Ireland is one of the most sought after retirement places overseas. American put so much value into their retirement. Anyone would like the chance to retire in the best location possible. Of course, there are a couple of considerations if you want to make the right selection.
All About The Isle Of Éire
Ireland, or Éire in Irish, technically refers to the island off the coast of the United Kingdom. It is surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean, North Channel, Celtic Sea and the Irish Sea. The whole Republic of Ireland (country name) occupies only 5/6 of the actual island. Of the 32 counties, only 26 of them belong to the country. The other 6 is still politically under the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom under the collective name of Northern Ireland. Given that, you need to identify what part of the island you want to retire to.
The country of ROI (Republic of Ireland), is home to more than 4 million permanent residents. The landscape along the coast is defined as being a somewhat rugged coastline – especially the west coast for the islands, bays, headlands and peninsulas dotting the area. The landscape of the western part of the country is dominated by hills, mountains and rugged cliffs.
The weather is mostly influenced by the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf Stream. The Central and Eastern areas are more prone to extreme weather conditions. The winter extreme is usually as low as -5 °C or 23 °F and the summer is as high as 26 °C or 79 °F. Rainfall is more prominent during the winter time.
Life of the Irish
The country boasts of an exciting mix of natural sights of land, mountains and seas. Nature lovers would appreciate the access to all types of terrain. At the same time, they will feel the convenience of having well developed metropolitan areas like the capital Dublin, Cork, Galway, Killarney and Kilkenny.
The Irish people in general are one of the most polite nationalities. They are courteous and respectful in so many ways.
Although Irish is the main language you will rarely find someone who does not speak English. It fact, some of the people have a better grasp of English as compared to the Irish language.
The culture in this country is very rich. They have made contributions to both literary and musical art forms. Not only that, entertainment opportunities in the cities are in abundance. So if you want a fun filled and exciting retirement life, staying close to the city will be a good idea. But if not, the rural areas of ROI should be a preferable location.
The Irish are sports lovers. Gaelic football and hurling are the traditional recreational activities here. Retiring individuals love relaxing sports like golf and it will delight them to know that there are over 300 courses throughout the country.
Food can be quite expensive in this island. A traditional meal includes meat, potatoes and leafy vegetables (usually cabbages). The Irish folk are quite heavy eaters and drinkers too. They boast of high quality food includes lamb, seafood and dairy products.
Cost of Living
An important , you need to consider the costs to live there. Truth be told, Ireland is not one of the cheapest places to retire. Through the Vincentian Partnership site, we found specific lists of what the cost. Here is a list of the common costs that one will encounter in both Rural and Urban areas in the country. The cost survey were done through an analysis of 9 households per type back in 2012.
Weekly Budget for Urban Areas (retired couples)
Food costs an average of €82.34, clothing €17.80, health €19.15, energy bills €47.32, household items €19.72, services €7.60, transportation €0, insurance €56.94, communications €13.80, personal care €14.37 and other effects €54.87 (gifts, seasonal celebrations, etc). The estimate total is at €333.91.
Weekly Budget for Rural Areas (retired couples)
Food costs an average of €89.08, clothing €20.44, health €15.95, energy bills €62.82, household items €21.30, services €7.94, transportation €57.23, insurance €61.95, communications €13.80, personal care €14.26 and other effects €54.87 (gifts, seasonal celebrations, etc). The estimate total is at €419.64.
Choosing to live in Ireland has its pros and cons but the important consideration is where you can afford to live and be happy at the same time.