USEFUL INFORMATION FOR VISITORS TO DUBLIN

Ireland In General

The island of Ireland is the second largest island in Europe. Ireland is divided into Northern Ireland, a part of the United Kingdom, and The Republic of Ireland, a separate country. Both are part of the European Union. The Republic of Ireland occupies about five sixths of the Island of Ireland.

Language:

English is the language generally used, Irish (Gaeilge or Gaelic) is spoken, especially in areas located along the western seaboard. Gaelic arrived with the Celts.

Weather:

Ireland has a temperate maritime climate that's modified by a North Atlantic Current. You'll enjoy mild winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the time. Thus, the temperature won't change much, but the wetness will be unpredictable. The southwestern coast has the best weather, with the east being wetter and cooler. In general, winter has the worst weather, the best is May through August.

Currency

The Republic of Ireland uses the Euro. The value of the Euro was set to 0.787564 Irish pounds. Northern Ireland uses the British Pound.

Tipping in Ireland

Tipping, as in the UK, is a rather spotty issue. In restaurants, a tip of 10-15% for good service is common, unless the menu mentions a service charge. Watch others and do what they do.

Opening Hours

Shops are usually open Monday to Saturday 9am-5:30pm. In rural areas these hours are approximate.

Telephone

The international calling code for Ireland is +353. The local area code for Dublin is 01. Mobile phones are available for hire in Dublin for the duration of your stay. In an emergency, call 999 or 112 and specify whether you require the police (Garda), an ambulance, the fire service or costal rescue.

Internet access

There are numerous cafes around Dublin that offer access to the Internet.

Electricity

The standard electric supply is 230 vol. To use small appliances you may need a plug adaptor to fit our 3-pin flat or 2-pin round wall sockets.