Moving from Dublin to rural Ireland: ‘Every time we went away we loved all the green around us. Then we thought, let's just go do it'
With traffic, queues and people – so many people – town and city life can lose its lustre, and many dream of moving to the peace and quiet of the countryside for more space, and
often better value
.
Having land and property in picturesque rural settings can also
provide opportunity
in itself – in the form of tourism, food production and even pet training.
Siobhán Owens has devoted her life to animals since she began volunteering with the DSPCA in Ballymun, north Dublin, in 1989. 'It's a small selection of people, along with plants and animals,' that make her happy, she says, speaking from her home in Athboy, Co
Westmeath
.
Her youngest daughter starting college was the catalyst for her and her husband Jonathan to bite the bullet and move with their family to the countryside, where Owens would have the land to expand her pet-training business, Dublin and Meath Pet School.
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'Every time we went away – we'd go on camping and caravan holidays in Ireland – and when we were sitting there in those caravans with all that green around us, we said: 'Oh, isn't this wonderful? Isn't this what we love?' And then we thought, let's just go do it.'
Siobhan Owens, owner of Dublin and Meath Pet School. Photograph: Alan Betson/The Irish Times
In 2023 the Owens family sold their four-bedroom semidetached home in Finglas and moved to a three-bedroom bungalow with a big attic (that they hope to convert) in Athboy, just over the border from Meath in Co Westmeath. Most importantly, the property is on more than 5.8 acres of land, providing more than enough space for Owens to carry out obedience classes and behavioural assessments on her four-legged clients.
She continues to operate home visits in Dublin as she always has done, but it's much better to carry out assessments of dogs in a safe and secure space on her land in Athboy rather than in public parks where other dogs and owners tend to interrupt, she says.
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How to move job, move country and find a new social scene
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One of the Owens's first logistical considerations was for two of their children, both in their 20s, to get their driving licenses so they could drive back and forth to Dublin for work and college. It turned out to be much quicker to get their driving test at the Navan test centre than to graduate from the waiting list they had been on in Dublin, and they both got sorted quickly – a benefit of living in a less populated area.
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Naoise Dolan: Moving home to Ireland was an easy decision. Here's what I've learned
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Not having a convenience shop within walking distance of their home was something the family had to get used to though, Owens says. 'It could be a little annoying. I'd suddenly discover that there is this one ingredient that I'm missing and I have to get in the car and drive. But it's just a seven-minute drive away, so it's not the end of the world.'
The Owens family moved out of Dublin for a quieter life and to find space for Siobhán to operate her dog-training business. Photograph: Alan Betson / The Irish Times
Jonathan also has to commute to work in Dublin city centre more often now that the company he works for called for a return to the office, whereas he had previously been able to work from home in the wake of the Covid pandemic, she says.
'He just gets up a little bit earlier and he gets in just ahead of the traffic and that's really all that you have to do. There's always a way around it. If you really want to [move to the country], hesitation is going to be your biggest hindrance,' Owens says.
And despite the commute her husband has no regrets. 'Listen, he's out there on his tractor going around the land in the sun, having a great time. It's great for the mental health,' she says.
'We adapted to the country lifestyle very easily and now we just come home in the evening and have all the green around and you have peace and quiet, and I just love it.'
Two donkeys have also taken up residence at the Owens' new home. Photograph: Alan Betson/The Irish Times
The grounds have also become home to two donkeys and two horses, which Owens adopted from My Lovely Horse Rescue, as well as chickens which produce eggs for the household and are 'whistle-trained' to come out and say hello on command. She also grows an array of vegetables, has installed a hive to attract bees and has plans to rewild an area of marsh land and add a pond.
Siobhan Owen with one of her three dogs Morgan on the Agility Course. Photograph: Alan Betson / The Irish Times
Just a 10-minute drive across the border into Co
Meath
is another dog-friendly business, the Pheasant Lane short-stay retreat, near the village of Clonmellon. Geraldine Curran and her husband Derek Keogh bought the early 1800s farmhouse and outbuildings as their first home together in 2018 for €165,000, Curran says.
