Episode 2 Departure Diaries

Every week in Northern Ireland

families are having to say goodbye to loved ones who are leaving the country,

some forced to look elsewhere because they can't get a job here,

others hoping for a better future for themselves and their children.

Well, the amount of student loans and student debt.

There's no future for them at the minute, you know? Not around here.

For some, emigrating offers a chance of an exciting new start.

Anybody with a wee bit of get up and go's heading off,

-and it's important to do the best we can.

-Will you pay for it, too?

SHE LAUGHS

That's maybe stretching it a wee bit.

They're torturing me with their big, red eyes.

For others, the decision to leave is a heartbreaking one.

It's hard seeing your family upset and knowing that it's you that's causing it.

For all of them, moving to a new country takes a huge leap of faith,

They don't know what's in front of them.

This is the hard bit.

Departure Diaries follows some of those people in the lead-up to the biggest move of their lives.

Uh-huh. Whose is this one?

The Yardley family are moving to the Isle of Man.

-That's staying.

-No, it's not. It's going.

Since his business folded, Rhys has been looking into job opportunities

on the island where he grew up.

On the Isle of Man there's quite a big offshore financial sector,

mainly to do with, you know, things like tax and corporation tax and things like that.

I've got a lot of experience in the financial industry,

so the jobs that I've mainly applied for are all to do with, you know, finance,

or, you know, customer service, things like that.

Although they have no departure date,

they have decided to let their home near Bellaghy

and rent somewhere nearby until their plans are finalised.

We've tried to sell our property in the past too, and we just haven't been able to do that,

so for all of this to happen, our only solution was to rent it out,

but we'd also, when we do move to the Isle of Man, we actually want to buy somewhere as well.

In order for that to happen, I have to be there on the island

and have a job and have at least three months' pay slips as well.

That's part of the transition that we have to go through as well

to actually physically get there.

You need to be good!

-OK?

-But with just three days until the move,

the Yardleys' plans have started to unravel.

I've been running around mental all day,

phoning estate agents, looking on the internet,

made out some little posters and stuck them up at the Post Office.

We had another property agreed,

but it has fallen through.

So, we're desperate for somewhere in the next couple of days.

I suppose the sense of urgency is that we've rented our house out to tenants,

and we're moving out because we know that they're good tenants.

They're people we know and they're taking it long-term,

which is what we want. We don't want to lose those tenants, cos we're back to square one again then.

When could we get a viewing at that?

We may have to put them back a week, because I think it's almost too short notice now,

you know, with only having four or five days left to actually find somewhere.

-So... Which we don't want to do.

-We don't have four or five days.

-No.

-We've got till Friday.

-Well, yeah.

-Quick! Quick, quick!

The Glens of Antrim have been particularly badly hit by the recession and emigration.

Martin McClafferty grew up on a farm there,

but he has his sights set further afield. He's planning on moving his family to Australia.

I've always come over and helped out on the farm

if anything needed to be done and that.

Give them a hand with sheep when they're dosing, or whatever.

But I've never really been that interested, to be honest.

I've went and done my time

electrical and that, there, and that's where I see myself working rather than actually farming.

There was periods where there was loads of work. Even if you went out of a job, it was just a matter of

phoning somebody else and you could get straight into another one probably the next day.

But it's not happening any more.

Martin had to go out away to work, maybe England, for maybe three or four weeks at a time.

He'd be home one weekend at a time.

That's not any good.

Especially at the teenage age, where they need their daddy.

You'd have been doing 12-, 14-hour days.

So, you were just going to work, coming home, get something to eat,

and that was basically how you lived for two weeks.

It would be great if we could afford, you know, to have him on the farm,

but can't, really. Farming's not that hot, so it's not.

Whenever there was periods where there was very little or no work,

I would've been on the computer, just going through, seeing if there's any vacancies or something

that would interest me. It just happened one day it came up, "electricians in Australia".

So, I decided to apply for it, see how it went,

and then, after I'd done all that, I asked my wife, Janice,

how she would fancy it, and she says, "Aye. That'd be OK."

