I hate the journey, it's awful. It makes my day so long. The real disadvantage of living so far out is that your community isn't where you live - you've a foot in both camps. But I'm glad I bought the house in Carlow. The people are friendly and very laid back and I can walk everywhere. Because of the drive, I'm just not in Carlow enough to get to know the people. The drive from Carlow to Dun Laoghaire takes an hour and 20 minutes. In bad traffic, its one hour 40 minutes. The train takes an hour and a half to Heuston station and I then have to get a bus to the DART station. That way it would take me almost three hours to get from Carlow to Dun Laoghaire. No way would I do that. I've tried the route through Tullow and Shillelagh. It's a mountain road and very beautiful but it takes a long time. I drove home by the main road the other night in the rain. It was a dreadful evening and there's no lighting after Naas on the main road. It was pitch dark much of the way.

I really like it here, but there are hidden costs. I spend a lot on petrol and will probably have to change my car more often because of wear and tear. And there's no such thing as dropping in to see someone after work. I'm actively seeking employment in the Carlow area so I can get to know my new home town.

In an interview with Kate McMorrow