Irish Towns Guide

Greystones makes top Five Towns in Ireland

census-analysis — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 08:30:19 +0000

Greystones came fifth in our league table of the BEST towns in Ireland .
Our top 20 chart was based on census figures from 2006 and was compiled using statistics on Education, Housing, Lone Parents, IT, Unemployment to analyse all the towns. Only towns with populations over 1500 were included.At the 2006 census - the population of Greystones was 14569 .The unemployment rate in Greystones was 3.1% - almost half the national average in Ireland of 5.89%
In Greystones - only 2.22% of the workforce are unable to work because of disability or ill health - which is again under half the national average of 4.71% .

Most workers in Greystones are are employed in management or clerical jobs (27% of the workforce)
Lone parents- make up 15.81% of all households in Greystones - this is just below the national average which is 19.29%

Housing: Local Authority rented homes make up 4.64% of the dwelling units in Greystones about half of the average for Irish towns of 9.06% of Council houses.

Rented homes in Greystones make up 15.86% of all homes in the town - which is just over half of the national average of 28.1%.
More than a quarter of all homes (27.56%) in Greystones are owned outright - with no mortgage outstanding - This is similar to the average for Ireland as a whole which is 28%.Central Heating is not installed in just 4.85% of dwellings in Greystones - which is better than the national average of 10.2%.

Information Technology. : 72% of households own personal computers in Greystones - compared to 53.3% nationally. Broadband connections were at 36.3% in Greystones in 2006 about 75% above the national average which was a fairly poor 20.18% .
33% of homes had no internet access at all in Greystones - compared to the national average of 51%.
Education : Just 8.24% of the people living in Greystones were only educated to primary school level or had no formal education at all. This is half the national average of 16.72%. eople with a third level degree or a higher qualification - make up 33% of the Greystones workforce - which is more than double the national average of 16.57%.

Community involvement in Greystones is above the average for the country - 19% of the over 15s said they carried out some sort of voluntary work.The percentage of people with a disability in Greystones is below the national average of 9.8% at 8.6%.

Annacotty - 4th Best Town in Ireland

census-analysis — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 11:40:46 +0000

Annacotty came fourth in our league table of the BEST towns in Ireland .
Our chart is based on census figures from 2006 and was compiled using statistics on Education, Housing, Lone Parents, IT, Unemployment . Only towns with populations over 1500 were included.At the 2006 census - the population of Annacotty was 1839 .The unemployment rate in Annacotty was just 2%- well below the national average in Ireland of 5.89%
In Annacotty - 8.53% of the workforce are unable to work because of disability or ill health - which is almost double the national average of 4.71% .

Most workers in Annacotty are are employed in professional or technical jobs (33.14% of the workforce).
Lone parents- make up only 8.27% of all households in Annacotty - this is under half of the national average which is 19.29%

Housing: Local Authority rented homes make up only 1.1% of the dwelling units in Annacotty the third lowest in the country and way below the average of 9.06% of Council houses.Rented homes in Annacotty make up 22.92% of all homes in the town - which is 20% below the national average of 28.1%.
Just 15.2% of houses in Annacotty are owned outright - with no mortgage outstanding - well below the average for Ireland as a whole which is 28%.

Central Heating is installed in 98.6% of all dwellings in Annacotty - which is higher than the national average of 89.8%.

Information Technology. : 73% of households own personal computers in Annacotty - compared to 53.3% nationally. Broadband connections were at 35% in Annacotty in 2006 about 75% above the national avearge which was a poor 20.18% .
37.665% of homes had no internet access at all in Annacotty - compared to the national average of 51%

Education : Annacotty residents are quite well educated - 13.3% of the people living in Annacotty - were only educated to primary school level or had no formal education at all. This is better than the national average of 16.72%. People with a third level degree or a higher qualification - make up 37% of the Annacotty workforce - which is more than double the national average of 16.57%.

Community involvement in Annacotty is average for the country - 15.4% of the over 15s said they carried out some sort of voluntary work.The percentage of people with a disability in Annacotty is above the national average of 9.8% at 12.9%.

See the list of best and worst locations in Ireland Here

Carcinogens in Drinking Water Supply

census-analysis — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 10:45:20 +0000

The following Irish towns have levels of THM’s which are above the current standard in the Drinking Water Regulations. These standards are being made more strict from Dec 2008 - to 100 migro grams per litre - so these water supplies will be well above the safe levels unless something is done to rectify things. The politicians seem to be keeping quiet about this recent news from the Irish EPA )Environmental Protection Agency) .