I says, "Too late anyway, because I've already done it, so..."

So, it went down OK eventually.

They have to leave - there's nothing here for him.

Martin's coming now 40,

and no sign of any jobs coming up.

But it's one of these things. But I'm not a mother that clings to the wee ones.

I...think they should do their own thing.

I always said that children were lent to you.

I've just got a wee card I've left for this other family moving in.

All Joan's house-hunting paid off,

and, just in time, the Yardleys find a place to rent.

-Some biccies for them?

-But Joan will have to manage the move on her own.

Rhys is on his way to the Isle of Man for a job interview.

I left there this morning, and that's the last time I'm there.

So, bit emotional, but, you know, it's the way forward.

-So...

-Come and get your stuff.

-Joan's been fantastic.

She's going to do most of the transitional phase from

our own house to the new place while I'm away.

I'm a bit more relieved now that that's sort of all settled and put to bed.

So, we can concentrate now on getting across to the island and getting the job.

Every time a family leaves Northern Ireland,

there's an impact on the community they leave behind.

Rural sports clubs have suffered particularly badly

as young players go overseas to find work.

In Cushendall, hurling is more than just another sport.

Basically, if you're born around Cushendall,

you've tried hurling or camogie at some time. Everybody has.

It's the heart and soul of the whole community.

For a while there it was plenty of work round home for the kids,

and now it's all dried up again,

and kids are starting to leave. I think something like 12 guys have left

here within the past few months,

and now we see with Cormac McClafferty, his family,

the whole family's going. But it's not only the talented players we're losing.

Cormac's mother and father are big supporters of the club. Like, Martin and myself would have played together

and that. He would have helped coach and his wife would have helped out.

So, you're losing a whole family, which is a rare thing.

It's very seldom a whole family goes.

And they're going to be a massive loss to our community.

Turn over. There.

Ha! Classic.

-Bit of a surprise, is it?

-Yup.

-Ha, class!

-Least he's not slagging you in it, huh?

The article I wrote in the newspaper was just the fact that

we come from a very small community

and when you get a kid with talent, hold onto them,

and he comes through the ranks, and plays for the club's senior, and then he goes on and plays for the county.

And I just wrote about how, you know, the time and effort and the development you put into him there,

and watch him develop, and then he gets on a plane, and so...

you know, not a waste of time or anything, but it just seems,

you know, from a totally selfish point of view, from the club,

he's going to be a big, big loss to us.

You don't play hurling then just don't come to Cushendall. That's the way I see it.

It's massive. Usually when you see a youngster about Cushendall,

they'll have a hurling stick in their hand.

You go out and you meet your friends on the street and you bring your hurley,

and you pop about with each other and just mess about...

-BALL THUDS

-Oops.

Ha! So, I'll be close to the majority of people

and then just leaving it all behind and then going out and not knowing anyone.

Whoo, I don't even want to think about it.

It's crazy.

But sure, it'll all be worth it, maybe.

Oh, no. no.

The Yardleys' new home may only be a few miles down the road,

but it's a step closer in their big move to the Isle of Man.

We're out of the other house and we're in here,

and the boys are very excited.

And things are a bit chaotic-looking.

I really don't know where we're going to start tonight.

All the mattresses are lying in one room

and we'll just bed down there and throw as many quilts as we can over us.

We've no heating till Tuesday.

-Daddy's room.

-I'm relieved to be in.

I'm glad that we're in.

But...I don't know where to start.

And Rhys will be home soon. I got a text message from him there a while ago.

-He's boarded the plane.

-This is the funny ceiling.

I just want to go to a hotel.

-Look what happened to my trousers.

-I see that, darling. Anne-Marie, is there a spare room in your house?

The McClaffertys' move to Australia is only weeks away.

Janice and the girls have made a start on the packing.

There you go.

-Go on.

-Go on. You won't find that...!

Be our first time on a plane, so it will, and out of this country.

-Never been on a plane before.

-Be a bit of exciting.

It's more for the kids, because if they finish school here,

there's absolutely nothing for them.

The amount of students you see nowadays that are degrees and that,

and they're stacking shelves in supermarkets.

