Hugh Widdis, a barrister, moved from Dublin to Co Down in 1995. "Both my parents are from small towns in the North so I often came to the North for holidays and the like, it was never a strange or alien place for me.

"I never saw going to Ulster as any different to going to Galway or Cork. I like Northern people and find them easy to get on with. When I started working as a barrister in the Royal Courts of Justice I had a master showing me the ropes so it was exactly the same as starting off in Dublin.

"Initially I came here as I thought there might be more opportunities available to me in the area of law I wanted to specialise in, however it did not exactly work out quite the way that I had planned it."

Mr Widdis currently works as in-house Counsel in Stormont: "The conflict resolution practice in Stormont is a unique opportunity. It is a very interesting and dynamic time to be living in the North.

"Working with members of the Assembly on new constitutional issues is a huge challenge, I do not believe that I would have gained the same experience had I stayed in Dublin. I couldn't resist such a rare opportunity and I am now totally committed to staying until the conflict is resolved, however long that might take."

Hugh Widdis has no plans to return to Dublin in the near future. "I love the life I have here. Co Down is a county of outstanding natural beauty.

"Although I grew up in an urban area I like the wildness of the countryside up here and from here I can easily commute to the city. I have no desire to return to long traffic jams and expensive real estate. I will be staying in Co Down for the foreseeable future."