The housing paths and residential experiences of Polish newcomers to Dublin, Ireland

Abstract

Dublin city’s economic expansion and retraction have a cyclical effect with the housing market which is also impacted by the migration patterns of citizens from new member states of the European Union. Little is known about this group’s strategies, choices, constraints, and opportunities in the Irish housing system. Applying a transnational element to the housing pathways approach, a metaphorical construct which expands upon the housing careers concept by featuring the subjective experiences of a cohort as the reference for analysis, this thesis outlines the housing paths of 31 Polish residents of Dublin. The modified framework draws attention to the phenomenon that relates to the cohort; a group of motivated, educated, and professional individuals who exercise their agency across geographic boundaries over time.