Upsy-daisy!

The Yardleys aren't moving to the other side of the world,

but the effect on the community they leave behind

-is going to be just the same as if they were.

-Whee!

-DENTIST: How's big daddy been getting on this week?

-Not too bad.

He's a bit of news for you.

I'm looking at jobs in the Isle of Man.

-For the moment.

-Back at home?

-That's right.

-WOMAN: So, yous'll be moving there?

-Mm.

-That's the plan.

-That's right.

-That's a big step for you.

-Mm-hm.

DENTIST: Big step for all of you.

I've known Joan for approximately 30 years - 29, 30 years.

Not too much sweeties.

For them to take the step of going to the Isle of Man again to start over

means new schools, new dentists, new doctor, new everything to them.

And that's a big step, that's a harsh step for them to have to take.

And especially with Joan leaving her family.

It'll be difficult.

It's sad that the family are leaving, with four young children they've got.

That affects schools, it affects us, it affects other businesses.

You're losing four kids from the workforce in another 10, 15 years.

-Let me see yours.

-There are a lot of kids from the probably 20-plus bracket

leaving, going to Australia. Lots of those kids will never return. Some will, but lots of them won't.

High-five! 'I call it the missing generation.

'We're going to have a missing generation.

'It's sad. It'll be sad, yeah.'

Dozens of young people have left the Glens of Antrim to find work in the past year.

And local business are feeling the pinch.

Certainly has a big impact. Chippies, shops...

buying houses. We see an impact there.

Young ones that would be thinking about buying their first home, they're not there.

They're away looking for work other parts of the world.

Some'll be looking to come home and buy houses,

but at this moment in time, most of them are focused elsewhere.

Local businessman Danny McAlister

has two daughters of his own planning on going to Australia.

The eldest girl is Emma, who's a beauty salon upstairs here.

She started it on her own. It's doing quite well,

but she's this urge to go to Australia.

I'd love to do it, but just for the pros and cons.

I mean, the lifestyle out there, but then I've made it here.

-How are you?

-How are you today?

-Oh, my God, work was mad today.

Had the salon for six years, so...

I'm in a job, whereas most people are going there cos they don't have a job.

So, I'd really have to think about it long and hard.

Helena's just graduated out of Queens with a degree, but she's just a difficulty getting a job,

and is for Australia now in the start of the year now.

I done a planning degree and just finished a Master's in urban design.

I'm just currently working in a shop. I haven't got a permanent full-time job.

I love my job, but obviously it's not to do with my degree,

so I have been doing some research in jobs in Australia,

and there seems to be loads of jobs out there.

I think there'll be a wee bit more out there than there'll be in Cushendall, that's for sure.

-It is a lot quieter about. For us, we've noticed it even in the bars and that.

-Yeah.

All the local ones are leaving. All our age group is leaving.

-A lot of friends, as well, have left.

-Yeah.

-So...

-It seems like the thing to do now is to head away, isn't it?

-Definitely.

Loads of people from here.

My boyfriend, he wants to go as well, so it just seems to be the right stage for us to go,

and really earn a lot of money to make a foundation for when we do come back.

You know, we want to set up home when we come back.

Rhys has heard back about the job interview he went for on the Isle of Man.

I had word back there that, unfortunately, I wasn't successful.

-Don't go down the hutch.

-I'm waiting to hear back on six other jobs that I've gone for.

I keep checking up every day to see what new's coming up.

Just got to really sort of keep on the ball.

With the move to the Isle of Man no nearer,

Joan is making the most of the time to be with her family.

I would maybe be here two or three times a week

with one of them or all four of them.

"Can we go down the garden to see the rabbits?" And that'll be their first question.

And you'll try and talk them out of it maybe for half an hour,

if you're lucky, but they still keep coming back and asking.

And then it's straight down the garden then to nurse and pet them

-and talk to them.

-I guess they called her Anne-Marie cos your hair's fluffy and her hair's fluffy.

-You think that's what it is?

-Yes.

-Ready, steady, go!

-Ready, steady, go!