There are often pheasants around the place, she says, but her inspiration for the property's name came to her was when she saw a hen followed by 10 or so chicks waddling up the lane.
She originally stumbled upon the listing for the property one weekend and thought she'd have to wait until Monday to view it, but when she called selling agent Chris Smith from Quillsen, he got the couple a viewing that Sunday afternoon, and they immediately fell in love with it.
Geraldine Curran of Pheasant Lane Retreat, Killacroy, Clonmellon, Co Meath. Photograph: Alan Betson / The Irish Times
'The driveway sold it to us because it's a beautiful 300m-plus driveway and it was just idyllic; there was a new forest just planted around it, it was two or three years old at that stage, but now it's matured over eight years and it's all around the house ... and the birds are constantly singing,' Curran says.
Curran grew up living in a B&B run by her family in Spiddal on the Co Galway coast, and both she and Keogh have a background in hospitality, so they saw the potential to convert the cut-stone outbuildings into guest accommodation.
Pheasant Lane is a short-stay retreat. Photograph: Alan Betson / The Irish Times
Geraldine Curran offers a range of holistic therapies on-site. Photograph: Alan Betson / The Irish Times
With a little help from their friends, they have converted them into three short-stay cottages – two of which are named after their mothers, Iris and Sarah – catering for guests who want to take a break and breathe in some fresh countryside air.
Trained in holistic therapies, Curran has a therapy room on the property where she provides a range of services from reflexology to Indian head massage. Also on site for guests are two hot tubs and a barbecue hut.
'I love having people around but I also like my own company so the short-term rentals work quite well; you have the best of both worlds' Curran says.
Potential 'working homes'
Renovation opportunity in Rathosey
Rathosey, Coolaney, Co Sligo
Rathosey, Coolaney, Co Sligo
Rathosey, Coolaney, Co Sligo
€248,000, Sherry FitzGerald
The right person could make something really special out of
this property
near the village of Coolaney, and 20km outside
Sligo
town. It contains a fully converted, beautifully fitted-out outbuilding, where you could live comfortably while developing the rest of the property. The main house on the site is a derelict period farmhouse, but with a healthy budget and the right know-how, it could be transformed into a guest house or retreat space. There is also a hay barn and old farm sheds on this 7.4 acre plot.
Artistic inspiration in west Cork
Dunkelly Middle, Goleen, Cork
Dunkelly Middle, Goleen, Co Cork
€975,000, Charles McCarthy Auctioneers
Artists, writers or craftspeople may find inspiration in the stunning views from this
contemporary waterfront property
on Mizen Peninsula overlooking Dunmanus Bay towards the Sheep's Head Peninsula in west
Cork
. The property comes with approximately 30 acres of land and potential to add separate studio buildings, a workshop or guest accommodation to create an artist's retreat centre. Extending to 235 sq m (2,530 sq ft), the home is B2 Ber-rated and has three bedrooms. It is just a 10-minute drive from Goleen village and 20 minutes from Schull.
Horsey haven in Co Monaghan
Annacramph, Castleshane, Co Monaghan
Annacramph, Castleshane, Co
Monaghan
€250,000, Sherry FitzGerald Conor McManus
If you have ever dreamed of turning your love of horses into a business, this property on 7 acres may be the right place to do it. It is currently home to two horses and offers them plenty of field space, as well as two stables.
The house
itself extends to 67 sq m (721 sq ft) and has three bedrooms. It is in decent condition but could do with a cosmetic refresh, and the E2 Ber rating will need to be addressed. You can easily access both the Dublin Road (N2) and Armagh Road (N12) from this tranquil spot.
