Scattered all along the inland waterways of Ireland are small communities of people living on their boats, from Dublin's docklands to Hazelhatch and Sallins, right down to the Shannon.
Many have been there for years choosing to live a life closer to nature in pursuit of a more tranquil lifestyle. Others have no option: with no hope of being able to afford a house, they have turned to the waterways instead.
When Ken Bagnall, from Celbridge, Co Kildare and his partner Sophie Cox from Bristol, arrived back in Ireland three years ago having spent a number of years travelling abroad, they realised there was little chance of being able to secure a house.
Acting on advice from Sophie's father the option of buying a boat and living on it seemed to be a viable option.
Their search for a boat subsequently brought them to England where they looked at scores of vessels before opting for a narrow boat, which had previously been used as a holiday boat in Manchester.
"It's pretty much the same as looking for a house,' says Ken. "We had quite a definite idea about what we wanted.
Number one was to have a separate bathroom facility, not just one behind a curtain." They ended up buying their boat for £30,000 (38,092).
The cost of bringing a boat into Ireland needs to be considered for anyone thinking of buying one, three years ago it cost £2,000 (2,540) to hire a truck big enough to transport it on the ferry.
With origins in Celbridge it was the obvious place for them to locate it, so they chose Hazelhatch, a very picturesque spot about 10 minutes' walk from Celbridge.
As ever, location is all important even when living on the water.
Sophie is able to get the train from Celbridge into Dublin's Heuston Station. It's a 15-minute journey Ken and Sophie's boat is 50 ft long and 7 ft wide. In its original state there were pull-out beds and partitioning throughout, but they made everything open plan. At the far end they have their bedroom with compact storage for clothes and incidentals - remember, living in a confined space requires a sense of order and discipline.
Heat is supplied by a diesel stove which generates so much heat that windows need to be left open even during the winter.
There is a generator on board and the water supply is tapped into the mains on the bank and filled up manually whenever necessary.
Obviously there are no phone lines but mobiles come into their own for this lifestyle. As the boat was bought in England, they also have the advantage of a septic tank on board.
Inside, cheerful check curtains adorn the boat's numerous windows. The kitchen area is compact and positioned at the rear of the boat so that you access it off the entrance portal.
"When we first started living on the boat, a load of stuff went wrong. The plumbing in particular went haywire: it was a learning process that got better as time went on," says Ken. "We've managed to save a fortune over the last three years with no rent or mortgage so now we're in the position to look for a house and will be moving on, although we'll miss the boat.
"The only cost is £100 (127) per year to the Office of Public Works for use of the canal."
Boats come and go all the time on the canal, so the positioning of your homestead varies as you will move around all the time.
If you want privacy you would need to moor at the very end of the other boats, as day-trippers have an endless fascination with the waterways and frequently stroll the canal banks.
The only disadvantage, Ken believes, is in the winter time when the banks of the canal are understandably muddy and it's difficult to keep the boat clean.
In the summer everything is idyllic, sitting out on deck, positioned by Hazelhatch bridge with a pub on either side, and only 15 minutes from Dublin. What could be better?
