Steeped in myths, legends, and history, Ireland’s Ancient East has a lot to offer, and no more so than Louth and Meath. From the Hill of Tara to Carlingford Lough, these counties offer a wealth of heritage and exploration for visitors and locals alike.
Located just outside the hustle of Dublin, Louth and Meath are perfect locations for house buyers who want to escape city life but want to stay in proximity. Being just over an hour from Dublin also makes them perfect weekend getaways or holiday destinations.
During the course of the pandemic, most workers discovered that they can be more flexible in their professional life and how important that has become to their careers and businesses.
While enjoying the cultural sides of Louth and Meath and the beautiful landscapes, these two counties also offer endless supports to workers and business start-ups a like, with six local hubs across the counties, most of them in operation for 10 years or more.
Louth Meath Hubs is a collaboration between enterprise and incubation centres across both counties, with a host of facilities and amenities for remote and smart workers, business start-ups and scaling businesses. Each hub has unique solutions to support business, recreation and training needs.
David Downes of UMAC Systems works from Kells Tech. He decided to do so as he found the supports offered in this hub worked well for him and the business. "The synergies of our company and Meath Enterprise are very similar, therefore we work well together."
It has been estimated that those commuting into the bigger cities around Ireland spend on average between 10 and 15 hours per week on the road, by working in your local community that is valuable time that could be spent on other things, be it supporting family members, coaching your children’s local sports team or volunteering on community projects. The move away from the five-day commute will have great benefits to local communities and your local hub can direct you to community groups that you can become active with.
Working from home happened for all in such a rapid and unusual way, it felt like starting a new job, as we all learned to work and communicate with colleagues in a new way. Like beginning a new job, it took time to embed and six months into working remotely people started to understand the pros and cons of this new way of working.
Some liked the freedom and flexibility while others missed the social interaction. Now that we can socialise face to face again, this is a major benefit of local hubs such as the ones across Louth and Meath. Remote workers have the opportunity to have a chat or have a coffee with other members of the hubs, satisfying that need for social interaction while still working remotely.
Twenty or 28 days holiday allowance no longer dictates a person’s holiday plans or love of travel. In this more flexible way of working, many people across Ireland are deciding to return to their home counties for longer than their usual one-week summer stay, as they can base themselves in local hubs and spend more quality time with friends and family.
Hubs such as the ones across Louth and Meath can also aide tourism in their local communities as international travels look to 'workcation' in Ireland.
Christophe Dubrulle has been living in Europe for the past number of years after moving from the US. This summer he decided to take the opportunity to see Ireland while still working in local hubs during the day and exploring in the evenings and weekends.
"I personally like to stay a little outside the big cities when travelling as there is less hustle and bustle and you get the local vibes," he says. "Creative Spark has been great base while in the area."
One of the biggest advantages for entrepreneurs taking up tenancy with these hubs is their strong network of supports provided by staff and local networks. Over the past decade these hubs have built strong partnerships with local enterprise offices, chambers and institutes as well as working with enterprise centres across the country to offer major collaboration events that offer insight and direction to business start-ups.
There is a sizeable community of entrepreneurs working in the fintech sector in Louth and Meath, so being part of the local hubs in these areas can help open doors to mentors’ future partners and funding streams, proving that start-ups don’t need to be based in the capital to advance their business ideas.
Conor Cogan of Bearded Man works from the Meath Enterprise Campus and believes in the value that can be offered from being part of his community hub. "Being based in MEC allows us to connect into a network of advice, support and training," he says.
So, whether you are an entrepreneur setting out on your start-up adventure or a corporate employee looking for a remote working desk, you will find a suitable option in one of the conveniently placed hubs across Louth and Meath.
To find out more about the hubs across Louth and Meath, visit www.louthmeathhubs.ie
