I'd be biased, and tell you Cork (hometown) is the best spot to live. I'm sure you'd get many opinions on this though if you ask some locals. Honestly, there's so much Outdoor activity no matter where you settle down. None of the cities are so big that it takes an age to get out to a remote spot for hiking, nature etc. And in Ireland, you're rarely far from a beach, river etc, to enjoy that aspect of life. There are plenty of websites to point you in the right direction for hiking. One's your familiar with in the US have Irish recommendations too e.g. There's great little towns a few miles outside most big areas. For example, Middleton in Cork (Jameson's home 🙂 ) is a good little commuter town. Same up near Dublin. Lot's of smaller areas, that still have the small town feel, but are close enough to everything you need with regard to amenities. For local produce - many farmers sell their harvest right from their front door. Due to the lockdown, my mom got turned around by the Gardai the other day for trying to get to her favorite farm for some vegetables. 5km is the rule, and they were not letting her break it. Aside from that, and probably easier, there's plenty of weekly farmers markets. You won't have to go too far to find one. Here's some ideas Have you been to the English Market in Cork city? It's very well known outside of Cork too. Great place to get veg, fruit, meat, flowers, etc. Definitely worth visiting, even as a tourist.

I hadn't looked at garden hoses before, but it looks like the ones I could find for sale online were different enough that it probably isn't worth bringing. Most US Outdoor faucets are 5/8" thread. It looks like both 12.5mm (1/2") and 19mm (3/4") are used in Ireland. Close enough to look the same. Then most places seem to sell the hose and fitting not connected to each other, then you connect the fitting you need to match your taps/faucets and other items you are connecting.

... around Ireland. Also available via mobile app www.theirelandwalkingguide.com : a list compiled by an Outdoor WAlker/photographer The Top 10 WAlking and Hiking Routes in Ireland, as compiled by Activeme.ie ActiveMe also have a pretty decent mobile app. iOS version here. Android here.

... be good for a newcomer to know about, and might help them settle in their new home. I'm going to keep it easy and just ask for 1 - 3 suggestions. Here are mine: 1. I'm going to go with a Cork theme as this is the city I am most familiar with. The first place I think everyone living in Cork should know of is Fitzgerald's Park, which runs along the River Lee near UCC. Whether you like a nice casual stroll, a great place for your kids to play, a nice place to read a book under a tree or a place to catch an occasional Outdoor performance, Fitzgerald's park won ...