knew me) on door-to-port, with Rainier. I have never once regretted using them. In retrospect, I should have gone with door-to-door, but that is my lesson learned.

Rainier Overseas Movers at www.rainieros.com

I scheduled the move to take place on May 28. My furniture and all my belongings arrived at the Dublin port mid-July and a week later it was in my home in Co Cavan.

I had a dream and when I awoke, all the people

I might of known had I lived in my mothers

home town, was stood around me.

Kathleen what a voice, so wonderful,

strong and rich, and the sound of the bodhran

carries way into the Gelty Mountains I heard someone say.

I felt so happy and complete.

Then I really woke up in a small soulless town

in the east midlands not too far from Nottingham.

It is strange to see in black and white the dreams I have held so very close in the past few years.

Moving to Ireland and all it entails seems such a far away dream, I can visualize being there and really enjoying myself, yet somehow I feel stuck here not able to move in any direction.

I need some encouragement and hope that I can and will do this.

I am in a job that professes to be a caring professions but no-one cares, I have a wonderful singing voice but seem to be a backing singer when really I want to be up front.

I lack real confidence and have given in just a little. Its to do with the kind of year we all have had, and I feel pulled apart.

This is just when I need to have a really good look at what my priorities are and how I move forward with my new plans.

Today, just today I am now living the dream and will act like it has already happened.

THE THEMES of this BLOG

I never really liked the song "Ill take you home again Kathleen" that the friends of my father would sing to me when I was younger, I now understand the sentiment and would love for someone to take me home. I wish to experience Irish music and culture and the wonderful creativity of the country.

I was very young when I lost my parents, both Irish born, one from the Gelty Mountains in Limerick ~ my Mother the other from Cork ~ my Father. They had left their home and come to England to seek work and had ended up in the East Midlands working in the mines. Through much difficulty and illness they did not stay together and I was bought up with English foster parents and I have never known any of my extended family for any lenght of time,and have only meet those I have really gone out my way to meet. I know I have a lot more people there, just dont know who.

So I thought I would start again and when I found this site I was very happy to join.
I am a seriel blogger so to be able to write about the experience is wonderful too.

Anyway I hope you subscribe to this blog and become cyber friends because believe me it will not be long before I will be able to met people and make some real friends face to face.
I hope to move some time in 2008 the earlier the better, and have just to decide where in Ireland I would like to be. I would ideally like to be close to water and music, and a strong community.

Just a little foot note I am a single women, with grown children, I have a good amount of qualifications and experience has a community development support worker in my working life so hopefully I will be working in anything in that field.
On the top of my list is to talk to people who can give me advise has to how to get interviews and what employers are looking for in Ireland.

After a wait of 3 months since its inital announcement some more details of the EU Blue Card have finally been announced. The card, which would be valid for 2 years (after which it could be renewed), is open to 'skilled' (degree/diploma plus 3 years work experience) workers including medical professionals, engineers and IT specialists.

Holders of an EU Blue Card would be treated just like EU nationals as regards tax benefits, social assistance, payment of pensions, access to public housing and study grants and family members would be permitted to join the permit holder.

To gain approval, the "blue card" and related legislation would have to be approved by all 27 EU member states. According to the proposal, each member state will set its own quotas for "blue card" guarantees, based upon its needs.

The card is not expected to be launched for another two years and Ireland, England and Denmark are expected to have the option opt-out.

Blue Card(EU) vs. Green Card (USA)

Blue Card
Does not give permanent residency
Valid up to two years, renewable
Allows holders and families to live, work and travel in EU
Applicant must have one-year EU job contract with salary of three times minimum wage
Permanent residency automatic after five years

Green Card
Gives holder permanent residency
Valid for 10 years, renewable
Allows holder to live, work and travel in the US
Five channels to seek a card: employment, family links, a lottery, investment, or resident since before 1972
Holders can become US citizens after five years

Sinead has written more about the Blue Card here
http://www.newtotown.ie/forum/working-ireland/skilled-workers-tempted-eu-1119.html

We should all count our blessings and realise that there are many people who are doomed to a life of misery. Let me explain...

South Africa right now is a hell hole. There are 51 murders every day and a woman is raped every 24 seconds. Restaurant patrons are being robbed at gun point and people are afraid to venture out at night for fear of being robbed, raped or murdered. Our local shops have guards armed with automatic rifles and shotguns - and we are not in Iraq! That is why I say some of us are so fortunate. You see, I am a British citizen and so are my wife and children, but we don't really like Britain all that much, so we will just pack up and move to Ireland.

But our friends and colleagues in SA can't! Some of them may be able to apply to immigrate to other countries but for most they are stuck in this terrible place. With unemployment officially at 25.5% but unofficially more like 50%, how on earth are they to survive? This is not a welfare state so there are no hand-outs. People stand at intersections and beg for a few pennies, they live in garden sheds (sometimes 5 or 6 people sharing), they despair but still get up every morning to face the new day. And their government? Pleeeease! Corruption is the order of the day and lawlessness the 2nd. Those that can get work are working for less than 10 Euros a day...

I will be arriving in Ireland mid July almost flat broke but safe and knowing that the Irish are friendly people who will make me feel very welcome. I will not be discriminated against because of my age, race or religion and I will be provided many opportunities for work. I will have to rebuild my life's savings but I am confident that Ireland will provide me with sufficient opportunities to do so.

God bless Ireland!

Hi everybody!
I'm Marco, italian but I'm living in Denmark and in the same time I wanna move in Ireland, Dublin, where I think to arrive at the end of this month.
I'm already looking for a job, multilingual call center should be good to start, but the most important, I think, is arrive there.
Why Ireland? why not!. I heard about the people as very closed to my, really and fadeless friendship, "hot" and high energy as no other people in the North Europe.
I can also improve my English (just same days ago an englishman ask me "And why not in England?..." I was ready to say him, playfully, "Too English there!!!...", but I didn't) with a more funny accent...Is not enough my italian and roman accent, I mean, I can do much better...and the irish accent is well known also!
I'm looking for new, full and intensive experiences, all my senses ask me to move to you...even if I still love Copenhagen and I know I'll back, but now it's time to go and to meet you!
Please write me!
Marco