Head Rambles

Grandad March 12th, 2007

Ron, Dick and I all live in the country. We like it here. It is nice and peaceful. You can see the stars at night, and listen to the owls hooting. During the day, we keep tally on the badgers, foxes and squirrels. The air is fresh and quiet.

We all live in roughly the same area, which is all back roads and lanes. When I first moved here over 40 years ago, it was an event when a car went past.

Unfortunately, it is within commuting distance of Dublin. But everywhere in Ireland now seems to be within commuting distance of Dublin. So this means that the area is very popular for people to live in.

Now people have to live somewhere, and they are as welcome here as anywhere else.

But I have a major complaint.

This is the countryside. If you want to live here, then please respect that. Stop trying to turn it into suburbia.

Dick lives in a lovely old cottage. It’s around 200 years old. A couple bought the house next door to him [another old cottage] and they are trying to turn it into something that wouldn’t be out of place in Docklands. They want to build a two story extension with a high blank wall along his boundary, that would plunge his garden into darkness from midday on. He is livid. Apparently the couple want about five bedrooms, all en-suite, with games rooms and saunas and God knows what else. If they want that, then why buy in the country? There are plenty of houses like that in suburbia.

Ron had wide open fields around his house. They are starting to build housing estates on them. He is depressed. Where the cattle grazed, there will now be radios blaring in the summer, and burgler alarms blaring for the rest of the year.

I’m not too bad at the moment, but they are threatening to build a housing estate the other side of the road. And we now have street lights and footpaths. And I haven’t seen a fox or a badger in a long time.

I’m not against progress. But let the people who want suburbia live in the suburbs, and let the people who want to live in the country respect it for what it is. Countryside.

If you want to build here, build something that is in keeping with the area. If you want a housing estate, then live nearer the city. If you want a five bedroom house then build it where there are other five bedroom houses. You will feel more at home there.

After all, the people who live in the city sometimes want to go for a drive in the country. At this rate they are going to end up in Connemara before they find it.

So we are a dying breed; Ron, Dick and I. Along with the badgers, the foxes, the deer, the corncrakes, the bats, the squirrels, the field mice and everything else that likes a bit of space.

• Around the village , Property , Rants
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Grandad December 20th, 2006

TO LET

Very spacious penthouse apartment

• America , Property
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Grandad December 13th, 2006

The first thing you have to learn if you are buying a house in Ireland is that you are going to have to commute. Every house ad in the paper says “within commuting distance of Dublin”.

This is true, because the commuter belt for Dublin now covers the entire country. So if you are selling a cowshed in Clifden, Schull or Glenties, you can now say it is “within commuting distance of Dublin”.

But you must not confuse “commuting distance” with “commuting time”. They are slightly different.

Now just about anywhere in Ireland is within 250 miles of Dublin. So at an average speed of 50 miles per hour, you’ll make it in 5 hours. That is plenty. You get up at three in the morning, do what has to be done, and hit the road. You’ll be at your desk by nine. You leave at half five, get home by half ten, have your dinner, be introduced to your children [who have forgotten who you are] and will be in bed by twelve. This gives you a whole three hours sleep, which is enough for anyone.

What they don’t mention, is that the roads are just a tad crowded. Only a little bit mind, but enough.

So you get up at three, hit the road by four and reach the Red Cow Roundabout by half eight. If it is a good day, [for example, mid August when the schools are on holidays and most people are abroad] you will only take a further two hours to reach the office.

So you arrive at your desk at half ten and now have to make up time. So you don’t leave your office until half seven. It takes you another two hours to reach the Red Cow Roundabout, so you finally hit the open road at half nine. And the chances are it will be the open road. They love digging up roads here and leaving temporary traffic lights. So that’ll add another hour or two to your journey. So you get home at three, just in time to leave again.

But if the weather is bad and it’s a Monday evening, you’ll just about get as far as Kinnegad before you have to turn around and start Tuesday’s commute.

So the main trunk roads are crowded each evening with commuters dashing to see how near they can get to their homes before turning around again. There is a rumour that one bloke in a souped up car once got as far as Sligo before having to turn around again. I don’t believe it though.

They nearly made it home last night

So. If you out and about at around three in the morning somewhere in the wilds of the Irish countryside, and you see a tired looking bedraggled motorist doing a three-point turn in the road, give him a smile. Give him a wave. He needs cheering up

He has just finished one days work, and is starting on the next.

• On the road , Property , Rambles
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Grandad November 6th, 2006

From the site that brought you the bargain in Kilcoole, Headrambles now brings you the opportunity to take that step up the property ladder

This is a bargain not to be missed.

A very affordable and desirable property for only €375,000

Click here for further details

• Property
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Grandad October 29th, 2006

People in the U.K. and beyond are always whinging about house prices. They haven’t a clue.

In the U.K. you can pick up a house for well under £100,000. In France you can find a nice pied-a-terre for €70,000 or less. But where can you buy yourself your own pad within easy commuting distance to the centre of the capital city for a mere €120,000?

Come to sunny Ireland and see what we have to offer!!

Buy yourself a lovely detached seaside residence, close to Dublin. Scenic area and close to all ameneties. This is a genuine sale. Get yourself on the housing ladder and never look back.

Click here for full details

• Property
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