Possibly moving back to Ireland due to job offer

[KeiraKnightleyActsWithHerTeeth]

We have been thinking about moving back to Ireland for years (I was born in the south grew up in a border town, husband is English but went to college in Dublin). My husband has just been offered a job within his current company where he could work from home but could report to offices in either Dublin, Belfast, Glasgow or Manchester every couple of weeks.

I only lived in Ireland, as an adult for a short while so I don't know where to start. I am happy with countryside or city living and would prefer 1hr30 min absolute max drive to a good size city. I have some distant-ish family in Dundalk, Monaghan and Drogheda so those are considerations but I don't know anything about them whatsoever in terms of moving there. Also open to other areas although somewhere between Dublin and Belfast would be very useful for DH's job.
A flavour of the cities we have lived in England have been Manchester, Bristol and Liverpool. We like engaged communities but aren't into the race for the best school/competitive house price chatter which we see here a lot.

We want to keep our house here so ideally would rent or could still keep house in England but stretch to £225,000 for a 4 bed but would prefer not to buy just yet as we would have much more to spend once sold up in the UK.

Other colleagues who have been offered similar roles and moved to ROI rather than NI were offered help with schooling and medical insurance so I think we are looking at that angle rather than the north.

Aware that is all a total mind dump but would love your ideas of where to live or indeed where not to live.

You could check out Carlingford in Co Louth. Nice seaside setting, cute village, is between Dublin and Belfast but is in RoI.

If you want to be close to a lot of shopping and transport links, consider Balbriggan. It's on the northern outskirts of Dublin - close to the airport and very easy to drive up to the North. Lots of schools, very multicultural. Very practical.

Thanks Nom going to look into it right now. I've been there once or twice but don't know it very well.

Three other options are:

Blackrock Co. Louth,
Balbriggan Co. Dublin,
Skerries Co. Dublin.

Great minds think alike Elspeth!

When you say you'll get help with medical things and schooling, wouldn't it still work out cheaper to live in NI where it's all free? Cost of living is much cheaper in NI and your money will get you a lot more house too.

Thanks Elspeth, will have a snoop at that too.

I know Blackrock quite well, so it is on our list. DH has never been but I spent huge chunks of my childhood there. I think we are going to get a list of 5/6 towns and spend a week over there driving around and scoping out where we feel comfortable.

corporal Yes that is true but they also offer a resettlement package if you go outside of the UK, which includes cars, movers and a certain amount of rent or selling fees covered for the first 12 months.

Ah I see. Suggestions are good from other pps. I only really know Dublin, Skerries is nice.

Newry or South Armagh? Right on the border, NHS, less than an hour from both Dublin and Belfast. Decent sized town (Newry) or quiet villages in stunning countryside (south Armagh). And the benefit of NHS and cheaper house prices being in the north.

I live in Belfast and I totally adore it. Vibrant and friendly but a lot cheaper than the south.

Me too Kindle. My quality of life is so much better up here than it was in Dublin.

Sorry OP we're all trying to convince you move to NÍ!!

I'm in Belfast too- in laws just outside Newry which is definitely where I will retire to as much as I love Belfast.

Think I'll retire near the sea.

I'm the opposite to most, have lived in Englnd and near Belfast and we all much prefer ROI, even dh who is from NI. Yes we have to pay for healthcare but we sont need it often and even when we do we can phone the GP and get an appointment either the same day or the next day at the latest. Life is generally more relaxed we find down here, there is more sky visible between buildings (sounds nuts but its what we both notice when we travel up North or to England, there is less sky between buildings, much more squashed), education down here is much better. Also there is no pedantic silliness about the percentage of each religion in public sector jobs, no marching season etc etc. Its not perfect of course but for us neither of us would move back to where we grew up (Belfast and Southern England) not for all the money in the world.

Oh and Galway has been voted the friendliest city in the world! It is only 2 hours from Dublin by motorway

Interesting Map. I do like ROI (it's my home) but the hospital waiting lists terrify me. It's not just the money. I don't have children so not bothered about education but OP probably is! I find life much more relaxed up here but I lived in Dublin City so that's probably why. If OP is going to live in the countryside or small town will be a different experience.

Oh you live in Galway! Sure no wonder you prefer it so

Galway is the best city in Ireland apart from the rain!

Galway is VERY chill.

But only suitable if travelling to the Dublin office. Forget about it for the other locations.

Buy health insurance for 30e a month and you dont have to go on a public waiting list! And pay down here is higher than up North to reflect the higher living costs. However when we travel up to visit the in laws we find that aside from some things with the conversion there isnt actually much of a difference in price. When dh worked up there in the same job he's doing now he earned under 20k sterling, for the same job he now earns over €40k

I'm from south Armagh. I wouldn't move there if not originally from there or have some form of connection. You'll forever be an outsider. I'd go with Newry. Great transport links, excellent schools (I went to one, and honestly I wish I could move home to send my children there!). Done really nice houses (some bit so nice too!!).

Carlingford is lovely, but very remote for commuting. Dundalk.... it would be a no from me, same with Drogheda.

I had health insurance but it didn't cover lots of stuff and it was lot more expensive that €30!!

I do earn less but I have far more money as rent, car etc is much cheaper than Dublin. But Dublin is crazy.

I was on a waiting list in Dublin for a potentially life saving operation and my health insurance didn't cover it. I was on the list for almost a year and when I moved up here I had it done by NHS within a week!

OP these are just other considerations but if you have decent (expensive) health insurance you would be okay as PP said.