Ennis
Ennistymon
Ballintra
Ballinasloe
Gort
Inishere
Killimor
Kinvara
Loughrea
Roundstone
Spiddal
Dingle
Clogh-Castlecomer
Inistioge
Mountmellick
Kiltimagh
East Meath
Trim
Killarney

THMs are Cancer Group B carcinogens (shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals). Trichloromethane (chloroform) is by far the most common in most water systems. Dibromochloromethane is the most serious cancer risk, (0.6 ug/l to cause a 10-6 cancer risk increase) followed in order by Bromoform (4 ug/l), and Chloroform (6 ug/l).

Towns with Cryptosporidium danger in drinking water .

census-analysis — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 10:29:24 +0000

Galway residents had to suffer months of having to buy bottled water because of Cryptosporidium in their water supply for a large part of 2007. Several people became ill because of the poor water quality and tourism was badly affected. The bad news is that it could get worse for many other Irish towns.The following towns are some of the larger ones in Ireland where drinking water supplies have been identified by the Environmental Protection agency as needing improvements because thay have inadequate treatment for Cryptosporidium. (Over 184 thousand people are supplied by these sub standard water schemes).

Letterkenny
Clonmel
Kells
Oldcastle
Tipperary
Carrick-on-Suir
Castletownbere
Moate
Kenmare
Ballinalee
Edgeworthstown
Rathdrum
Graigue
Castlegregory
Rosmuc
Cleggan
Claddaghduff
Cong
Sneem

Unsafe Drinking Water in Irish Towns

census-analysis — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 10:19:52 +0000

E Coli in the Water Supply in Several Irish Towns
A recent report from the Environmental Protection Agency shows that there are a few places in Ireland with E Coli in the drinking water . E Coli is usually derived from faeces - human or animal - and can cause severe illness and possibly death .

According to the EPA - the following large towns water supplies “failed to meet E.coli standard as reported in the Drinking Water Report and need investigation and improvement if necessary - to ensure that the root cause of the problem has been rectified.”
Waterford City
Athlone
New Ross
Swinford

There were many other smaller water schemes that failed the E Coli tests including

Lanesboro , Inishmore, Mullenbawn, Leap ,Ball ,Clarinbridge ,Kilcolgan
Boyle Ardcarne Avoca Templemore Pettigo Ballingeary Drimoleague Gowna
Rahan Craughwell Omeath Donoughmore Kilbritten Kiltealy Adrigole Ballinaclose
Kilconell Clare Island Keadue

Bottom of the School League Tables

census-analysis — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 17:37:38 +0000

The 2007 figures on Irish leaving cert pupils and entry figures for Irish third level institutions show that the average percentage of students going into 3rd level education in Ireland is 75%. (This does not include those going to UK or abroad)

There are some schoools where less than 60% of pupils went into Irish 3rd level education.
These schools are:

St Joseph’s Secondary, An Uaimh, Co Meath
Gormanston College, Co Meath
St Caimin’s Community School, Shannon, Co. Clare
Community College, Esker, Co Dublin
Castleblayney College, Co. Monaghan
Our Lady’s Secondary, Templemore, Co Tipperary
Brigidine Convent, Mountrath, Co Laoise
CBS, Colaiste Eamonn Ris, Wexford
Grennan College, Thomastown, Co Kilkenny
St Mary’s College, Dundalk, Co Louth
Mount Temple Comprehensive, Dublin 3
Killina Secondary School, Rahan, Co Offaly
St Brendan’s College, Belmullet, Co Mayo
Deutsche Schule, St. Kilian’s, Dublin 14
St. Fintan’s High School, Sutton, Dublin 13
Gairm Scoil, Athenry, Co Galway
Castleknock Community College, Dublin 15
Vocational School, Borris, Carlow
Eureka Secondary, Kells, Co Meath
Colaiste Bride, Enniscorthy, Co Wexford
Kylemore Abbey, Co. Galway

Figures:

Each year the Irish Times puts together some figures of each secondary school’s Leaving Cert students and combines them with figures from Third Level institutions in Ireland . . The Universities and Colleges record which school the first year students were enrolled at in the previous year. The two sets of figures combined give us some idea of the percentages of Leaving Cert students from each school that are entering Third Level education in Ireland. A league table is produced of all the secondary schools in Ireland . Of course - these figures are not a full indication of a schools’ performance - but it is all we have. The figures don’t include students who go on to Universities outside the Republic of Ireland. But in the absence of any Irish Government school performance figures - it is all we have to help pick out schools that might be better or worse than others at preparing students for qualifying for entry to University or other 3rd level education.

