I've been offered a swap for my property in France (actually three separate properties) for properties in the UK and Ireland. The Irish place accounts for the lion's share of the value involved. I have my French properties advertised for both sale and swap at rock bottom prices (making a loss on them) whereas on the swap site, this swapper has advertised his Irish house at a third more than the value he has it with an agent for. If the latter value is true, then it would work out about an equal swap for what I have my properties advertised for.
It looks like a beautiful place and presents an opportunity to start a new life there in a couple of years when my teenagers have left lycee or if not, a nice holiday place which I can use myself and let to other people. However, because of the value involved I'm a bit nervous about handing over everything I have here. For a UK house I can look up similar properties on rightmove and see the history of advertising and selling prices for any particular house but I don't know if it's even possible to do that in Ireland. I have no idea if estate agency prices are realistic there and I'm not sure they'd be truthful with me if I phoned them (are any estate agents truthful when trying to sell a property?) so any ideas on how I find out whether this property is actually worth what the potential swapper is saying it is?
It's in County Kerry, Slea Head Drive area, three miles from Dingle.
The Third Policeman, I think that one was, or was it the "Dalkey Archive". I have in mind "the brother", and "the plain people of ireland", both from the Miles columns in the IT, hilarious. And "An Beal Bocht" is just so exactly right, or was, in "days gone by", sadly :)
"At SwimTwoBirds", a real work of art.
I download the digital edition every day Ian. Need to keep up to date 
I’ve read all his books as well but a long time ago. I do remember the molecular theory (I think it was called) whereby a policeman riding his bycycle over uneaven ground would end up swapping molecules so that the bike would end up more policeman and the policeman more bike. Thus which should give evidense in court? Or in The Poor Mouth the (Irish speaking) piglets being used for children’s allowance claims.
You get the Irish Times, John? That was the paper I always got when I was down in the village in West Cork (went down on the ass and cart, useful for getting back half-slewed, he knew the road). I have everything Brian O Nolan ever wrote, in his various guises, a magnificent writer (for those who may not know, he was also Miles n-gCopalin and Flann O Brien).
Good article by Ivan Yates in the Indo......
http://indo.ie/3sOP1E
I agree. The latest Irish Time pole shows a significant majority of women in favour of terminations in Ireland for fatal fetal abnormality, rape, incest etc ( I suppose the etc is the difficult point). As a man I don't really think my opinion counts for much but I do feel women in Ireland should have the choice rather than having to take a flight to Liverpool or London. I think the groundswell will see the constitution changed in the near term to allow this.
Not at all positive John, it is a disgrace and a sad reflection on our government. It is something that has always happened but not in the volumes of the last few years. Sure it's good to see the world, travel a bit and broaden one's outlook and thinking but out of choice, not necessity. I cringe when the live register figures are announced because if our young and not so young in many cases who have emigrated were included as jobless, it would make very bleak reading.
Most of what you say John is spot on,we don't care what goes on in Leinster House so long as we can live from pay day to pay day and have the craic in between. Us culchies worry more about the mart prices, our subsidies, the tractor starting in the morning, saving the hay and so on than our pompous jumped up politicians, most of whom only got into the Dail by default and brown envelopes anyway.
The abortion issue is something else as most women are dead against it and I cannot see the UK model ever reaching these shores, North or South. Having said that there are always the exceptions to the rule and cases where it is justified for medical reasons and should be available to those women more readily.
No more "reply" options below, John! Richie is still gigging and was really busy for a while organising gigs (notably Kielys Mt. Merrion, used to be Sportsman) and Stillorgan Orchard. Print shop doing really well (now beside Baumans). Niall also still playing. Also John Keogh (retired now from RTE) aka Full Circle, I think.
Small world, eh?
I know Richie well. An Irish rugby flag he printed for me adorns the wall of my favorite watering hole in Lorgues. Dec was a sometime drummer in the band Richie and the lads had forty years ago. Nial McSweeney was another of the gang I think.
The very one! Dec Morrison's name rings a bell but can't place him.
Richie partner of Jane and the old Friend of Dec Morrison?
Ah, just curious. I grew up on Clonmore Road. Perhaps you knew my brother, Richie Walshe??
I don’t think we can spin young folk being forced to emigrate as a positive Jennie
Hi John. Where in Mount Merrion?
Actually Jennie the thing I find most amazing about Ireland is the way folk living there don’t really face up to just how bad things are. That’s a good and a bad thing I guess. Good because even in the face of adversity (e.g. a 64 billion debt due to bankers greed) people are cheerful, bad because things rarly get fixed. It’s a “sweep it under carpet and carry” on approach that I have always found frustrating. It’s interesting because we are a “can do” people as is shown by how successful we can be when living abroad. We could dicuss it is endlessly but I think it goes back to the foundation of the State and Civil War. It created factions and tribes which still exist today. A “it not what you know it’s who you know” culture with an elite that fought (or pretended to) on one side or the other. I still have a home in Mount Merrion and my daughter is still studing there so I’m in Dublin four of five times a year but I’ll make sure to miss Easter 2016
BTW the women’s rights issue I was referring to is the way we export our pregnancy terminations to the UK. Another case of us not facing up to the realiies of life.
I’m happy to pay taxes for good public services but we don’t have good public services in Ireland (and of course you pay your GP not the State, that plan was quietly shelved in yesterday’s budget) and not to pay off a 64B public debt that should never have been one nor Public Borrowing to fund an unaffordable Public Sector. I do think our politicians ARE worse than most. Our crises was a wonderful opportunity to reform the State and make it fit for the 21st century but it was wasted through lack of leadership IMO. Our leaders are insular with no vision or charisma yet paid more that their ‘peers’ in France, Germany or the UK for running a tiny country. The thing that has really shocked is how “Big” Phil Hogan has swung the Agriculture Commissioner job. It just confirmed my fears that the Commission may be as bad as Irish politics
Well I did and I am completely sane, home is where the heart is and there is a saying " you can take the girl out of the country but never the country out of the girl". Taxes, well I've paid lots all my life, politicians are the same everywhere, corrupt or worse, agree about the health service, well the waiting times mostly as my GP is amazing, the weather has been great this year and still is and as for women's rights, doesn't bother me as I can fight my corner very well. We are a unique nation, we even scored a goal last night against the Germans
Well said Celeste,we do give a lot to the rest of the world. Look at the hundreds of thousands of our people who have been forced to emigrate to all four corners of the world, they are giving our culture, our education and our unique lifestyle to all those they meet. The unfortunate part is that for many, they never come back.
I remember some gurrier I knew who just summed up the Big Fella's career like this : "sure, he wore the shirts"...
It is common opinion that the house was paid for with brown envelopes, of course, back to the mohair suits again..
Halcyon days!