ratula
Registered User
Posts: 14
(2/6/04 6:35 pm)

Working in Ireland

---

Hi Michelle and everyone,

I'm getting a working holiday maker visa so that I can work in the republic for 8 months. Can anyone suggest a great place to find work and live? I don't know if I want to live in Dublin, even though I do like the city. I'd love to live in the southwest, like Killarney. I'm looking to work in a pub or maybe in a call centre. Even suggesting some links would be very helpful. Thanks!

Ratula

Anita
Unregistered User
(2/6/04 10:34 pm)

your trip?

---

I don't have an answer to your question, I'm just wondering how your solo trip to Ireland went. I recall answering some questions for you and waited to see your trip report posted, but you never did post anything. How did it go?

Michele Erdvig
ezOP
Posts: 2117
(2/8/04 1:33 am)
 
Re: Working in Ireland

---

Hi Ratula,

Welcome back to my forum. I hope you had a good trip. (You probably must have if you want to live and work in Ireland.) Here are a few links. Also just do a good internet search.

www.exp.ie/
www.recruitireland.com/
www.jobfinder.ie/
www.hoteljobs.ie/

That should get you started.

Michele

ratula
Registered User
Posts: 15
(2/10/04 7:49 pm)

Re: Working in Ireland

---

Hi Michelle and everyone,

Sorry I have been out of touch. My trip last year was...interesting. I left, intending to go for 6 weeks. Two weeks into the trip, however, I got some devestating news: my dad had a heart attack, and he died before I got back to Edmonton. I ended up going back to Ireland for 2 weeks after the funeral. I still enjoyed both trips, though. I just had so much on my mind during the second trip. But to let you know what my itinerary was:

1st trip: Dublin - Kilkenny - Kenmare - Killarney ( trip ended in Killarney, and I took the bus back to Dublin before flying to Edmonton ) I loved the trip up until I got the bad news in Killarney. I enjoyed Dublin alot more than I thought I would, but 4 days was definitely enough for me. Favourite part of the city for me was Grafton Street, did lots of shopping there. Kilkenny was nice, the castle was is gorgeous. Kenmare was a lovely little town, but I really wish I had had a car. Buses were so infrequent to get out to the Ring of Kerry. I never ended up doing the Ring, but I plan to do it when I go back this summer. I spent wayyyy too long in Kenmare: 3 days and nights. But I still had a good time. I met a guy in my hostel in Kenmare who drove me to Killarney, and we stopped at Ladies' View for an hour so I could snap some photos. Gorgeous. The weather was beautiful, barely any rain. I think I used my rain jacket once the whole time I was in the Republic.

2nd trip: Belfast - Portstewart - Giant's Causeway - Bushmills - Belfast ( flew to London, London to Edmonton )
Northern Ireland was fantastic. I loved Belfast, stayed at Arnie's Backpackers. Arnie remembered me from years ago, the first time I visited Belfast. Took the Black Cab tour again, but I felt like I was taking it for the first time. I stayed in Belfast for 5 days and nights because I loved it there and loved the hostel. Stayed at Rick's Causeway Hostel in Portstewart, and really liked it. Great location, buses to the Causeway stop a few paces from the hostel. Rick and his wife are wonderful, so nice. Portstewart was so beautiful, I stayed 3 days and nights, although I didn't need that long to see the town, it's really long. Took one of those causeway coaster buses and went to the Giant's Causeway. I saw Dunluce Castle from a distance, gorgeous. Even though the Causeway itself was a little underwhelming, it was still amazing to be there. And of course, the coast was beautiful. I stopped in Bushmills that day long enough to take a tour of the Bushmills distillery, and volunteered to be a whiskey taster. Enjoyed a glass of Blackbush whiskey ( on ice! )and did some shopping at the gift shop. Was goin g to go to Derry, but decided to skip it and go back to Belfast for a couple more nights before I flew back home.

So places I must see when I go back that I missed:

Waterford
Kinsale
Killarney National Park
Tralee
DINGLE DINGLE DINGLE
Aran Islands
Galway
Cliffs of Moher ( I've been before, but I had planned to revisit them last summer )
Donegal
Connemara ( I had planned to go to Clifden and Roundstone )
Derry
The Glens of Antrim

I'm sure I'm leaving stuff off the list. Since I'm going for 8 months, I feel like I could do all those places easily, when I'm not working. In case I didn't mention it before, I'm going through the Student Work Abroad Program offered through Travelcuts at my old university in Alberta. If anyone has any advice to give me on finding work, cost of living, etc please let me know. And thanks to those of you who have replied.

Thanks.

Rat

j2spring
Unregistered User
(2/10/04 9:41 pm)
 
condolences

---

Dear Ratula,
So sorry to hear of your father's passing. God bless you and your family. Hope you have a truly delightful experience on your upcoming working holiday. May the sun shine on you everyday. j2spring

Michele Erdvig
ezOP
Posts: 2137
(2/11/04 1:14 am)

Re: Working in Ireland

---

Hi Ratula,

I'm so sorry to hear about your father. Please accept my condolences.

Thank you for taking the time to tell us about your trip. I know that you will have a great time living and working in Ireland. I must agree about Dingle. It is a special place. You might consider working in the hospitality industry as they are always looking for good help. Restaurants, pubs, hotels or anything to do with tourism. You might find this site of help: old.emigrant.ie/living/

By the time you get back you will be an Ireland expert too!

Michele

garyvol
Unregistered User
(2/11/04 9:26 am)
 
condolences

---

Sorry for the loss of your dad.

-gary

Anita
Unregistered User
(2/11/04 12:38 pm)

Galway

---

So sorry to hear about your dad. I was afraid that something had happened that had maybe kept you from going, but it sounds like you had a lot of fun in the end. Looking at your list of things you still want to see when you go back maybe you should be looking for work in Galway. It is one of Europes fastest growing cities so it should be easier to find work there. It is a great little town with lots of night life and terrific shopping. I met the most interesting people in the hostel in Galway, also.