Best Secondary Schools in Ireland.

census-analysis — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 17:26:56 +0000

How are the figures obtained?

The 2007 figures showed a few schools with 100% of Leaving Cert pupils going on to third level in Ireland.

Coláiste Iosagain, Stillorgan, Co Dublin
Yeats College, Galway
Jesus & Mary Secondary School, Salthill, Galway
St Joseph’s, Nun’s Island, Galway
Tralee Community College, Co Kerry
St Francis Capuchin College, Rochestown, Cork
Scoil Na Mbraithre, Charleville, Co Cork
Coláiste Eoin, Stillorgan, Co Dublin
Colaiste Na Coiribe, Tuam Rd, Galway
Institute of Education, Dublin 2
CBS, Mitchelstown, Co Cork
Holy Rosary College, Mountbellew, Co Galway
Scoil Mhuire, Sydney Place, Cork
Colaiste Mhuire, Ballygar, Co Galway
St Ita’s, Abbeyfeale, Co Limerick
Coláiste Iascaigh, Easkey, Co Sligo

Galway and Cork schools seemed to do well in this schools league table .

Other top schools with over 90% entry to Irish 3rd level institutions

Blackrock College, Co Dublin
Scoil Mhuire, Carrick On Suir, Co Tipperary
Mount Mercy College, Cork
Loreto High School, Beaufort, Dublin 14
St Joseph of Cluny, Killiney, Co Dublin
Loreto, Foxrock, Dublin 18
Gaelcholaiste Cheatharlach, Easca, Carlow
Hamilton High School, Bandon, Co Cork
Gonzaga College, Dublin 6
CBC, Monkstown, Co Dublin
Scoil Damhnait, Achill, Co Mayo
Laurel Hill Coláiste FCJ, Limerick
Mount Anville School, Dublin 14
Colaiste An Phiarsaigh, Glanmire, Cork
St Vincent’s, Dundalk, Co Louth
Loreto College, St. Stephens Green, Dublin 2
Tarbert Comprehensive, Co Kerry
Presentation College, Mardyke, Cork
Terenure College, Dublin 6w
Glenstal Abbey, Co Limerick
The Teresian School, Dublin 4
Summerhill College, Sligo
L. S. U., Our Lady’s Bower, Athlone, Co Westmeath
Mean Scoil Na Toirbhirte, An Daingean, Co Kerry
St Mary’s College, Rathmines, Dublin 6
Mount St Michael, Claremorris, Co Mayo
Clochar Loreto, Letterkeny, Co Donegal
CBS, Roscommon
Muckross Park College, Dublin 4
Community School, Dunmore, Tuam, Co Galway
Coláiste Choilm, Ballincollig, Co Cork
St Andrew’s College, Blackrock, Co Dublin
Colaiste Iognaid, Galway
Presentation Secondary, Listowel, Co Kerry
St Gerard’s, Bray, Co Wicklow
Ursuline College, Finisklin, Sligo
Colaiste Choilm, Tullamore, Co Offaly
Gaelcholaiste Chiarrai, Tralee, Co Kerry
Ardscoil Mhuire, Ballinasloe, Co. Galway
Cistercian College, Roscrea, Co. Tipperary
Sandford Park School, Dublin 6
St. Louis Community School, Kiltimagh, Co. Mayo
Ard Scoil Phobal Bheanntrai, Bantry, Co Cork
Coláiste Daibhéid, An T-Ardán Theas, Corcaigh

New Ross 5th Worst Town

census-analysis — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 18:27:20 +0000

New Ross came fifth in our top 20 Worst towns in Ireland . Our chart was based on census figures from 2006 and used statistics on Education, Housing, Lone Parents, IT, Unemployment to analyse all the towns with populations over 1500.At the 2006 census - the population of New Ross was 7709 .The unemployment rate in New Ross was 9.86% and was the 5th highest rate of unemployment in Ireland
In New Ross - 4.9% of the workforce are unable to work because of disability or ill health - which is slightly above over the national average of 4.71% .

Most workers in New Ross are are employed in manufacturing (15.86% of the workforce)

Lone parents- make up 24.4% of all households in New Ross well above the National average of 19.29%

Housing: Local Authority rented homes make up 16.56% of the dwelling units in New Ross - the fourh highest percentage in the country behind Rathangan, Lonford and Rathnew.
Rented homes in New Ross make up 40.37% of all homes in the town - 50% above the average for Ireland of 28.1%.
26.27% of houses in New Ross are owned outright - with no mortgage outstanding - just below the average for Ireland as a whole.

