Member Info for torquay

some positive sentiment on here just the news I was looking for after this rotten three week cold now drying up thank god. The housing market is really something over here - looked at a property the other day which we liked - we talked about an offer on Tuesday - we were too late. We viewed it on Saturday, second day on the market and there it was gone. Only back On-Line today and very slow delivery - hopefully it will be better tomorrow. Good luck all

They say that a watched pot never boils - well my eye has been off this one for the last week - when it wasn't doing so badly. Boy it's cold up here but happily the house is warm - just nipped down here to log on at the library and am becoming "excirrer and delirrer" at the present level of pricing. We have both had the worst cold that I can ever remember - that includes the "London Cold" that Martin and X4 will know all about. Still rattling but feeling better - well enough to call in the local for a "livener Good luck all for now.

Just popped in here - at the public library - 12BLn is the high water mark on this share, based on the reward that Ross earned the last time this share searched for the stratosphere. No news yet on the property front but we have now taken up residence in a rental. Still busy and picked up the most awful cold - we both did - but starting to get rid of it now. Good luck all

Thanks Radar and all for the good wishes - we're renting a place in Newcastle next week which probably won't have WiFi so you can all enjoy the peace for a while until we are sorted. Good luck all and a prosperous new year. Keep up the good work X4.

For those alert enough to notice my mistake - I mentioned the beach at Milford - when I was actually in Rathmullan which is delightful, even on a wet day. There is also a wonderful Roadhouse in the Donegal side of the border Derry to Letterkenny which is almost now a city. When I was last in it, forty odd years ago, I can only remember one street - now it has a huge Shopping Centre with Tesco's in it of course and elsewhere a Lidl and an Aldi.Like Galway it has come in leaps and bounds - must be the Daniel O'Donnell effect. Shrewd investments -not like us!! The Letterkenny that I remember probably had one bike and the three guards shared it, just like Achill in the sixty's ther difference being that then we were all safe from people smashing their way into homes and robbing the owners. This is a new and recent misfortune in Ireland and must be addressed now - stamped out with a big pair of boots. Watching this share is beginning to make me light headed - go on get up there you beauty. Good luck all.

to Mick-B for his kind illumination of the machinations of share trades notified - rather suggests that we should not even believe the time quoted, even if we are looking at our own watch.

Have just spent a very enjoyable few days in Milford in Donegal - lovely place superb beach and amazingly scenic coastline. We had a good run round yesterday and am most impressed with the investment that has been made in tourism, beautiful holiday cottages all very well maintained and not cluttering up the place by being jammed together like Dublin's saturation developments. Last night was excellent entertainment in the local pub - almost went on too long which made the bed drag this morning. Good luck all and hope you have all enjoyed a great Christmas.

Somebody has pulled the plug looking at the share trades - and yet - she rises, quite mystifying but am sure an example of Radars manipulation

Glad to read X4's comments with regard to the nations health and well being, which of course benefits the economy when people do not have to provide cover for themselves. For those that do as in America, my cousin once told me that two serious ailments can wipe out a life times work, often causing bankruptcy. Ireland has built hotels and golf courses everywhere which contribute to making it an ideal place to retire - Hotdog has missed something if he thinks that this has nothing to do with BOI. Put the hospital's in shape, particularly with regard to infection control which is vital, monitor and enforce consultants performance - they are contracted to provide 60% of their time to work in public hospitals - this is just not being delivered which is a disgrace on the entire nation. The politicians who allow it should be replaced at the next election if the problem is not now addressed. For Hotdog's benefit - this affects Bank of Ireland and Allied Irish because whilst it persists it seriously limits inward investment in the country by people like myself and the colleen. I would have loved to settle in Wexford or Wicklow where I still have many friends and former golfing partners, who in spite of the health service are still alive but because of my advancing years and need for occasional maintenance, I am investing outside the state and so will continue to use Nationwide and a Credit Union. We are one hour and forty five minutes from Wicklow Golf Club and a few of the other clubs down there, so I don't feel that cut off when I can play them whilst visiting the various members of my family. There is nothing wrong with the large majority of Irish hospitals, none of them are really that old but infection control is a must and should be of the highest priority. The presence of "Hospital Managers" with questionable qualifications needs looking at seriously if the system is ever to be made into something that resembles a nations health service. The NHS which employs one million people, is carrying and awful load which is only getting worse because of the actions of so called hospital managers, who are quite happy to see two thirds of a hospital's budget spent on administration. Oh I almost forgot - a very happy Christmas to all board posters.

Hope that this is not a Santa rally but a sign of our way forward from here - austerity only goes one way - but is the option preferred by the bean counters.

