Ireland Travel Guide

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Shopping

Special purchases include hand-woven tweed, hand-crocheted woolens and cottons, sheepskin goods, gold and silver jewelry, Aran knitwear, linen, pottery, Irish crystal and basketry. Ideal gifts include: a copy of Ulysses from an Irish bookshop, a bottle of Jameson or Bushmills whiskey from the distillery or Irish Salmon.

Shopping hours: Mon-Sat 0900-1730/1800. Many towns have a late night opening on Thursday or Friday until 2000/2100 and smaller towns may have one early closing day a week. On Sunday, main shopping centers and some of the larger department stores open 1200-1700/1800. Many smaller supermarkets in towns and villages also open.

Under the ‘Retail Export Scheme', it is possible to claim VAT back on goods bought in Ireland on leaving the EU. For further information, contact the VAT Administration Branch, Stamping Building, Dublin Castle, Dublin 2 (tel: (1) 674 8858; www.revenue.ie).

Currency

Euro (EUR; symbol €) = 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.

Currency Exchange

Available in banks, airports and in bureau de change.

Credit Cards, Debit Cards, and ATMs

American Express, MasterCard and Visa are all widely accepted. ATMs are available everywhere, catering for Cirrus and Maestro symbols.

Travelers Checks

Accepted throughout Ireland. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travelers are advised to take traveler's checks in Euros, Pounds Sterling or US Dollars.

Currency Restrictions

There are no restrictions on the import or export of local or foreign currency. However, amounts exceeding €10,000 or equivalent must be declared if traveling from or to a country outside the European Union.

Banking Hours

Mon-Fri 0930-1630. In Dublin, banks stay open Thurs until 1700; there are also late opening nights in other parts of the country, but the day will vary.

Exchange Rate