Rural relocation: 'You can live the dream and still progress your career'
You can still progress in your life while enjoying life in the beautiful surroundings of Sneem.
Aidan Murray manages the Sneem Digital Hub, a slick communal workspace in a picturesque Kerry town where a river cascades down from the mountains between jauntily painted cafés and ice-cream parlours.
The digital hub was set up two years ago by locals keen to attract more people to live in the area to counteract rural depopulation and keep the local community, school, post-office, and GAA club vibrant and busy.
Demand for a place at the digital hub was so high last summer that they had to turn people away.
But Aidan and his team worked to expand the space since then and can accommodate up to 23 people, socially distanced, this summer.
In non-Covid times, the digital hub, with 1GB fibre broadband, can accommodate more than 40 people in its main workspace, a private video conference room, and private work booths.
Aidan says: "People say that we have far superior broadband here in Sneem, in the middle of nowhere, than they were getting in Dublin or Cork.
“When travel restrictions lifted in July and August we were inundated, we had to turn people away and our capacity was reduced due to social distancing.
"People are realising that you can now live in these lovely places, progress in your career and have more money in your pocket because property and life here is cheaper."
The Government’s plan to incentivise rural relocation which will see the decentralisation of some 68,000 public employees, possible tax incentives and grants, may benefit not just rural towns but cities too, he believes.
“The announcement on Monday should make it easier for more people to relocate. It is also potentially good news for about 350 digital hubs across the country, including us.
“We all need to work together to get the message out there, to let people know that they have options.”
Originally from Dublin, Aidan moved to Kerry 15 years ago while working for Dell where he was able to complete much of his work remotely.
He now wants to share his love of south Kerry with other urbanites keen for a change of life.
Families and individuals have already moved to Sneem from Dublin and he is currently helping families from Dublin and Holland plan the move.
“We provide a concierge service to help people find homes to
rent or buy and to introduce families to the local schools.
"We’re helping families from Dublin and the Netherlands move here at the moment.
“A lot of property to rent or buy in south Kerry is not online, so we can tell them what’s really out there.
“Interest in the last 12 months has been particularly high.”
Aidan says the challenge is to get the word out there so people know that they can still progress in their career and live their dream rural life.
Sneem Digital Hub currently has some illustrious clients, including fintech directors, the MD for one of Ireland’s largest advertising agencies, a marketing manager for one of the biggest banks, and a HR manager from one of Ireland’s biggest companies.
There are myriad reasons to consider a move to Sneem, Aidan says.
“The way of life here is so much more relaxed. The pupil-teacher ratio in schools is really good, there are really great, high-achieving schools in the area.
“The village itself only has 200 residents but it has brilliant amenities.
“I’d say there isn’t another village in Ireland that has two top-class hotels and so many great bars and restaurants and cafes.
“The beauty of it is that when you’re living here, you have the benefit of all that without having to share it with lots of people.
"And you have the benefit of living in a nice, small, close community but yet have all these amenities right at your doorstep."
