Sligo – The Place to Live

By Marc MacSharry

Little in this world unfolds as we predict, and I am certain that in the past, visitors to Sligo – indeed the Sligonians of those bygone eras themselves – would have been hesitant to consider Sligo as such a prime destination. None of them could possibly have imagined the overwhelming evolution and development of the city and county that have taken place over recent years.

All Sligo’s facets have matured and improved, have grown and developed, gradually realising its potential as a Gateway City. This label, lately synonymous with the National Spatial Strategy, has actually been slowly becoming a fact of life for many years and not just because of Sligo’s roles as an administrative regional capital and a public transport hub. It is a cultural gateway, a gateway to relaxation and recreation, and a tourist amenity. It is, in short, the gateway to a better quality of life, and for most of us, nothing is more important. Quality of life is the quintessential crusade, the prime motivator behind all our striving.

While Sligo’s dark days of emigration, high unemployment and general economic depression will never be forgotten, today’s Sligo offers everyone – whatever their personal circumstances – an opportunity to improve their quality of life.

What makes Sligo special is that it offers the full range of choices one would find in Dublin, Cork or other comparable European cities, but just to a smaller scale. And it is Sligo’s smaller scale that has been its greatest protection from some of the problems associated with those other cities – problems like congestion for instance. By comparison with other cities, Sligo’s traffic problems are still relatively minor.

In larger Irish cities – take Galway as an example – the mechanics of planning a day out have become monumental, the logistics of putting the plan into operation wearisome. The concept of spontaneity quite simply no longer exists. By contrast, one of Sligo’s most valuable assets is its multi-layered accessibility. One can be half way to Strandhill for a surf and suddenly decide to divert to Rosses Point and play golf, only to change one’s mind again and opt for a walk through Hazelwood, taking in the Tombs at Carrowmore en route, and arrive at any of them within a matter of minutes, even during peak times. In Sligo it is easy to access a huge variety of activities – many of them world-class – and to access them without the frustrations of lengthy queues, back-logged traffic and long inter-connecting journey times. Few places have such choice and accessibility within such a compact area.

Sligo is also proud to be known to the whole world as ‘Yeats Country’. Thanks to significant indigenous and external investment and a huge boost in self-confidence, it has been possible to implement many improvements to compliment and show off the country’s priceless natural beauty, a beauty that led William Butler Yeats to describe this place as the ‘land of heart’s desire’.

The Sligo of today boasts, rightfully, of its status as Gateway and Capital of the North West region. ‘Your confidence is your ability’, a wise man once said and as Sligo’s confidence has grown, so too has its ability to fulfil peoples’ search for that better quality of life.

This is because Sligo is a going concern. With home grown and multi-national manufacturing, retail and service industries on one side, balanced with state of the art educational facilities catering for all four levels on the other, Sligo can provide and also breed the intellectual property and entrepreneurial flare needed to drive the vibrant economy of a modern city.

For those yet to experience this great city and county, there is much to discover, whether as a tourist, a weekend visitor or as someone coming to live and work in the area. In a recent survey of non-Sligo people who re-located to the region, an overwhelming 94% said they would recommend moving to the North West.

For those who are moving here, there is a wide and interesting range of property available in Sligo city and the surrounding area, both old and new, large and small, urban and rural. Great value for money can be found with something for every budget, while the county is especially rewarding for first time buyers.

For example, a fine selection of three bedroom, semi-detached houses are available in a number of different developments in towns and villages all over the county from prices as low as €165,000 (many of which have the benefit of section 23 Tax Relief). While price increases in Sligo over recent years – particularly for residential properties – have been consistent with the national average, there is no doubt that great value for money is still available. An unprecedented level of commercial development has and continues to take place giving rise to prime retail space at The Quayside and Johnston’s Court Centres, retail warehousing within the city centre, and on the outskirts at the Carrowroe Retail Park in Collooney.

It all adds up to Sligo having something to offer everyone who comes here – whether they are visiting for a holiday or coming to live. It is interesting to note that an article in a recent edition of the Economist said ‘Ireland is the best place in the world to live’. As most people in Sligo believe that Sligo is the best place in Ireland to live – well the conclusion is obvious!