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Original poster

Dublin vs. London

42 replies

eleusis · 14/08/2007 21:58

Dh is trying to persuade me to pack in my job and move to London. We lived there once before and I hated it. I am a ig city girl and while Dublin is nice it is just too small.

Okay, so has anyone moved from London to Dublin, and what do you like/hate? Has Dublin changed in the last 5 years? They were just getting a B and Q and didn't have broadand when I left.

The thing is he's been offered quite a lot more money. If I got a job too then we'd be much better off. My work is in the oil business so don't know what I'd do in Dublin because there is no oil industry. But I guess I'd find something...

OP posts:
expatinscotland · 14/08/2007 22:07

If you gave me a choice between the two, I'd be off for Dublin like a shot.

BUT. And here's a big one, until you naturalise as a British national, it's going to be a royal PITA for you to get things in order to work over there as a US citizen because you can't do it on your British ILR/perm residency.

After entering the country, you'll need to register with the GNIB and apply to remain using form EU1. They are dealing with applications very slowly (in excess of 6 months) and you will not be allowed to work until your application has been approved.

I think you should move to naturalise now, because you'll need to sit the Life in the UK test before you can even apply.

After that, you can do an appointment with the National Checking Service and it should go pretty quickly.

Then you'll need the citizenship ceremony before you can apply for a passport, which now requires an interview for all first time adult applicants.

But this process is probably FAR faster than the other route.

expatinscotland · 14/08/2007 22:09

Your EU nationality will then make it far easier to look for any work.

expatinscotland · 14/08/2007 22:10

FWIW, an Irish national of 'professional' standing can countersign on your UK passport app.

KerryMumbledore · 14/08/2007 22:11

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

KerryMumbledore · 14/08/2007 22:12

This reply has been deleted

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expatinscotland · 14/08/2007 22:13

I agree w/Kerry in that.

The prices really are on par with London for living expenses.

And the traffic is ungodly.

But I would rather live in my parents' house in Houston than live in London, personally, and that is saying much, seeing as that I haven't lived there in over 18 years.

expatinscotland · 14/08/2007 22:14

Agree, Kerry, and that's two Dubliners I'm pretty close friends with.

Original poster
eleusis · 14/08/2007 22:17

Tell me about this oil company in Dublin...

OP posts:
Original poster
eleusis · 14/08/2007 22:20

If I went to Dublin -- and it is a big if. I told DH I would look into and weight the pros and cons but I also told him I was not convinced yet. Anyway, if I went, he would probably start the job and give it a trial for say a month and get a feel for how long the contract would last. Then, we would give notice to the landlord, and it would be two more months before the kids and I joined him. So, probably January... IF I decide to go.

Yeah, should look into naturalisation sooner rrather than later...

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KerryMumbledore · 14/08/2007 22:22

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Kewcumber · 14/08/2007 22:26

Ele - I worked (in a charitable capacity) with someone who worked in Dublin and his family lived in London. He arranged to work from home one monday or Friday a fortnight and commuted pretty easily the rest of the time. I think he did a deal with a large guest house-y kind of hotel (rather than a bog multinational) for a permanent room.

Can;t think why you'd like it any better than before. I like Dublin but I couldn;t eat a whole one (to paraphrase comletely bizarrely!)

BreeVanDerCampLGJ · 14/08/2007 22:28

The Celtic Tiger appears to have fleas.... tread very carefully.....

Original poster
eleusis · 14/08/2007 22:34

Oh, ther could be hope yet if there is an oil industry and if I could get a job in it. The thing I would miss most about the UK is the industry.

But, if I'm prefectly honest, I'm pretty fed up with my job. The guy I know work for is a complete arse and I would definately enjoy handing him my resignation and telling him to stick it where the sun don't shine. So, in a way, this could be the shove I need to make a long overdue career move.

OP posts:
Original poster
eleusis · 14/08/2007 22:34

LGJ, I have no idea what your post means.

OP posts:
BreeVanDerCampLGJ · 14/08/2007 22:35

Statoil are in Dublin. IIRC

BreeVanDerCampLGJ · 14/08/2007 22:36

The Celtic Tiger is the euphemism used to describe the Irish economy.

It is starting to break down..

whompingwillowinthedewmeadow · 14/08/2007 22:38

what about Galway? I love it!

VeronicaMars · 14/08/2007 22:39

Changes in Dublin in the last five years? Housing is very pricey but market has slowed down ever so slightly, it was a seller's market at one stage but now it's a buyer market again. Commuting is not so bad, bus service could be more regular but there are plenty of bus corridors and of course there is the Luas (tram type train) which is refered to as the 'Huey'.
We have B&Q(?) now and Ikea is on the way, lots of great shopping centres, resturants and bars. Dublin city itself has become a not so safe place but I think eveywhere is a bit like that now. I have visited London and I loved but I wouldn't live there.

Original poster
eleusis · 14/08/2007 22:45

LAst time I was there we lived near Christ Church Cathedral and that was great. The restaurants were fab. I miss Elephant and Castle and Khyber (best Idian restaurant I've ever been to)

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stleger · 14/08/2007 22:54

If it was me I'd choose London, and I'm Irish! There is a bit of an oil industry off the Cork coast and the shell pipeline off/in Mayo, maybe...if you google you might reconsider that. The economy is still apparently good, but i have met a builder who was doing his bus driving test - as there will always be a need for bus drivers.

BreeVanDerCampLGJ · 14/08/2007 22:55

stleger

Thee and me both....

mishmash · 14/08/2007 23:04

Now St. Leger I don't think we would like our lovely Eleusis to be involved in all the Shell to Sea crap that is just 40 minutes away from where I am sitting now would we - unless she becomes a bit of a hippy but she is opinionated so might work

mishmash · 14/08/2007 23:07

House prices are on the slow down.

My friend recently moved back to the West of Ireland from London and loves every minute of it but that ain't Dublin.

Gosh if you were near Christ Church you were really central! I love the buzz of Dublin though don't get there too often these days but Galway would be my choice if I were to move to a bigger city.

KerryMumbledore · 14/08/2007 23:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

stleger · 14/08/2007 23:18

Maybe she could be recruited to campaign - we could bring food parcels to her in prison...