Central Heating is not installed in 16.56% of all dwellings in New Ross - which is 50% worse than the national averageof 10.22%.
Information Technology. : 46.48% of households own personal computers in New Ross - compared to 53.3% nationally. But 18.5% had broadband at the last census - not much lower than the Irish average at the time of 20.18% .
Also - 56.75% of homes had no internet access at all in New Ross - compared to the average of 51%

Education : 18.8% of the people living in New Ross - were only educated to primary school level or had no formal education at all. This is very close to the national average of 16.72%.
People with a third level degree or a higher qualification - make up just 11.43% of the New Ross workforce - which is about two thirds of the national average of 16.57%.
Community involvement in New Ross is just below the average for the country. In New Ross 14.2% of the over 15s said they carry out some sort of voluntary work compared to the national average of 15.42%

The percentage of people with a disability in New Ross is below the national average of 9.8% at 9.3%.

Carrick on Suir - another bad Tipperary Town?

census-analysis — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 13:50:08 +0000

Carrick-on-Suir was the fourth worst town in our chart of the worst place to live in Ireland . Based on census 2006 information we have compiled a top 20 list of the best and worst places to live in Ireland. Of course people will disagree with these positions - but they are based on facts and figures like unemployment, housing, lone parents and education.At the 2006 census 2006 - the population of Carrick-on-Suir was 5906 .The unemployment rate was 9.59% - this compares badly with a National Average of 5.92% and was the 6th highest rate of unemployment in Ireland
In Carrick-on-Suir - 6.66% of the workforce are unable to work because of disability or ill health - which is over the national average of 4.71% .
Of those people in work - the largest proportion are employed in manufacturing (20% of the workforce) .Lone parent households in Carrick-on-Suir- make up 26.86% of all households. This is the 5th highest in Ireland and about 25% above the National average of 19.29%

Local Authority rented homes make up 15.57% of the dwelling units in Carrick-on-Suir - the ninth highest percentage in Ireland.
Rented homes make up 34.45% of all homes in Carrick-on-Suir - slightly above the average for Ireland of 28.1%.
28% of occupied houses in Carrick-on-Suir are owned outright - with no mortgage outstanding - the same as the average for Ireland as a whole.

Heating: 10.93% of all dwellings in Carrick-on-Suir have no central heating - which is aroud the same as the rest of the country (10.22%).
I.T. : 40.98% of households own personal computers in Carrick-on-Suir - compared to 53.3% nationally. Only 13.6% had broadband at the last census - much lower than the Irish average at the time of 20.18% . Also - 67.4% of homes had no internet access at all in Carrick-on-Suir - compared to the average of 51%

Education : 22.43% of the people living in Carrick-on-Suir - only went as far as primary school or had no formal education at all. This is very close to 40% above the national average of 16.72%.
People with a third level degree or a higher qualification - make up just 6.76% of the Carrick-on-Suir workforce - which is less than half the national average of 16.57%

Community involvement in Carrick-on-Suir is just below the average for the country. In Carrick-on-Suir 15.3% of the over 15s said they carry out some sort of voluntary work compared to the national average of 15.42%

The percentage of people with a disability in Carrick-on-Suir is above the national average of 9.8% at 12.2%.

Income Levels in Ireland

census-analysis — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 12:18:16 +0000

The CSO - Central Statistics Office released some figures on disposable income levels in Ireland . (Income after Tax and PRSI) The figures are from 2005.County Dublin residents have the highest income levels in the country at 22793 euro per annum. Donegal residents seem to be the poorest with an annual disposable income of 16546 Euro. This is just 72% of the Dublin income levels.

Income Figures per year in Euros by County

22793 Dublin
21186 Kildare
20482 Limerick
20187 Wicklow
20164 Irish Average
20034 Cork
19921 Louth
19719 Meath
19597 Waterford
19413 North Tipperary
19355 Galway
19290 Sligo
18969 South Tipperary
18957 Westmeath
18806 Longford
18722 Clare
18706 Monaghan
18324 Leitrim
18289 Offaly
18099 Laois
18051 Cavan
18040 Wexford
18037 Roscommon
18032 Kilkenny
17879 Mayo
17733 Carlow
17364 Kerry
16546 Donegal