This is part of a series of travel stories in which retirees living overseas, full time or part time, profile their adopted locales. Send us your suggestions at encore@wsj.com">encore@wsj.com .
In 1904, my grandfather Thomas emigrated to America from the village of Tubbercurry in northwest Ireland. Just over a century later, my wife, Carole, and I made the return trip. Today, we call Tubbercurry�and Ireland�home.
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How we came to leave family and friends in the States is less a story of careful planning and more one of a desire for adventure. After we retired (me from a commercial-leasing business I started, Carole from a career in nursing and real estate), we knew that we wanted to explore the world. We had first visited Ireland and Tubbercurry in 2009 and found ourselves taken with the people and countryside. Almost on a whim, we decided to spend three months here in 2010.
Three months was all it took to persuade us to put down roots.
Moy Next DoorThe appeal begins with the setting. Tubbercurry, population about 1,700, sits 20 miles from the Atlantic Ocean. The Ox Mountains, which loom over the town and the valley where we live, offer great hiking. The River Moy, not far from house, is one of Europe's great trout and salmon streams.
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Close Getty ImagesBen Bulben, a rock formation in County Sligo.
The climate resembles that of Seattle, with temperatures rarely going either side of 40 or 70 degrees. Rainfall is frequent; frosts are rare, occurring fewer than a dozen times annually. Sunsets are magnificent.
Beyond the surroundings, the people make living here a delight. The Irish are as welcoming as legend claims. Given our lack of a car and the tiny refrigerators of Europe, we walk daily to the local market. And what a joy that is! Because conversation is still an art form in Ireland, a one-mile jaunt can turn into a two-hour event.
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Close The Wall Street JournalFinancially, we feel secure. Housing, in particular, is a great bargain, in part thanks to the housing bubble that collapsed here as well. Our rent for a furnished four-bedroom, three-bath home is about $600 a month. Utilities�including telephone, cable, electric and heat�run about $300 a month. Air conditioning is all but nonexistent, and isn't really needed.
Private health insurance is very affordable: about $1,500 annually. Long-term residents age 70-plus can qualify for national health insurance�as well as free bus and train travel. Taking the bus, a five-minute walk from our house, we can reach the airport in Knock or train station in Sligo in 30 minutes. If we need a vehicle, we can lease one for a week or so at reasonable rates.
Far From the 'BurbsEnlarge Image
Close Getty ImagesGalway's Latin Quarter.
Life here moves at a rural (read: leisurely) pace. And that is fine with us; we don't miss the busyness of suburban America. We attend local theater and music events when we aren't exploring Ireland by rail and coach. Each summer, Tubbercurry's South Sligo Music School draws thousands of visitors with a weeklong celebration of traditional Irish music and dance.
We try to get to Dublin, about three hours away by rail, every few weeks. And every two months or so, we visit Britain or continental Europe for seven to 10 days. Indeed, one big benefit in living here is the low cost of air travel. Our airport at Knock is only 20 miles away and offers flights to most major destinations on the Continent.
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CloseThe downsides of living here? For one, the availability of reasonably priced clothing and footwear. These items are very dear, and a 22% value-added tax makes it all the worse. (We rely on packages from home for new winter coats and shoes.) Common over-the-counter medicines, such as aspirin, aren't available without a prescription. We sometimes miss Wal-Mart .
Food and dining out can be expensive, as well. Prices in grocery stores are about 10% higher than in Texas. The quantity and quality of fresh and locally produced goods, however, is a compensation. Markets here are filled with foods and produce from all over Europe, the Mideast and Africa. Seafood is fresh from the North Atlantic in amazing variety and abundance.
Yes, separation from children and grandchildren is a problem, though one mitigated by Skype. But here, too, there is a silver lining: Ireland is a great destination. Relatives and friends visit often. Our daughter, in particular, thinks her parents are exceptionally cool to have moved overseas.
In summary, we are more at home here than we could have dreamed. We began with something of an advantage: I have had family here since 1690, and many Cookes still reside in the area. But we also immersed ourselves in local activities and culture. Of course, many people here think us daft for moving and secretly suspect that we are wealthy expats. But after almost three years, we are part of the fabric.
All in all, our quickly planned stay here is going well. We didn't scheme and dream of doing this. We just felt like an adventure�and took it.
Mr. Cooke, an expatriate living in Ireland, can be reached at encore@wsj.com.
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