Why We Left the City for the Little Green Farm
After over a decade of city life in Edinburgh, we knew it was time for a change. We loved the hustle and bustle, but deep down, we craved more space. And more freedom for our dogs to run around safely.
The pandemic really brought this into sharp focus. Being stuck indoors, day after day, with our two dogs in a small flat wasn’t easy. The city, once exciting, started to feel crowded. We found ourselves dreaming more and more about wide-open fields and fresh air. We used to spend every weekend and holiday out climbing hills and exploring rural Scotland.
We’d always talked about moving back home to Ireland one day, and we began searching for a small cottage with some land of our own. We looked all over Ireland, and spent hours and hours trawling through Daft to find our perfect place. Google street view was a huge help when trying to make decisions remotely!
Finally we found it. In West Roscommon, a small cottage that needed a lot of work but it looked perfect for us. They were closing offers on Thursday, and it was Monday. And we needed to see it in person before making an offer. No pressure! Cal booked Jo a ferry ticket, and two days later, she was standing on the doorstep. The house needed a lot of work, but it came with a big hay shed and over 1.5 acres of land — perfect for the garden, animals, and all the dreams we had.
Jo’s parents came with her to view the property. Her dad, being a farmer, had some great insight into the land and outbuildings, which was a huge help. We made an offer, and before Jo got back on the ferry to Scotland, it was accepted.
From there, it was a whirlwind of selling our flat, packing up, and planning the move. We officially bought the house in August 2021 and moved back home to Ireland on April 1st, 2022.
It’s been a big transition filled with hard work, steep learning curves, and plenty of hiccups along the way. But it’s exactly where we want to be.
