Directory A–Z

Accommodation

Accommodation options range from bare and basic to pricey and palatial. The spine of the Irish hospitality business is the ubiquitous B&B, in recent years challenged by a plethora of midrange hotels and guesthouses. Beyond Expedia, Booking.com, Trivago and other hotel price comparison sites, Ireland-specific online resources for accommodation include the following:

www.daft.ie Online classified paper for short- and long-term rentals.

www.elegant.ie Specialises in self-catering castles, period houses and unique properties.

www.familyhomes.ie Lists family-run guesthouses and self-catering properties.

www.irishlandmark.com Not-for-profit conservation group that rents self-catering properties of historical and cultural significance, such as castles, tower houses, gate lodges, schoolhouses and lighthouses.

www.imagineireland.com Modern cottage rentals throughout the whole island, including Northern Ireland.

www.stayinireland.com Lists guesthouses and self-catering options.

B&Bs & Guesthouses

Bed and breakfasts are small, family-run houses, farmhouses and period country houses with fewer than five bedrooms. Standards vary enormously, but most have some bedrooms with private bathroom at a cost of roughly €35 to €40 (£25 to £30) per person per night. In luxurious B&Bs, expect to pay €55 (£40) or more per person. Off-season rates – usually October through to March – are usually lower, as are midweek prices.

Guesthouses are like upmarket B&Bs, but bigger – the Irish equivalent of a boutique hotel. Facilities are usually better and sometimes include a restaurant.

Other tips:

o Facilities in B&Bs range from basic (bed, bathroom, kettle, TV) to beatific (whirlpool baths, rainforest showers) as you go up in price. Wi-fi is standard and most have parking (but check).

o Most B&Bs take credit cards, but the occasional rural one might not have facilities; check when you book.

o Advance reservations are strongly recommended, especially in peak season (June to September).

o Some B&Bs and guesthouses in more remote regions only operate from Easter to September or other months.

o If full, B&B owners may recommend another house in the area (possibly a private house taking occasional guests, not in tourist listings).

o To make prices more competitive at some B&Bs, breakfast may be optional.

Book Your Stay Online

For more accommodation reviews by Lonely Planet authors, check out http://lonelyplanet.com/ireland/hotels. You’ll find independent reviews, as well as recommendations on the best places to stay. Best of all, you can book online.

A ‘Standard’ Hotel Rate?

There is no such thing. Prices vary according to demand – or have different rates for online, phone or walk-in bookings. B&B rates are more consistent, but virtually every other accommodation will charge wildly different rates depending on the time of year, day, festival schedule and even your ability to do a little negotiating. The following price ranges have been used in our reviews of places to stay. Prices are all based on a double room with private bathroom in high season.

BUDGET	REPUBLIC	NORTHERN IRELAND
Budget (€/£)	<€80	<£50
Midrange (€€/££)	€80–180	£50–120
Top end (€€€/£££)	>€180	>£120

Hotels

Hotels range from the local pub to medieval castles. In most cases, you’ll get a better rate than the one published if you book online or negotiate directly with the hotel, especially out of season. The explosion of bland midrange chain hotels (many Irish-owned) has proven to be a major challenge to the traditional B&Bs and guesthouses: they might not have the same personalised service, but their rooms are clean and their facilities generally quite good (although there may be a charge for wi-fi).

Climate

House Swapping

House swapping can be a popular and affordable way to visit a country and enjoy a real home away from home. There are several agencies in Ireland that, for an annual fee, facilitate international swaps. The fee pays for access to a website and a book giving house descriptions, photographs and the owner’s details. After that, it’s up to you to make arrangements. Use of the family car is sometimes included.

Homelink International House Exchange (www.homelink.ie) Home exchange service running for over 60 years.

Intervac International Holiday Service (www.intervac-homeexchange.com) Long-established, with agents in 45 nations worldwide.

Rental Accommodation

Self-catering accommodation is often rented on a weekly basis and usually means an apartment, house or cottage where you look after yourself. The rates vary from one region and season to another. Fáilte Ireland (%Republic 1850 230 330, the UK 0800 039 7000; www.discoverireland.ie) publishes a guide for registered self-catering accommodation; you can check listings at their website.

Customs Regulations

Both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland have a two-tier customs system: one for goods bought duty-free outside the European Union (EU), the other for goods bought in another EU country where tax and duty is paid. There is technically no limit to the amount of goods transportable within the EU, but customs will use certain guidelines to distinguish personal use from commercial purpose. Allowances are as follows:

Duty free For duty-free goods from outside the EU, limits include 200 cigarettes, 1L of spirits or 2L of wine, 60ml of perfume and 250ml of eau de toilette.