-Who's that, boys?

-Thumper.

-Thumper? Is he your favourite?

"I want to do hay, I want to do sawdust, I want to help with the water."

They love them. I think the rabbits'll miss them too.

We're all close as a family, but Anne-Marie and I have been very close.

We, usually, on a Sunday, we'd have a picnic, even at this time of the year.

You'd get us anywhere with a picnic.

-Do you love him?

-Oh, yeah.

-Oh, yeah.

He's the cutest bunny in the world.

Going to have to go to the Isle of Man more often.

Never been in my life, but I'm going to have to go. So...

Everybody else is getting very emotional about it,

and I'm just trying not to.

-Cos if I do...

-SHE LAUGHS

The day that the container was there and we filled it, it was definite,

it was, like, all real. It's really real.

(I have to go.)

It's hard seeing your family upset and knowing that it's you that's causing it.

That's difficult.

Today marks the start of the McClaffertys' move to Australia.

It's just a matter of counting down the days

and trying to get through everything, try and get the car sold, and different things.

Busy.

Just running about, making sure everything's OK.

You expect to be doing it yourself.

Getting everything ready. I think it's even more strange seeing men doing it.

Although they don't fly for another couple of weeks,

their belongings are being shipped out ahead of them.

Takes 12 to 14 weeks to get there.

So, that's why we're actually sending it out now.

So we won't be without it for too long whenever we get there.

Probably not sink in until it's all empty and you just realise, "My God!

"Actually going." So...

It'll certainly even be worse when the kids come home.

-Aye.

-And they realise that everything's gone.

The PlayStation's away, their Wii's away.

Hurling stick's away.

It's going to be hard during summer not watching Cormac play hurling

and Aoife not playing camogie.

Just...been born into it, love it.

Aoife actually started, I think, she was three,

because I was taking them at that time,

and had no baby-sitter for her, so she was taken down with me.

And I can remember her running on first game, and somebody going,

"Why's she there? Look at the size of her!"

I don't know what we'll do without it.

You can see there's been extra ones bought to take out with us.

CAR HORN BEEPS

-That's the majority of it gone.

-I'm just glad it's away. That's one less thing to worry about.

Just so bare now.

It's actually happening.

TRADITIONAL IRISH MUSIC PLAYS

It's not only family and friends that the Yardleys are going to miss,

it's the community and also their culture,

and that's something that they can't recreate on the Isle of Man.

They've been coming here since we first moved here and Alex went to Reception class at the school.

And then Dylan and Kaylen and Noah, well, they've been coming since they were babies sitting on my knee.

So, they just joined in when they were fit to walk, and they love coming here.

There's loads of fun, loads of music,

and they enjoy it.

I get the blame of favouring the boys. That sounds terrible, but I do.

Especially in teams, you've three boys and then you need another one.

And one leaves you, then... I blame you.

In my head, it's a roundabout.

Sometimes it's most definitely the right thing to do,

and then other times it's, "Why am I doing this?"

Because I can see that Rhys'll be much happier at home.

He's been here ten years

and it has been hard for him, it really has.

The boys as well.

Job-wise for them in a few years' time.

I just think it's the right thing for them.

And then I'm so convinced of that, and then, in the next thought, I think to myself,

"Why am I taking them away from everything that they know and everything that they love?"

And it's not the right thing for them.

Come on, yous. Come on. Walk on.

News of the McClaffertys' departure hasn't taken long to spread round Cushendall,

where emigration, who is leaving, and where they are going to is the talk of the town.

-Not much heat out today.

-No heat in the day at all.

-So...

-When are you heading away?

-Heading away in January.

Funny, I had two boys on the phone there.

17 degrees out there and it's half ten at night.

-Ah, brilliant.

-Seven of them went out together, and they've kind of split into a four and a three.

-Ah.

-They're all working.

Over here they'd be still lying about pulling their hair out of their heads

saying, "Well, what are we going to do for money here?"

Dominic, what's that like?

One for you, yes. It's a chick flick.

Yes, it's a chick flick.

-The only thing that'll be a big miss here is your son.