My spirits are rising along with it - the response from "Ulsterbus" convinces me that we have moved in the right direction as far as the border is concerned - the motor engineer will be with me tomorrow morning. Imagine the week before Christmas and the response is still excellent. Our other point of concern was the health service and the availability of treatment when needed - in the republic there are awful tales being told on the TV about the lack of treatment and the attitude of consultants so far as their duty of care is concerned - almost never there, when they are wanted !!! Sundays Independent reported on a group of patients who were taken to the north for cataract treatment which is as good as unavailable "UNLESS YOU CAN PAY." The wait is up to two years if you can't - in the case of knees and hips - if you can't pay forget it. The day we surfaced in Ireland we were confronted with this stark reality by the wife's sister and had it confirmed in two RTE programmes which were broadcast over successive nights. Some of the accounts were truly heart rending and very hard to accept in "Holy Ireland" - not everybody is entitled to a miracle but now that growth has returned "we hear" to Ireland this is one of those times when something must be done. The TD's have presided complacently over this situation when they should have been appalled - it is long past time for the people ask them " what they are going to do about it" - before they are turned out of their nice comfortable numbers to rejoin the general population. This should be of particular interest to X4 if you are serious about returning - in the meantime you are not forgotten. good luck all.

Keep up the good work - somehow it's typical - as soon as I leave the country they begin to fix Brexit. Met an Ulsterbus today on a country road with the Vor Sprung - dragged a few yards hard enough to require a new back wing - which they have agreed to pay for so no worries as long as they have a good sprayer for matching the paint. Still feeling at home here amongst these very friendly people. Good luck all.

Why do you think that I suggested the introduction of "Shariah Law" for bankers - it is almost beyond belief that people can treat others in this way - and then I think of Kosovo. Our politicians preside over these events and have the power to act in the most venal cases - why don't they? Vince Cable is a man after my own heart when he stated that banks are incapable of doing anything that is socially useful - they are the ones entrusted with our money to oil the wheels of the economy - so that it runs better NOT TO DESTROY IT by reducing people to penury.

This is good if steady progress and very welcome after all this time - quite cheered me up today in spite of the snow - went out for some shopping today and could not help noticing the increase in prices here in the north compared with the UK. Economic activity here seems undisturbed by the current impasse at Stormont - the people are out shopping and dining like they used to do in the late 80's in the UK. The cars are excellent, and there are lots of them buzzing about all the time. Ireland really does seem to be the place to be at the moment, the bars are jammed,the cafes are all busy and if you want to eat in a restaurant if you don't book ahead forget it. Housing are selling and prices are rising, not dramatically yet and certainly not as much as the republic, but this level of activity must reflect well on the bank's bottom line - and that's before the rates increase. Good luck all.

is soft boiled and our share is rising - a little - still busy travelling in spite of the frosts. Don't know why I brought my clubs !!! Hope this fella knows what he is talking about - when he speaks about Francesca.

Looks like Arlene has smelt a rat - with the UK failing she would be wise to search out new partners - that unfortunately seems to me to be beyond her intellectual capacity when it comes to strategic thinking. Their siege mentality seems part of their DNA which ensures their automatic default position - informed thought does not come into it. Glad to see that there is also a puff of wind in our sail. Good luck all.

Back from the north and happy to say that we have found a property in Newcastle that suits us very well - big enough for all our visitors - and far enough from the grandchldren to restrict their welcome visits and also requests for baby sitters. Now starts the fun of buying it with all the shennanigans of the auctioneer. Wish us luck..

Thank you indeed X4 for yours and yes our benefits would probably work better here and we like the location - people seem friendly enough really - we are viewing a number of houses tomorrow that interest us. Surprising how many are selling here and around the country which must mean that the banks are lending and competing because prices seem to have stopped falling. Just hope that this Brexit FIASCO gets fixed, because it will be a sizeable spanner in the works for a lot of people when interest rates rise as the banks "harvest" their loan book. Am impressed and pleased with the visible prosperity in the republic where every second person seems to be driving a Merc or a BMW - admittedly a good few of them are ten years old or so but they seem well cared for and much cleaner than I remember. Goodnight X4 and best wishes - will light you a candle in the morning at the parish of the Asssumption here - this was the name of our parish in Torquay - we see it as an omen for the direction that we have taken. Good luck all.

Hope that is not the start of hard times coming - the republic feels like a country jogging along nicely - but that is what the UK looks like helped by all the new cars being bought on cheap finance. Everything that glitters is not gold for the consumer - could be the prelude to rising interest rates - then we'll see who has real money. The pressure in the city is rising - the godson/nephew in London is working all the hours that god sends up to 11.00pm at night - despondency setting in, which is a shame because he is a great lad and was just unlucky to leave OZ when he did. Cannot see what abusing their staff is going to achieve or advantage the large institutions in the long run - but I can see where the banks can make money as the interest rates rise. Good luck all

For your good wishes all - am slowly coming to terms with life over here - am currently in Greystones at a family house with the colleens sister. We have both decided that we like the look of Newcastle in County Down - courses are good too,Warren Point and of course Newcastle itself. The town is pretty and the church is listed and is beautiful - now all we need is a house that we feel able to afford without blowing our budget. Herself loved Gorey and all the shops - unfortunately the houses that we liked "in town" (walking distance of the church) have gone and we are not used to being out in the country, where you need a car for everything and she won't drive the Vor Sprung. Newcastle is a pretty little town, beautiful church and house prices are attractive am in the process of arranging to view four on Tuesday next. Have also visited Kilmore Quay and Bridgetown where we viewed two houses for sale but felt that we would be too isolated and a long drive to the airport and all that Dublin traffic. good luck all