Moving to Ireland

I am Irish, and have lived here for 40 years.  You should reconsider moving to Ireland.  There are social problems in Ireland and it is a very hard place to fit in to.  Not a lot of people like to admit this, but the Irish are very racist, and generally don't like immigrants.  They love tourists, because tourists are going to be leaving soon, but they don't like people who are coming to stay permanently.

There is a cultural thing in Ireland where they exclude people (even Irish people) if they haven't known them all their lives.  This makes society hard to fit into and you will most likely be alone with little or no support.

I am very sociable, love being with people, and have lived in Ireland until I was 40.  Having gone to school there and worked there for 20 years, when I emigrated to Canada, I had one friend. 

I have been in Canada for 6 years, have many friends, and a great social life.  It took a while to build it, but other countries don't have the same unwillingness to integrate with others as the Irish do. 

Think carefully about moving there.  If you have any family or friends there already, then that would be a good start.

Hi

Firstly I don't think your job is in the critical skills shortage, which will make it hard to get a job in ireland. Secondly from a previous post it is true that social isolation is very real for a single mum of 2. thirdly childcare and rent is so high you would need to earn in the region of 3000 euros per month to survive. WIthout family support it is tough for yourself and for the kids. There are no cheap nannies to child mind. A child minder wants 10 euro per hour for baby sitting. They charge marginally less than a creche but if you have to work you are so dependent on full time creche. If your kids are at school you will need after care etc. Much the same as in south africa. It is tough. I know single mums and I was a single mum when I got here and it was not easy. Its not easy in ireland and probably not easy in any other country where you have no family support. I don't have family members other than my husband and if I need to go anywhere doctor, hospital etc my 6 year old daughter goes with me, unless my husband can take care of her. We rarely go out because of the cost of baby sitting and we don't have many friends either but we have gotten use to life here and make the best of it.
all the best and hope it answers your questions.
sanbo