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I£ equals US$1.27 The Irish property market is a crazy thing right now. I don’t know how else to describe it. In the past four years or so, prices have risen several hundred percent. In fact, in sought-after areas such as Dublin and the southern coast, prices have gone up 50–100%…per year! We’ve been waiting for the real-estate market to crash for the past few years, just as many people in the States have been waiting for the bottom to fall out of the stock market.  I think it will happen…even though it hasn’t yet. That said, Ireland is still my top choice as a place to live. And if you’re not concerned about an investment, but instead just want a nice place to live or retire, I recommend you look at properties in the northwest counties of Donegal and Sligo. Here you can still find a very nice place to live for less than I£100,000 (more details in just a moment). I wouldn’t live any place else. Although I love the scenery (Lough Key from my sitting room, the Arigna Hills from my office), the view isn’t everything. What appeals most to me is the sheer friendliness and trust that’s still so prevalent throughout most of the country. Cities are cities the world over, but Ireland’s close-knit rural communities remain wonderful places to live. Eat now…pay later Maybe I’m just feckless, but I’m sometimes caught in the dreaded cash-flow situation. Luckily, my local post-office at Knockvicar doubles as a small grocery shop. When I’m short on money, Ursula puts my purchases into “The Book.” Many of my spendthrift neighbors also shop on the pay-you-later basis. I drive a 1987 car, so I expect trouble sooner or later. That’s why my nomination as the patron saint of beat-up bangers is Frank at Healy’s Garage in Ballyfarnon village. When the driveshaft collapsed in my antique Peugeot, Frank hauled it off to his workshop, five miles down the road. A reconditioned driveshaft and a new distributor cap, his labor, and the use of a Toyota for the three days it took to get parts to repair my French-made wreck? Total cost: I£115. This time I was in funds, but I’ve occasionally gone into Frank’s “Book” too.

A Survivor’s Guide To Living In Ireland - The Honest Report On Moving To Ireland - Don't move to Ireland without reading this report.   What are the real facts about moving to Ireland and living in Ireland? Will you be looking out the window of your own thatched-roof cottage enjoying the view of rolling green hills, quiet country lanes, and neatly trimmed hedgerows?  Or is that just a overly poetic rose colored fantasy? Will you be buying a cottage in the country side for $15,000, or are those prices long gone?  If you've been thinking about moving to Ireland then you should know the facts and this report has the real facts, not poetic nonsense.  Written by an American who has lived in Ireland for over twenty years this report will provide you with the proper information so you will know exactly what to expect. He is not in real estate, he has nothing to sell you. But he can tell you about real estate and the reality of the $15,000 thatched roof cottage. (He did buy a house for around that price...)  Can you buy one for that price today?  The author, Tom Richards wouldn't leave Ireland on a bet.  ...and you can be sure that when you read this report that you'll learn the real facts that you are going to need before moving to Ireland. Written without any punches pulled. If you've everthought about moving to Ireland, this is the report to read.

When a check arrives from the States, I zoom the Peugeot towards the Bank of Ireland, parking beside all the other cars in Boyle’s “no-parking’’ zone on Main Street. (In 11 years, I’ve never yet seen a traffic warden.) As always, I can’t be bothered to lock the car. Who on earth is going to steal it? The bank staff know me—they trust me not to pass dodgy checks—so I never have to wait weeks for a check to clear. Even if I have zilch in my account, they hand over the money on the spot. Incidentally, there are no security windows or gun-toting guards in the bank, and I’m Steenie, not Ms. Harvey. I do the bulk of my shopping in Boyle’s Londis supermarket. The owners, Olive and Dan, have never asked me to produce a check guarantee card. I can also hand over my husband’s pay check when I shop - they’ll give me the balance in cash. Very handy on Saturdays, when banks are closed.

Beach walks…and no traffic
Last Sunday—a beautiful blue-sky day—I took a ride from my home in county Roscommon, and headed northwest. Our day-trip destination was county Donegal’s Rossnowlagh beach. A fabulous spot—the golden strand seems to stretch forever, and you can quite literally walk for miles. Families were exercising dogs, half a dozen kids were playing football, and a couple of riders were galloping their horses through the waves. Far too cold to swim, of course, but the sun was warm enough for us to take off our jackets. Even though Donegal and Sligo have the Atlantic pounding on the doorstep, few foreign visitors ever get to this unsung region. Fewer still find their way into the neighboring lakeland counties of Roscommon and Lei-trim—that may be because there’s next-to-nothing about these two places in the guidebooks. However, I’ve never regretted choosing north-west Ireland as a place in which to live. 

Unlike Cork and Kerry, our roads aren’t cursed by endless tailbacks of summer tourist traffic. Yes, much of the scenery is gentle rather than spectacular, and there are no major set-piece sights, but we’re not short on beauty spots. My own area of county Roscommon is lovely…low hills, glittery little loughs, ancient holy wells and bluebell woods. The thing is, all the best places are out of sight, lost in the maze of backroads. It was only last year that I discovered the mossy circle of a Celtic court cairn, buried in the woods a couple of miles away. And I’ve been here since 1989! You just don’t see these places when you whizz by along the main road. 