B&B by the Brosna
Riverside House, Charlestown, Clara, Co Offaly
Riverside House, Charlestown, Clara, Co
Offaly
€345,000, Mark Nestor Property Services
This
four-bedroom, five-bathroom period town house
sits right beside the River Park in the charming town of Clara. With a C1 Ber, this home needs an enterprising new owner to give the interior a modern refresh to restore it to its former glory as a B&B. It has a spacious driveway to the front for guest parking and a lovely back garden where you could grow fruit and vegetables to delight your guests. It is walking distance from the town and train station, where there are services to Dublin Heuston, Galway, Athlone and Westport.
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Irish Times
2 hours ago
- Irish Times
‘When do new rental rules take effect?' ‘Can I be asked to move out now?' Your tenant and landlord questions answered
In the months ahead there will be a dramatic overhaul of Ireland's rental sector, with some of the changes already coming into effect after the Government rushed through emergency legislation aimed at making the whole State a Rent Pressure Zones (RPZs) . But as with any change – particularly with something as fundamental as the homes in which hundreds of thousands of people live – there is confusion and fear. And there are a lot of questions. Will rents go up? Will they go down? Will I be able to find a home? Will I be able to stay in my home? Will I be able to sell the rental property that I own or will I be tied to my tenants in perpetuity? And of course, will the changes work? READ MORE With regard to that last question, it is in everyone's interest that they do, because things need to change. Housing in Ireland is an absolute disaster , with thousands of people living in emergency accommodation because there is nowhere else for them to go, and many thousands more living in unsuitable homes because they cannot find anywhere better suited to their needs, to either buy or rent. Property prices are soaring as a result of huge strains on supply, and rents are going through the roof and climbing faster than at any point over the past 20 years. The national monthly average rent between January and March surpassed €2,000 for the first time, according to a report from That compares to a low of just €765 in 2011. [ Thousands of holiday lets will need planning permission due to Rent Pressure Zone changes Opens in new window ] Much of that increase is down to a lack of supply. There were just 2,300 homes available to rent nationally on May 1st, down 14 per cent year-on-year and the third-lowest total for May in 20 years. In a properly functioning market, that number should be closer to 10,000. This is the context in which the Department of Housing announced details of changes to the rental market, with the changes focused on RPZs in many cases. RPZs were initially introduced in 2016 to try to slow the rate of rent increases recorded in areas where there was a very high demand for housing. Dublin and Cork were the first areas covered but, as the housing crisis got worse, more RPZs were rolled out, with about 80 per cent of the State covered at the start of the year. It is now 100 per cent. In these locations, as it stands, rent increases cannot be greater than the rate of inflation or 2 per cent – whichever is lower. Under the changes, rents in new-build apartments will be free from some of the shackles imposed by RPZs, while landlords will be able to reset rents to market rates after a six-year period – at least when it comes to tenancy agreements signed after the beginning of March next year. The option of 'no-fault evictions' for landlords with four or more tenancies will be removed, while there will also be a reduction in the number of reasons a smaller landlord can evict a tenant who is following all the rules set out in their lease. In recent weeks we have invited readers to submit questions about the changes and what they might mean. Here are just a small selection of the ones that were asked. I have lived in rented accommodation for five years and had a rent increase a few months back. I live outside an RPZ. When can my landlord increase my rent again? And by how much? If you're outside an RPZ, your landlord can only review your rent every two years, so that continues even with the designation of the whole State as an RPZ. If the rent review took place six months ago, the next review will be in 18 months' time. As you are now in an RPZ, you fall into the annual cycles, and all subsequent rent reviews will be on an annual basis. When the rent is reviewed in 18 months, it will in line with inflation over that two-year period up to a maximum of 2 per cent for each year, so the maximum increase that could happen in 18 months would be 4 per cent. I have the same tenants in my rental property for more than 10 years – their rent is way below market rent. Can I increase their rent now? You will have to adhere to the rent review cycles that are currently in place. The resetting of rents to the market rate is not allowed for current tenancies. My husband and I jointly own four rented properties. Do we fall into the small or large landlord category? The properties are owned jointly, so jointly you have more than three properties and as a result are classified as large landlords. Under