Where Tech Meets Social: Marko’s role in Storyful

Marko toyed with the idea of moving to Germany before he decided Ireland was a better option. “I knew a little bit about Ireland,” explains the 32-year-old from Croatia. “I knew for example that the people were warm and friendly, that it had good music and beautiful scenery, and I’d read up on some of its history.” On top of this, the fact that English is the main language and that there’s a vibrant tech industry here made Ireland an attractive option for him. Securing a job with Storyful – a news and social brand agency – as a software developer and backend engineer, Marko made the move less than a year ago.

Life in Ireland’s Tech Industry

“I knew from the moment I got here that I’d made the right decision,” he says. “It just felt right.” He made friends easily and found there was a surprisingly large Croatian community living here.  In fact, the only problem he encountered was finding accommodation in Dublin. He got around this by renting an Airbnb property for a month until he found the right apartment for himself and his girlfriend in the centre of Dublin. His office is now only a 10-minute walk away.

Working Environment

Marko instantly felt part of the team at Storyful, he says: “The hours are good, the work is interesting and the atmosphere in the office is great.” The many tech networking events taking place in Dublin at the moment also appeal to him. Marko adds: “As a developer, I’m interested in learning about novel software development ideas. I attend as many of the events as possible so I can keep up to date with what’s going on in the industry. It’s also a great way to meet like-minded people, who share the same interests as me.”

The Tech Work-Life Balance

When he has time off, Marko and his girlfriend hit the road and try to see as much of Ireland as possible. “We take the bus or the train and head off. We’ve been to Galway, the Cliffs of Moher, Kerry, and Northern Ireland,” he says. Another plus of living here is the pub culture. “In Croatia we go to coffee shops,” he explains. “But the bars here have a great atmosphere. My favourite is the Cobblestone in Smithfield, which often has live traditional music. I like the fact that there are rarely any tourists there.”

Does he plan to stay in Ireland? “Well I have no plans to leave at the moment,” he smiles. “I’m very happy here. In fact, I’m already trying to get my friends at home to come over. There are so many opportunities in the tech industry and the lifestyle is really great. I would highly recommend Ireland to anyone who is considering a move.”

Interesting Work in Ireland

See where you can live and work in Ireland today in our careers section.