Farmhouses from I£50,000
The key to fitting in here is simple: Don’t be standoffish! If an elderly neighbor needs a lift into town, offer your services. Volunteer to help with decorating the local community hall for the  Christmas party, buy a raffle ticket for a local good cause, sponsor your neighbor’s kids when they embark upon the annual 24-hour fast to raise money for third world famine relief.  And yes, if you have teenagers, they’ll be expected to join in too. No food for a whole 24 hours, though my daughter says “chewing gum isn’t cheating.’’ 
While it’s impossible to make a case for buying along the east coast at the moment, things are different in the Northwest. Prices have risen, but they haven’t shot out of orbit. The whole area remains relatively affordable,
but for picture-postcard scenery, I advise looking to Donegal. Many Irish people spend their summer holidays here, so there’s always a lively market in holiday homes if you decide to resell. Like everywhere else, you’ll pay a premium for quality properties with ocean views, but there are still plenty of modest cottages and country bungalows for bargainhunters to unearth. 

Old-world cottages in reasonable condition can be found for under I£40,000, traditional farmhouses from 
I£ 50,000, with more modern properties starting at around I£75,000. Pick the right part of Donegal and you can have yourself a window full of mountains—and the ocean, too. 
I’ve divided the listings I saw by price. If this area interests you, meet me here this summer, July 9-12, with your fellow IL readers. 

Under I£ 50,000
• I£32,000 Coolaney, Sligo. A three-room cottage on three acres, “in reasonable condition,’’ but requiring renovation. (Schillers)
• I£35,000 Croghan, Roscommon. Partly restored 2-bedroom rural house overlooking Corbally Lough. Already has a bathroom, new teak windows, and a recently-built garage. (Brady)
• I£39,500 Glenfarne, Leitrim. A 2-bedroom cottage in good condition with fitted kitchen, a shower room, and two outbuildings. (Maguire)

I£50,000 to I£100,000
• I£60,000 Castlerea, Roscommon. A 3-bedroom bungalow “in perfect decorative condition.’’ (Cleary)
• I£75,000 Kilmore, Leitrim. A fully-restored 2-bedroom country lodge on 1.5 acres beside Cartron Lough and the Shannon river. (Gallaghers)
• I£79,500 Ardara, Donegal. A 3-bedroom bungalow on the Killybegs road. Ardara is a lovely area...I spent a few days here, ponytrekking and exploring caves along the beach. Don’t miss the seafood and traditional music in Nancy’s pub. (Reynolds)

I£100,000 to I£150,000
• I£105,000  Inver, Donegal. A 3-bedroom, detached village-house with ocean views. The property includes a stone barn which could be developed into a studio, gallery, tearooms, etc. (Sherry Fitzgerald Rainey)
• I£130,000 Dumore, Donegal. A fully-restored 3-bedroom traditional cottage on 16 acres. Backdropped by the Muckish mountain, the cottage has views of Ballyness Bay. (Reynolds)
• I£140,000 Inch Island, Donegal. A former schoolhouse converted into a 5-room home. Inch Island is in Lough Swilly with a causeway to the mainland. (Reynolds)

Over I£150,000
• I£170,000 Kilcarne, Leitrim. A 6-bedroom guesthouse overlooking the Shannon/Erne waterway, seven miles from Carrick-on-Shannon. Also does a small from-home business as a bait and tackle shop. (Gallaghers)
• I£250,000 Ballintoger, Sligo. A 19th-century Church of Ireland Protestant church, deconsecrated and renovated into a family home. The crypt is now used as a wine cellar. (Schillers)
• I£300,000 The Glebe House, Cloghan, Donegal. Receive your guests in the drawing room! In the Donegal Highlands, this 18th-century Georgian rectory has 4 bedrooms and stands in 2.5 acres of land, and is within walking distance of a salmon pool. (McElhinneys)
Agents in the Northwest
• Joseph Brady, Main Street, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Leitrim; tel. (353)78-20595
• James Cleary, Main Street, Castlerea, Co Roscommon; tel. (353)907 20540
• Gallaghers, Main Street, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Leitrim; tel. (353)78-21000
• Maguire, Newline House, Manorhamilton, Co Sligo; tel. (353)72-55201
• McElhinneys, Main Street, Bundoran, Co Donegal; tel. (353)72-41261
• Paul Reynolds, Lower Main Street, Letterkenny, Co Donegal; tel. (353)74-22399
• Schiller & Schiller, Ardtarmon Castle, Ballinfull, Co Sligo; tel. (353)71-63284
• Sherry Fitzgerald Rainey, Lower Main Street, Letterkenny, Co Donegal; tel. (353) 74 22211