the new rules, people are considered large landlords if they have more than three properties, and they will have limited rights to end a tenancy after March 1st next year As a landlord, what rights do I have under the rules when it comes to evicting tenants or selling up? I am told I can sell if I am in economic hardship – but who will decide what constitutes economic hardship? The exact parameters under which small landlords – those who own three or less properties – will be allowed to evict a tenant will be laid out in the legislation when it's published later this year, but the types of scenarios that will be included will be immigrants returning from abroad who rent their properties at home but need them back. Properties can also be reclaimed for close family members or people who require their property back due to separation. And then there's financial hardship or bankruptcy. It is not clear exactly who will be the arbiter of economic hardship, but that will be laid out in the legislation. It would seem likely that as with any other disputes, the Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) would deal with such matters. My tenants moved out today of their own accord. Can I increase rent to market value now or do I have to wait until March? The current legislative regime applies, prohibiting an increase of above 2 per cent in an RPZ. As it stands, even if the property becomes vacant and goes back on the market, the rent cannot increase by more than that. Will landlords charging €1,000 in an area where the market rate is €2,000 today not be incentivised to hold off on renting out the property now, at €1020 , and instead hold off until March, when they will be able to rent it out for €2,000? That is certainly going to be an issue in some cases – and the numbers will illustrate why. Were they to rent a property tied to RPZ caps at €1020 from tomorrow, they would get €12,240 over the next 12 months. If they held off and rented it from March 1st next year and reset the rent to the market rate of €2,000, then between March and June of 2026, they would earn €8,000, leaving them down €4,240 on what they might otherwise have earned. However, those landlords who wait so they can reset the rent would, over the following 12 months, get €24,000, compared to €12,240 for those who rent under the current conditions. When does the six-year tenancy begin? Is it from the date the tenancy began or from the date the proposals become law? The six-year tenancy rule that is being included in the overhaul will apply to new tenancies starting after March 1st next year, with the current rules applying to tenancies that start before that date. I am a one-property landlord, due to carry out a rent review on my property in October 2025 with my tenant, and I am confused as to what rules apply. The bottom line is the current rules are going to apply until the legislation is passed, and the new rules are enacted in March of next year, so it will be as you were in October. If you were outside an RPZ as of the start of June, it might be that you haven't reviewed the rent in two years so you might be able to increase the rent by up to 4 per cent. There's a RPZ calculator on the PRTB website, which also has all the information about the current rules in an easily accessible format. Given that new tenancies will be a minimum six-year duration, unless a tenant gives notice, will it no longer be necessary to register every tenancy every year with RTB? You will still need to register every year. The six years window is somewhat notional, as many tenants won't stay in any one property for that long. The annual registration is considered important because it provides information about how the market is working. I am a 65-year-old landlord. Most likely I will sell up in the next four to five years, as cash will be needed. Will I have to give my tenants a six-year contract from March 2026? In my situation I feel this is not possible, so I may have to sell sooner? If they are existing tenants, then nothing changes, and as their landlord you will still have the same rights to end the tenancy. But even beyond that, if a landlord in this situation has one property and needs it for a pension, they may fall under the hardship provision, which would give them an entitlement to sell it. They would also be able to sell with the tenant still living there. The capacity for future landlords to reset the rent to market rates should make it more attractive in the future for landlords to buy off other landlords, as they will not be restricted by the rent previously charged in perpetuity. If a property owner has four properties, how can they sell one or allow their children to use it for college? Under the new rules, people are considered large landlords if they have more than three properties, and they will have limited rights to end a tenancy after March 1st next year, so someone in this position who would like to use a property for a family member in the future should think about this sooner rather than later. [ Rent pressure zone changes will be painful for tenants, Central Bank warns Opens in new window ] Can I put the rent up to market rent or at least more than 2 per cent after six years if the same tenants remain with me? The answer is yes if the tenancy is created after March 1st