TRAVEL
TIPS
| Driving |
U.S
Driving Permit accepted |
| Currency |
(EUR)
Euro |
| Electrical |
230 Volts |
| Telephones |
Country
Code 353, City Code Dublin 1, Cork 21, Dundalk 42, Wexford
53 |
Time:
GMT (GMT + 1 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before the
last Sunday in October).
Electricity:
220 volts AC, 50Hz. Three-pin plugs are in use.
Telephone:
IDD is available. Country code: 353 followed by the area code,
omitting the initial zero. Outgoing international code: 00.
Climate: The temperate climate is due to mild
southwesterly winds and the Gulf Stream. Summers are warm, while
temperatures during winter are much cooler. Spring and autumn
are very mild. Rain falls all year.
Required
clothing: Lightweights during summer with warmer mediumweights
for the winter. Rainwear is advisable throughout the year.
Food
& Drink: Ireland is a farming country noted for its
meat, bacon, poultry and dairy produce. The surrounding sea, inland
lakes and rivers offer fresh fish including salmon, trout, lobster,
Dublin Bay prawns, oysters (served with Guinness and wholemeal
bread), mussels and periwinkles. Dublin has a wide selection of
restaurants and eating places to suit every pocket, as do the
other major towns. Table and self service are both common. The
most typical Irish dishes will usually be found in a country restaurant,
and include corned beef and carrots, boiled bacon and cabbage
and Irish stew. Other local delicacies are crubeens (pigs' trotters),
colcannon (a mixture of potatoes and cabbage cooked together),
soda bread and a soufflé made with carrageen (a variety
of seaweed). Visitors should note that ‘tea’ is often
almost a full meal with sandwiches and cakes.
Pubs, of which Ireland has plenty, are sometimes called ‘lounges’
or ‘bars’ and there is often a worded sign outside
the premises rather than the traditional painted boards found
in Britain. Pubs and bars have counter service. The measure used
in Ireland for spirits is larger than that used in Britain, for
example an Irish double is equal to a triple in Britain. Irish
coffee is popular (glass of strong black coffee, brown sugar and
whiskey with cream). Almost any drink is imported but the two
most internationally distinctive products are whiskey (spelt with
an ‘e’) and stout. Guinness, one of the most famous,
popular and distinctive drinks in the world, is found everywhere
and Murphy’s is almost as widely available. One of the most
popular of lighter ales is Smithwick’s or Harp Lager, also
available everywhere. Irish whiskey has a uniquely characteristic
flavour and is matured in a wooden barrel for a minimum of 7 years.
Amongst the most popular brands are Jamesons and John Powers Gold
Label, but others include Paddy, Tullamore Dew, Old Bushmills,
Midleton, Reserve and Hewitts. Certainly as popular as whiskey
is stout which is bottled or served from the tap. Liqueurs such
as Irish Mist and Bailey’s are both made from a base of
Irish whiskey. Licensing hours: Mon-Wed 1030-2330, Thurs-Sat 1030-0030
and Sun 1030-2300. Legal drinking age: 18, although some bars
will insist that patrons are over 21 and carry ID.
Tipping:
The customary tip in Ireland is 10 to 12 per cent. Many hotels
and restaurants add this in the form of a service charge indicated
on the menu or bill. It is not customary to tip in bars unless
you have table service when a small tip is advised. Tipping porters,
taxi drivers, hairdressers, etc is customary but not obligatory.
Single
European currency (Euro): The Euro is now the official
currency of 12 EU member states (including Ireland). The first
Euro coins and notes were introduced in January 2002; the Irish
Punt was completely replaced by the Euro on 9 February 2002. Euro
(€) = 100 cents. Notes are in denominations of €500,
200, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5. Coins are in denominations of €2
and 1, and 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 cents.
Credit
& debit cards: MasterCard, American Express, Diners
Club and Visa are all widely accepted, as well as Eurocheque cards.
Check with your credit and debit card company for details of merchant
acceptability and other services which may be available.
Travellers
cheques: Accepted throughout Ireland. To avoid additional
exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take travellers
cheques in Euros, Pounds Sterling or US Dollars.
