Working in Ireland

[Louloubelle]

Does anyone have any advice or comment on what it is like to work in Ireland - I have read through the past topics on the forum, but I would like to know what the set ups like; how easy it is to live on 280 euros a week, is accommodation easy to find and what the companies are like to work for?

All advice gratefully received.:)

[disheartened]

That's a lot of questions!

But of course Ireland is a wonderful green country, land of saints and scholars, where the guinness flows like water... And where it can be bloody expensive to live in. Dublin, generally not recommended or favoured by other archaeologists, difficult to get work, the digging circle can be very cliquey and it's very expensive to live in. However, I live in Dublin, and it's great, I love it, and definitely visit when you come over.

The rest of the country varies. It is cheaper outside of Dublin, though cities like Cork and Galway are coming up in prices for everything from rent to a pint, to your bag of chips on the way home. It really depends on where your job is going to be, west of the Shannon is cheaper, the closer to Dublin the more expensive it is. Accomodation is easy enough to get (relatively speaking), if you can group together with others, that helps, at least you're not on your own. If you have a car, it's a huge benefit, public transport is hit and miss. Living on 280 a week is possible, but probably not in Dublin any more.

As for the different companies, the quality varies. I know several individuals on here have had bad experiences, and many more have had great experiences. I myself have had few problems, and those I've had haven't been in the field, but when I moved into an office position. The only thing is you do need a SafePass, it's a basic H&S qualification which is now a legal necessity to work on an open construction site. It costs about €100, the company probably won't pay for it, and you will need to get it, though youll get a couple of weeks leeway to get organised once you come over here.

All in all, I do recommend coming to Ireland, there's a lot of work, some very nice sites, and the summer is coming, sun is shining, and the people are great!:D

[lucy78green]

quote:Originally posted by Louloubelle

Does anyone have any advice or comment on what it is like to work in Ireland - I have read through the past topics on the forum, but I would like to know what the set ups like; how easy it is to live on 280 euros a week, is accommodation easy to find and what the companies are like to work for?

All advice gratefully received.:)

Are you being offered 280 Euros a week? That seems a bit low, are you sure that hasn't been converted into Sterling already, or is that minus other expenses you've taken out of the equation already?

Lucy

[troll]

Stonkin archaeology.Really nice people.Horizontal rain.Go get it.:D

..knowledge without action is insanity and action without knowledge is vanity..(imam ghazali,ayyuhal-walad)

[disheartened]

As a GO, you probably do come out with 280-290 a week after tax.

[disheartened]

As a GO, you probably do come out with 280-290 a week after tax.

[27trowels]

its not too bad. you have to work pretty hard and you will probably not make much more than 300 euro a week after tax as a GO but its good experience and you can get a job with no experience. especially with the big road companies ACS, IAC etc. They are on a constant hire cycle (crap wording but im very tired). Plus the archaeology is generally awesome. with regards to safe pass if you apply to the right company then they will pay for it and you wont have to shell out 100 quid just one of you days off on the weekend. Also the guiness really is significantly nicer than in england. Dont let the riots put you off everyone should come to ireland its great.

[27trowels]

its not too bad. you have to work pretty hard and you will probably not make much more than 300 euro a week after tax as a GO but its good experience and you can get a job with no experience. especially with the big road companies ACS, IAC etc. They are on a constant hire cycle (crap wording but im very tired). Plus the archaeology is generally awesome. with regards to safe pass if you apply to the right company then they will pay for it and you wont have to shell out 100 quid just one of you days off on the weekend. Also the guiness really is significantly nicer than in england. Dont let the riots put you off everyone should come to ireland its great.

[dea]

most companies here (V Keeley, Mags Gowen- and I'm pretty sure ACS and ADS) require you have a safepass course before you start working- so check that out with the particular company you are looking to work for.
Ireland is brilliant for archaeology- although I only have a few months experience (V Keeley) - a lot of my friends work for the various companies- and I have heard very few complaints (travel is one- some companies make you pay for your own hiring of a bus etc out to the sites and back- which is crappy- but I think this is in the process of being reviewed/fixed)- also the archaeology is generally brilliant. I got lucky in that i got a Director who was more like a teacher (and good looking to boot!!) and he showed us stratigraphy, section drawing-etc- i even excavated a skellie (supervised)- but I think that finding that kind of Director is rather hit and miss.