-Aye, my son.

He'll be a big miss for the hurling.

Imagine the amount of boys that's moved over there from here.

Probably two or three hurling teams over there from the Glens of Antrim anyway.

Paul and them boys, they phone me every Friday, so...

-It's not too expensive to phone here.

-No, it's not.

When I see an international call, I say, "Here comes Australia."

-All the best.

-Cheers.

-Cheers.

-Bye.

You looking forward to getting away, or...what?

While Helena and Emma-Louise McAlister may not be leaving for several months,

Australia is still the main topic of conversation in their home.

Anybody with a wee bit of get up and go's heading off.

There's nothing for them here in the Glens.

No jobs, no prospects.

I notice it down the village at night, there.

-Yeah.

-Used to be, you went down to the village on a Saturday night or a Sunday night

-and there was a pile of young'uns...

-Their cars up.

-..sitting in cars or a wee bit of fun.

And the other Sunday night, I was sitting with a fella outside the office,

and there was nobody in the street at nine o'clock on a Sunday night.

-Sure, you were talking about 32 or 33 of them that we knew.

-Past month.

-Yeah.

-In this last month or two. They're at the age for it now,

-in your 20s, and if you don't do it now, you'll not do it when you're in your 50s or 60s.

-True.

Get up and go for it. You know, that's what I say. Have a go at it.

-Your mother mightn't think that, mind,

-No, no.

-Might be a few tears.

-She doesn't want to see us go,

but she knows that it's good for us, it will be good for us.

If you make it big-time, you could always fly her out.

That's if we can get her on a plane.

I think Mum's come round to the idea now. At the start, it was a definite, "No, you're not going.

"You'll not leave me." But now that she knows that we're so set on doing it...

Yeah, now she definitely has come round.

She knows that there's so many more opportunities out there and it's the best thing for us at this time.

I'm happy enough for yous going because I know that, if I needed to get yous home or get out to yous,

-it's only a day away, thereabouts.

-Yeah.

-You're only a phone call away.

We can see you on Skype if you can get your hair and your make-up fixed up.

I don't know about that. You've seen us first thing.

Well, I've seen yous first thing in the morning. I know how rough yous are.

Charming!

I'm taking that out.

INDISTINCT SPEECH

As the McClaffertys pack up the rest of their belongings,

the realisation that they are actually emigrating

-is starting to hit home.

-I think it's been a bit stressful.

Tempers have been on edge for the odd time, but I think the closer we get to it

it's a bit easier and everything, and everybody's more or less, I think,

just looking to finally get out and move on to the next chapter.

We didn't have half this stuff moving in.

That view? I know we take it for granted, but putting bags into the car there

and realising...

..I'm not going to see it every day.

You'd only see that in a picture. You'll not get that anywhere else in the world.

It's just, absolutely... To me, that's just home.

Sea, mountains around it.

You've got everything.

Oh!

ZombieLab, where is it?

It's nearly Christmas, and the Yardley boys are getting their lists ready for Santa.

-There's one.

-That's all I'm looking for.

-Which one's that?

I was in the Isle of Man this week for another couple of interviews.

And hopefully, fingers crossed, they've gone well.

Had a bit of feedback from them there just on Friday.

And I've got one more phone call to get through, so fingers crossed, it's looking quite good.

Who's going to put this on the door?

A few months ago, I was a bit anxious, cos things were starting to drag their heels a bit.

But I'm a lot more...in a much better place now knowing that things are starting to fall into place.

-Fantastic!

-Fantastic!

Helena and Emma-Louise McAlister's mum is coming to terms with the fact that

she might not have the girls with her next Christmas.

I find it hard that they want to leave

and go away, you know, but...

it's a big world out there, and they might as well. Can't keep them at home for ever.

Emma-Louise is still weighing up her options,

but Helena plans to leave in March.

I was devastated, and I kept thinking, "She'll not... She'll not go."

You know? "It's only talk." But, no, as the time's went on, she has just said, "No.

"Mum, I want to go and see how it goes."

I just hope that she will come back.

The McClaffertys have spent their last Christmas in Northern Ireland with Martin's parents.

