Advice on making a new circle when I relocate

[myfirstandonlylove]

Hello
I am early 40s guy. I would appreciate some advice, particularly but not exclusively from people in Ireland. To cut a long story short I am likely to move there in 2016 for work ( well self employment and favourable corporation tax) reasons. My main commercial activity will be working for a start up based in SE England but my business partner doesn't mind the distance issue. I lived in Dublin 10 yrd ago and really liked it. Due to me being single and most UK friends being settled/scattered I want to give myself the best possible chance of meeting people and not being isolated. I w as thinking about the newer estates ringing Dublin in Meath, Wicklow etc. I think there are a lot of families ad maybe singles too in my age group and maybe a bit younget there. I have a single elderly family member in a more rural area of Ireland and several acquaintances there but need to be somewhere with a bit more life. I am well aware I am taking a chance but that is my intention. I'm not talking about romance but just meeting people initially. I made friends before when I lived there but mainly foreigners who have now moved on. So if you've any advice it would be really welcome. Will still be back and forth to the UK reg and have London based family but have got into a bit of a work and social rut and need a reboot of sorts. Thanks.

I used to know Dublin quite well but haven't been back since the crash so things could have changed quite dramatically. My advice, if you are single and don't know many people, would be to stay central for at least a few months - one of my friends lives on one of the new-build estates that used to be outside Dublin but has now been sucked in by the sprawl and it was a ghost town during the day. I would definitely want to be based somewhere more vibrant and with better transport links (public transport in Dublin can be awful) so that, if I did get in with a crowd of people/a person I liked, I would be able to get to see them easily.

Good luck - it is daunting moving to a new country but Dublin is (was) a fabulous city.

Well I'm in Galway and love it here. Come join me and I'll be your new best mate!
I have a couple of interests, hobbies, and joined groups so I can really recommend that as a strategy. I've lived here a couple of years and really love it. Galway has the best of a small town friendliness but a fantastic vibe. Fabulous music/ arts/ theatre/ bars etc.
Knock and Shannon airport very close for hopping over to the UK. Tis brilliant here.

Yes I liked Galway too, but will probably look to be an hour from Dublin AP. I reckon classes, living somewhere human but not too long established and some sports activities will be the way to go. Take the point re the estates emptying out but am happy driving everywhere. I lived in Clonee Co Meath last time round and was pretty happy there though the estate was kind of ugly looking.