as for cost of living- i live near Dublin- and its very expensive- but if you can get into accomodation sharing with others on you site it can definatley be done. The rural availability of Lidl and Aldi can also make shopping cheaper- (avoid Centra/Spar- rip offs) it is also cheaper as per accomodation down the country- and particular companies tend to work in particular areas- ie Mags Gowen tends to work urban/or Dublin areas- I think V. Keeley is working on some road projects in the midlands still... best to check out Thaddeus Breen's website and contact the companies/check their web pages for past and on going projects in order to get a feel of them. Also check out the back of Archaeology Ireland Magazine- they list hiring companies (also the Irish times and the Irish Independant- both available on line. I think Fridays paper has the jobs section in it)
one thing about Ireland- it really is friendly here- you will have a lot of fun (no matter if your GO/whatever)- for example a lot of the companies meet up after work on Fridays and go out to the pub etc. they usually have onsite or off site parties to celebrate the end of a dig. (my experience as well as others)- obviously this doesnt mean Every company is brilliant or does this.
one other thing- the riots have nothing to do with anything here. they also have/had nothing to do with republicans etc. they were hooligans/toe rag/scumbags who feel socially disaffected and bored- they barely have a grasp of what republican means.
let me give you a little example recently posted on the net by someone who overheard the whole interaction...

Two women were standing at a bus stop somewhere in the city centre in Dublin- they were chatting away to each other- as they spoke two dishevelled looking tracksuited 'youths' passed them by and shouted at them to 'go back to your own f*****g country- you foreigner b******s!" The two women just looked at each other in shock. They were speaking IRISH.

Ireland is briliant (and yes i'm biased- but its true- the weather is getting warmer- and you'll get great experience- I cant wait to get back to work!)

if you want- i could pass on your email to a swedish friend of mine who would prob be more than happy to tell you the more ins and outs of working (as a single person?) in arch. in ireland.
best of luck!

[dea]

most companies here (V Keeley, Mags Gowen- and I'm pretty sure ACS and ADS) require you have a safepass course before you start working- so check that out with the particular company you are looking to work for.
Ireland is brilliant for archaeology- although I only have a few months experience (V Keeley) - a lot of my friends work for the various companies- and I have heard very few complaints (travel is one- some companies make you pay for your own hiring of a bus etc out to the sites and back- which is crappy- but I think this is in the process of being reviewed/fixed)- also the archaeology is generally brilliant. I got lucky in that i got a Director who was more like a teacher (and good looking to boot!!) and he showed us stratigraphy, section drawing-etc- i even excavated a skellie (supervised)- but I think that finding that kind of Director is rather hit and miss.

as for cost of living- i live near Dublin- and its very expensive- but if you can get into accomodation sharing with others on you site it can definatley be done. The rural availability of Lidl and Aldi can also make shopping cheaper- (avoid Centra/Spar- rip offs) it is also cheaper as per accomodation down the country- and particular companies tend to work in particular areas- ie Mags Gowen tends to work urban/or Dublin areas- I think V. Keeley is working on some road projects in the midlands still... best to check out Thaddeus Breen's website and contact the companies/check their web pages for past and on going projects in order to get a feel of them. Also check out the back of Archaeology Ireland Magazine- they list hiring companies (also the Irish times and the Irish Independant- both available on line. I think Fridays paper has the jobs section in it)
one thing about Ireland- it really is friendly here- you will have a lot of fun (no matter if your GO/whatever)- for example a lot of the companies meet up after work on Fridays and go out to the pub etc. they usually have onsite or off site parties to celebrate the end of a dig. (my experience as well as others)- obviously this doesnt mean Every company is brilliant or does this.
one other thing- the riots have nothing to do with anything here. they also have/had nothing to do with republicans etc. they were hooligans/toe rag/scumbags who feel socially disaffected and bored- they barely have a grasp of what republican means.
let me give you a little example recently posted on the net by someone who overheard the whole interaction...

Two women were standing at a bus stop somewhere in the city centre in Dublin- they were chatting away to each other- as they spoke two dishevelled looking tracksuited 'youths' passed them by and shouted at them to 'go back to your own f*****g country- you foreigner b******s!" The two women just looked at each other in shock. They were speaking IRISH.

Ireland is briliant (and yes i'm biased- but its true- the weather is getting warmer- and you'll get great experience- I cant wait to get back to work!)

if you want- i could pass on your email to a swedish friend of mine who would prob be more than happy to tell you the more ins and outs of working (as a single person?) in arch. in ireland.
best of luck!