BRACE YOURSELVES: a leading US stock markets news website has published a list of the 10 best places to retire abroad – and puts Ireland in pole position.

MarketWatch – which is part of the same Dow Jones/News Corp stable as the Wall Street Journal – gives its reasoning as such:

• It says that Ireland has a number of “charming” small towns which are well served by pubs, restaurants, shops and “quiet neighbourhoods”, namely Waterville, Tralee, Dingle, Ballybunion and Killarney. (All Kerry, incidentally).
• Ireland has “some of the world’s great public golf courses” as well as “some world class golf courses” full stop.
• Property prices are now more accessible thanks to the “spectacular economic collapse”. The result of that, MarketWatch says, is that “real estate prices are much more realistic than they were during the run-up” to 2007.

The other 9 that make up MarketWatch’s top ten places to retire?

2. France (culture, food, wine, healthcare)

3. Spain (climate, food, wine, beaches, property prices)

4. Italy (particularly the Abruzzo region of Italy for atmosphere, food, culture, history)

5. Costa Rica (stable government and economy, climate)

6. Croatia (Dalmatian Coast scenery, ancient Roman towns)

7. New Zealand (outdoors life, scenery)

8. Panama (strong ex-pat community, uses US dollars, climate)

9. Mexico (low cost of living, good healthcare, many speak English)

10. Ecuador (particularly World Heritage site of Cuenca, low cost of living, ex-pat friendly).

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