Tomorrow, they leave for Australia.

-Martin's done all the packing?

-Not really, no.

-Not really.

I'm not allowed to. I would only make a mess of it.

He has a full-time job to go to, so...

that is the big weight off the shoulders.

-Aside that, I don't think we'd have took the plunge, would we?

-No.

Aoife, she's... Whatever comes along, she just goes with the flow.

Amy, I asked her, "Are you excited?"

It went from "yes" to "a bit" now.

So, I says, "Why are you just 'a bit'?"

And she says, "Because of the flying and that."

She's a wee bit nervous of that. So...

As long as it's nothing more than that, it's not too bad.

That's my form class.

They gave it to me as a leaving present. When I got it, I was pretty emotional

cos they're all in your face and then they're saying how bad it is that you're leaving and all.

At the age I am, I've basically got close to a lot of people.

And then having to leave that and trying to get close to other people.

That's what I'm pretty scared about, so...

That's probably going to be the hardest thing. Apart from that,

cos I'm loud and all, I'll just hopefully get on with people.

"Remember us and let us know how you're getting on."

'Wee bit anxious about how quickly they'll make friends

'and things like that, but if they're as outgoing there as they are here, it should be OK.'

"Good luck. I'll miss you so much."

-Pass me a plate there, please, Alex.

-Me too.

Rhys Yardley has accepted a job in the Isle of Man and starts work there tomorrow.

-It's like The Last Supper.

-This is The Last Supper.

Daddy won't be having lunch with us again until...a fortnight's time.

Reality's here now. He'll be away and we'll be here.

And it'll be tough for the boys.

Because... Especially Noah. I know he's the youngest, you'd think it'd be easiest on him,

but whenever Rhys comes home in the evening, he goes running to the door. "Daddy's home!"

-So, who's going to miss Daddy?

-Me!

-Me!

-And him.

-Are you going to miss us?

-I'm going to miss you very much.

Hopefully I'll get back every, at least, two or three weeks.

So, it won't be too bad, but at the same time

it's still going to be tough not being here with Joan and the boys as well.

-What will you miss?

-I'll miss his iPod.

-You'll miss his iPod?

THEY LAUGH

He said it kicked in for him when he was packing his bag,

that he was going and he wouldn't see us for two weeks.

So, although he's positive, he's a bit like myself.

You just got to keep it in there,

but when we're together, just him and I, we talk about our worries and our fears.

I love you.

In front of the kids, and probably in front of most people, it's all very,

"Oh, this is so exciting! We can't wait to get started our new life!"

Say, "Bye, Daddy. We love you."

While it will be tough without him,

Joan knows that she'll see Rhys again in only a matter of weeks.

As the McClaffertys set out on their journey to Australia,

their family know it could be years before they see them again.

Martin and Janice knows that we would never hold them back.

This is what they want, and we never once said, "Don't go."

We wouldn't even contemplate it, so we wouldn't.

They had to get away - it was getting to the stage where

Martin was getting depressed at having to go away to work and not seeing the wee ones

maybe for three or four weeks. Janice was left to rear the wee'uns,

and mind you, it's not easy rearing 16-year-olds.

Take care.

I'm going to miss Martin and Janice, yes, but...

we're that well used with the grand-wee'uns over with us.

-See you later, Grandad.

-It's going to be hard on the grandson.

More so on the girls.

It's unbelievable the presents that young fella got from all his friends.

And it broke his heart last night after saying cheerio to all his friends.

-OK, Martin. See you later.

-Thanks, Dad.

I'm going to miss them all. Definitely the three wee'uns.

Because they don't know what's in front of them, so it is.

This is the hard bit.

Bye!

Next time on Departure Diaries...

Barrister Dane Barr packs away his gown and wig

in search of work in the Far East.

That's one of the tools of my former trade.

The couple swapping stacking shelves in Toome

for career opportunities in New Zealand.

I haven't really had the heart to tell them that, if it goes well, I could stay out there longer.

And the Lurgan man planning more than a busman's holiday in Melbourne, Australia.

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