Val in Sligo: "It really is the most stunning place to live"

Why did you decide to move to Sligo?

We came over on holiday and fell in love with the place.

How was the moving process?

A bit of a nightmare but only due to the fact we were so disorganised and the cat had given birth to five kittens a few days before we moved!

What were the formalities you had to undergo to be able to live in Ireland?

We waited until we moved and called in to the local government offices to get registered.

If you had to look for a job, how did you proceed?

It was a nightmare. I applied for everything and anything but as soon as I opened my mouth in an interview I didn't get the job. My husband decided to start his own business in the end.

How about your accommodation search?

Houses were going for next to nothing when we moved so we got a cheap derelict place and renovated it.

Did you face some difficulties to adapt to your host country (language, culture, do's and don'ts)?

No difficulties as it's fairly similar to the UK.

How about your kids? How did they live that change?

We moved to Ireland before we had children. Although they were born here they did have a few problems at school. Most of the schools in Ireland are run by the Catholic Church and as we weren't catholic this was a bit difficult. I'm going back a few years now so I'm sure things have changed.

What surprised you the most in Sligo?

How beautiful the place is. It really is the most stunning place to live. We are surrounded by lakes, beaches, mountains and forests, it's just amazing.

Is it easy to meet new people in Sligo? Any advice to share with the other members?

No, not easy to meet new people when we moved here although things have changed and there are a lot more ways to meet people now. The blog and social media helped me meet so many people. I found they knew me online and I have people coming up to me asking if I'm magnumlady so that's pretty cool.

Could you please share with us something you like about Sligo and something you don't like?

What I like: the scenery and the community spirit. What I don't like: the whole 'you're not from around here' that I still get even though I've lived here for 23 years.

A common belief about Ireland which wasn't right:

No one says 'top of the morning'!

What do you miss the most from England, your home country?

Apart from friends it would have to be car boot sales. I love them and they never really took off in our part of Ireland anyway.

What does your typical day as an expat in Sligo look like?

I'm always exploring and there are always new places or things to see. I'm obsessed with photography so most days I'm taking photos of something, somewhere. Life is too short for housework.

What is your favorite Irish food?

Tayto crisps.

Why did you start your blog, Magnum Lady?

There was a lot of illness in my family and the blog started as a diary to clear my head. It's now changed and is much more a photo diary and quite touristy related. So much so I've started a website called sligo-secrets.com which will hopefully cover most of the tourist events in Sligo and I can get back to my usual ramblings.

Which advice would you give to people wishing to live in Ireland?

Don't expect to fit in immediately, it does take quite a lot of time. Although I guess this will vary depending of which part of Ireland you move to.