If ever there was an episode of this podcast series that I would like the government to listen to, it’s this one. As we travel around all of Ireland and speak to a whole host of different people, all from different socio-economic backgrounds and different generations, there is one topic that is affecting absolutely everyone. The housing crisis

Holly, her partner Joe, and their small child are victims of this crisis. Each summer they have to leave a rental home in order to make room for tourists. No matter what county they try (and they’ve been moving a lot), it seems they can’t find any decent, affordable and permanent places to live. Not the most ideal situation with a child who’ll be starting school in a few years.

“When we had just gotten together and before we had our son, we were living with my mom. She was very good to us, but her cottage is tiny so it could never be a long term thing. We kept looking around, anywhere really, for somewhere to live and work but nothing came up. That’s when we decided to move to Canada.”

While they found work in Canada after a while, it was difficult to earn enough to pay the extortionate rent. Holly became homesick. “We realised that we loved Ireland. If it was going to be a struggle both in Canada and in Ireland, we’d rather struggle here.”

They moved back to Ireland and an aunt gave them a place to live for the winter on her alpaca farm. Holly, being as resourceful as she needed to be, now added “farmhand” to her CV. It wasn’t long after the move home that Holly and Joe fell pregnant with their first child.

Of course, not having a permanent place to live was a worry for the pair, but Holly was adamant that she didn’t want to go back to Dublin. “Dublin is just not for me anymore. It’s so busy and my blood pressure would be through the roof, it just didn't suit us at all.” They searched across the country for suitable accommodation right up until her 7th month. It was then they resigned to taking Joe’s parents up on an invite to stay with them in Dublin. They now had a safe, reliable home in which to welcome the baby, an offer which Holly describes as “such a lifesaver. We would have been lost without them.”

After spending the winter in Dublin with their newborn son, they started their search again. This time, Joe’s job search brought them to West Clare. When they first moved to Miltown Malbay they were delighted. They felt relaxed, happy and like they had finally found the right community in which to grow their family. They moved into a big house with a garden, but they knew it was only a short term rental. By summer their lease had ended, and in their place would be a steady stream of tourists paying what they pay in a month in just a week. The young family now find themselves in a small apartment, which even though it’s lacking in space and a garden, they’re very grateful for.

“We could get another place for September and then have to be out in May again. I hate moving, I hate even packing for a weekend, never mind packing up everything. It’s not really fair on my little boy either. He’s lived in three places already and he’s not even two.”

Holly knows that being on a single income is inhibiting their house hunt. However, she’s in a bit of a catch 22 situation. She secured a job recently, but then couldn't find childcare that didn’t cost more than what the job paid. She has since started her own photography business, something she hopes she can do around her partner's hours and in tandem with caring for her son.