When relocating to Ireland, your first choice is likely Dublin – but are you selling yourself short? Ireland’s capital city may be well known, but most of the highlights of living in Ireland are available elsewhere for a far smaller cost of living and, in some cases, a higher quality of living. In this post, I’ll be taking a look at Athlone as a place to live, work and grow.
Athlone is a large town in the heart of Ireland, serving as a mid-point between Dublin and Galway. With a population of roughly 20,000 people and an economy driven by investment from major multinational IT companies like Ericsson and Tyco, Athlone has one of the highest concentrations of developers in the country.
Well connected by road, rail and bus, Athlone has hourly train services to Dublin, Galway and Westport, as well as regular bus services to Limerick and Cork. For the outdoor enthusiast, the 89 mile Royal Canal Way is a walking and cycling road that leads from nearby Mullingar through lush countryside to Dublin.
So why Athlone?
The cost of living in Athlone is considerably lower than Dublin, and with most software development companies paying highly competitive salaries, you can expect the same money to go much further. Currently, a three bedroom house in Dublin’s west suburbs is roughly €1500 per month, while a house of a similar build in tourist favourite Coosan rarely costs more than €800 a month.
Athlone offers all of the same shopping amenities as Dublin, with two major malls: Athlone town centre is the largest shopping centre in the midlands with 60 high end retail shops and Golden Island hosts a further 40, as well as an eight screen cinema showing major releases, art house cinema and opera and ballet livecasts.
As the cultural and historical centre of the midlands, Athlone is a popular tourist destination. Home to Europe’s oldest pub, Sean’s Bar, and the recently renovated Athlone Castle, the town boasts several galleries, exhibition spaces and theatres. The river Shannon is ideal for fishing, bird watching, swimming and more adventurous water sports, as well as hosting Viking cruises.
Solas works with a number of clients in Athlone who regularly hire across a range of technologies. These companies have excellent records of introducing and integrating the very latest developments in technology, and an extremely low turn-over thanks to their focus on promotion and development of their staff. They offer excellent benefits and, for candidates outside of Ireland, relocation services.
If you’re looking for a move to Athlone, call us today on 01 2449520
