BWHAHAHAHAHAHA.... I'm so sorry, but I couldn't resist laughing... you see, I live in one of those quaint Irish cottages, amongst the rolling green fields and not far from the sea, and you ask about mold? Having previously lived in the desert southwest of the USA, I was looking forward to the rain...but not the mold. In any but the newest, high-tech houses (at least in the west of Ireland) fighting mold is as common as.... well, rain. Part of the problem is that "modern" (20th century) building techniques and paint actually encouraged mold growth by trapping moisture inside houses rather than letting the walls breath. Modern houses are built with block built from commonly-quarried pulverised stone -- limestone -- which is porous... You might have visited a cave somewhere that features stalactites and stalagmites? Those are limestone caverns, carved from the ground by water erosion. And the west of Ireland is almost all limestone! Oh, by the way, have you heard about naturally occurring RADIATION from the same stone? :-) Google RADON, look at Ireland's radon map, and learn how to mitigate it... most older houses have no radon trap -- but of course, houses like mine aren't exactly air tight, anyway. Hope this helps, and again, sorry to laugh. Just that mold is so much a part of Irish rural living....

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I thought mold might be pervasive - and it certainly sounds like it is. No need to laugh so hard, though, for there's no way of knowing things like that when one starts to research a country - and at least it was my first concern.

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Hahaha!! The surveyor tried to make an issue of it in the house I hope to buy, but having lived in Cornwall which is wetter than Ireland, we know how to live/treat/prevent mould occurring. So we aren't that bothered about it, although I can well understand your worries. We'd never experienced it, or radon, till we moved here seven years ago. Still, it keeps the moisture level up when the heating is on :)

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Yes, you're asking the right questions... I've found out the hard way that no matter how much research one does, there's always more to discover once you're there. It's all part of the fun / adventure. I'm sure lots of people had lots of laughs at the things I discovered that aren't in any guide book.

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We lived in the south west of Ireland on the Sheep's Head Peninsula for about 16 months hoping to live the dream but ended up returning to Australia due to the climate and the dysfunctional real estate system (you can read lots from me on the Forum). Rising damp in the older cottages is a major problem as is the wet ground surrounding all properties unless remedial works are carried out to prevent it that is probably why the countryside is plagued with so many ugly bungalows surrounded by bitumen/tarmac. A stunningly beautiful country but rain, rain, rain and from what we gathered properties are poorly maintained. After saying all of that, Good Luck in your quest.

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PS Before relocating to Ireland we lived on Magnetic Island in North Queensland where mold was a way of life. We refused to have air-con but did have ceiling fans working 24/7. Every year, timber table legs grew fur, as did leather shoes and handbags. Walls had to be washed down with sugar soap once a year after the rainy season. Without air-con books were destroyed and one certainly could not have any decent artwork on the walls (not that we could afford any). Rain? The difference with tropical rain is that it is warm and is the one thing I miss. Tropical rain on the tropical foliage..beautiful. We had copper rainchains which we brought in from the USA which were a beautiful addition, I even used to get up in the middle of the night while it was raining just to watch them work! Didn't like the high humidity though but that is part of it. Irish rain is cold, often wind-driven and dreary though it does provide beautiful green countryside.

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We definitely learned the hard way.

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Thanks everyone for your replies - very helpful in deciding whether or not to even visit Ireland as a place I might retire....Sad, but it was a fun daydream...an emerald isle, a land of fairies and leprechauns! Enjoy!

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Katakana,
I think you're making a big mistake not even visiting Ireland even for a vacation. After that then you could decide if a extended stay would be in the cards to see how you really feel about the country, let alone it's good people. I've been there at least a dozen times thru all the months of the year, yes it rains a lot, but you learn to dress for the weather ( layers ), the rain comes and goes rather quickly in the summer months and most times the sun is still out. Sure it might be a inconvenience to some people, but it's part of what makes Ireland unique. The weather is quite mild in the winters, yes the rain is steady and torrential sometimes, but I lived in the northeastern U.S. And I'll take Irish winters any day , so that could be subjective.! Temperatures are very mild in the winters of course if you're in the mountains or way north that might change. The seasons come and go fast Katalina, so does life and I think you're making a mistake not even visiting for a couple of weeks .
As far as mold that also is something you can eliviate with the proper knowledge. Mold is common in the old stone cottages that weren't properly built for the conditions , in this day ,with insulation , heating, exhaust fans , insulated windows and maintaining proper humidity inside the home ,as well as good ventilation mold can be stopped before it starts.
There is so much Beauty and experiences that you would be missing out on. The country varies in landscapes from beautiful beaches to large quiet forests, mountains, to breath taking cliffs overlooking the westcoast not to me leave out the history of the country.
There's also the quaint old towns and villages that will make you think your living a century ago., also the large cities are bustling with people , the art , museums, universities and beautiful old as well as modern architecture are something to experience, Every time I leave Ireland I can't wait to go back there's always something new, even if it's the fresh clean air and serenity it's worth the trip.
The food is amazing not like fifty years ago all sought shelter of seafood , beef , lamb, and heart stopping blood puddings, Irish bacon , beans , tomatoes, and soda bread which is the breakfast of champions that you can wash down with a warm cup of delicious Irish tea. You could probably have that breakfast every day while visiting all the beautiful sites of Ireland and maybe at night have a snack!!
In conclusion Katalina please to base whether or not you are going to visit or even retire to Ireland on other people's views and opinions, even my biased opinion.......give it a shot you won't be disappointed Katalina you won't regret it !!!
Good Luck
Meachair 54

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Katalina,
Sorry for the misspelling of your name and the misplaced words stuck in the wrong places when I read your reply I had quickly respond. My fingers were moving faster then my brain ,but I think you got the jest of my response, give it a shot Katalina!!!!!!
Thanks

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Hi! I just saw your post! We looked at retiring to Ireland year round...and looked at many houses. Though there are some quaint ones, but most ones that are for sale are built with today's standards. If you are planning to live there....you need to check into immigration laws. Right now, unless you have dual citizenship, you may only be able to stay 6 months at a time. I had that...but the reason we came back to NY is we couldn't even get a small mortgage due to the Central Bank of Ireland is very picky after the recession (they don't look at US pensions as income!). We met 2 couples that were expats....one couple were college professors who took out a home equity own to pay cash for a house, but they only come over for 3 months at a time due to im. laws. The other couple, the husband was Irish and they had moved over 25 years ago when there weren't the restrictions and the wife was able to get her citizenship after being there for 4 years with him. Good luck! Ireland is wonderful! We missed many things about it, but also am glad to be back home!

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KatalinaT - MeaChair54 is spot on with her reply! You have no idea what you would be missing by not at least visiting for a 2 week vacation. My wife and I have traveled this grand island a few times and every time we are heart broken when it's time to leave. The word magical does not even approach the true essence of Ireland. You absolutely must experience for yourself and there will no regret. That I can promise!
Cheers,
Mike

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