next year, and no if it is created before then. When do all these changes take effect? The plan is for all the changes to be in place for the beginning of March, but it requires legislation. The department of housing expects to publish legislation before the end of the year. I'm renting, and my lease has been in place for eight years, with rent increases each year, in line with the RPZ rules. But can we now be asked to move out, as it's more than six years since the lease began? The answer is just a simple 'no'. The rules, when they change, will only change for new tenancies, not existing ones. If the lease has been in place for six years, the landlord obviously has the right to sell the property or to end the tenancy for various reasons. So if someone has been in a rental property for eight years, they cannot be asked to move out just like that, but they will not have the same security that new tenants will have. The changes require legislation to be published, and when it is ready there will be a detailed communications campaign to make sure all landlords and tenants are fully aware of the changes With the new six-year tenancy rule coming in next March (when my tenant's new tenancy will come into place as the old one runs out), this will mean a right to stay for six years. However, my interest-only mortgage ends in 2029, and it had always been my intention to sell the property to clear the mortgage close to end of the mortgage term. Will it no longer be possible to sell with vacant possession due to new rule? Unless this was a case of economic hardship, you might not be entitled to sell with vacant possession in 2029, as the tenant will be three years into the six-year term. But if the tenancy agreement is in place before March 1st, then all the old rules apply. It is important to stress that old tenancies will not just run out on February 28th next year. They will continue, and both tenants and landlords will have the same rights as they do today. I have a rental property in Cork that was voluntarily vacated by the tenants a few weeks ago. It is rent-capped currently at €1,050 per month. The market rent is approx €1,800 per month. I intend to re-let the property and I'm in the process of doing a few improvement works so it should be ready to re-let say next month. Am I better off keeping the property vacant until the new rental rules kick in, on March 1st next year? We have answered this already, but a key phrase here is 'a few improvement works'. Under the existing rules, there is an exemption if a landlord carries out a substantial change to the property, so it would very much depend on what you mean by 'improvements'. A lick of paint will not allow you to increase the rent beyond the 2 per cent if you are in an RPZ, but a dramatic remodelling might, which would make the question moot. I have a property let since 2015 to four teachers. I also have a mortgage on the property. I have not raised the rent since 2015, but the original tenants have all moved out and the current occupiers have replaced the originals over time. What obligation do I have to these new occupiers, as none of them signed the original lease? You might need to get legal advice with regard to what tenancy rights the occupants have, but you would be wrong to assume that just because an existing tenant has not signed a lease, they have no rights. Someone who has been living in the property with the agreement of the landlord and paying rent as agreed would almost certainly be classified as a legal tenant, with all the rights that brings. I've been renting a three-bed house for my family of four for 10 years, while also renting out my own small two-bed apartment to a lone parent with one child. The rent I'm paying goes up every year, but is nowhere near the market rate, and the same applies to my tenant. If my landlord resets my rent in six years to the market rate, it would double, and if I reset the rent also, my tenants' rent would double too. Neither of us can afford this, and in such circumstances I would be forced to evict my tenant and squeeze my family into a small two-bed apartment. In that case, where would my tenant and child go? How does it all make sense? If you and the person you are renting to are existing tenants with existing leases, then the new rules will not apply. When will we have a clear picture of what the changes mean? The changes require legislation to be published, and when the legislation is ready there will be a detailed communications campaign run by the Department of Housing and the PRTB to make sure all landlords and tenants are fully aware of all the changes. But landlords and tenants in existing rental arrangements do not have to worry too much about what might happen next, and they have some time and space in which they can figure out how the changes might impact them for any rental agreements drawn up after March 1st next year. The PRTB website should be the first port of call for anyone looking for answers.
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2 hours ago
- Irish Times
Over 43,000 properties leave private rental sector
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3 hours ago
- Irish Times
Court-appointed liquidations triple as Revenue ends debt warehousing scheme
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