Tax and duty paid Amounts that officially constitute personal use include 3200 cigarettes (or 400 cigarillos, 200 cigars or 3kg of tobacco) and either 10L of spirits, 20L of fortified wine, 60L of sparkling wine, 90L of still wine or 110L of beer.

Cats & Dogs

Cats and dogs from anywhere outside Ireland and the UK are subject to strict quarantine laws. The EU Pet Travel Scheme, whereby animals are fitted with a microchip, vaccinated against rabies and blood-tested six months prior to entry, is in force in the UK and the Republic of Ireland. No preparation or documentation is necessary for the movement of pets directly between the UK and the Republic. Contact the Department of Agriculture, Food & Rural Development (%01-607 2000; www.agriculture.gov.ie) in Dublin for further details.

Electricity

Food

Our cafe and restaurant listings appear in budget order, with the cheapest budget range first. Within the ranges, listings are given in preference order.

For more information, see our Food & Drink chapter.

Gay & Lesbian Travellers

Ireland is a pretty tolerant place for gays and lesbians. Bigger cities such as Dublin, Galway and Cork have well-established gay scenes, as do Belfast and Derry in Northern Ireland. In 2015, Ireland overwhelmingly backed same-sex marriage in a historic referendum. Nonetheless, you’ll still find pockets of homophobia throughout the island, particularly in smaller towns and rural areas. Resources include the following:

Gaire (www.gaire.com) Message board and info for a host of gay-related issues.

Gay & Lesbian Youth Northern Ireland (www.cara-friend.org.uk/projects/glyni) Voluntary counselling, information, health and social space organisation for the gay community.

Gay Men’s Health Project (%01-660 2189; http://hse.ie/go/GMHS) Practical advice on men’s health issues.

National Lesbian & Gay Federation (NLGF; %01-671 9076; http://nxf.ie) Publishes the monthly Gay Community News (http://theoutmost.com).

Northern Ireland Gay Rights Association (Nigra; %9066 5257; http://nigra.org.uk)

Outhouse (Map; %01-873 4932; www.outhouse.ie; 105 Capel St; gall city centre) Top gay, lesbian and bisexual resource centre in Dublin. Great stop-off point to see what’s on, check noticeboards and meet people. It publishes the free Ireland’s Pink Pages, a directory of gay-centric services, which is also accessible on the website.

The Outmost (www.theoutmost.com) Excellent and resourceful for gay news, entertainment, lifestyle and opinion.

Practicalities

Currency Republic of Ireland: Euro (€); Northern Ireland: Pound Sterling (£).

o Newspapers Irish Independent (www.independent.ie), Irish Times (www.irishtimes.com), Irish Examiner (www.examiner.ie), Belfast Telegraph (www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk).

o Radio RTE Radio 1 (88-90 MHz), Today FM (100-103 MHz), Newstalk 106-108 (106-108 MHz), BBC Ulster (92-95 MHz; Northern Ireland only).

o Weights & Measures Metric units; exception is for liquid measures of alcohol, where pints are used.

Health

No jabs are required to travel to Ireland. Excellent health care is readily available. For minor, self-limiting illnesses, pharmacists can give valuable advice and sell over-the-counter medication. They can also advise when more specialised help is required and point you in the right direction.

EU citizens equipped with a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), available from health centres or, in the UK, post offices, will be covered for most medical care – but not nonemergencies or emergency repatriation. While other countries, such as Australia, also have reciprocal agreements with Ireland and Britain, many do not.

In Northern Ireland, everyone receives free emergency treatment at accident and emergency (A&E) departments of state-run NHS hospitals, irrespective of nationality.

Insurance

Insurance is important: it covers you for everything from medical expenses and luggage loss to cancellations or delays in your travel arrangements, depending on your policy.

While EU citizens have most medical care covered with an EHIC card, an additional insurance policy for all other issues is recommended.

Worldwide travel insurance is available at www.lonelyplanet.com/travel-insurance. You can buy, extend and claim online at any time – even if you’re already on the road.

All cars on public roads must be insured. If you are bringing your own vehicle, check that your insurance will cover you in Ireland.

Internet Access

If using a laptop, tablet, phablet or smartphone to get online, the vast majority of hotels, B&Bs, hostels, bars and restaurants offer wi-fi access, usually for free (though there may be a charge in a minority of hotels).

Internet cafes are disappearing. The survivors generally charge up to €6/£5 per hour.

Legal Matters

Illegal drugs are widely available, especially in clubs. The possession of small quantities of marijuana attracts a fine or warning, but harder drugs are treated more seriously. Public drunkenness is illegal but commonplace – the police will usually ignore it unless you’re causing trouble.

Contact the following for assistance:

Legal Aid Board (%066-947 1000; www.legalaidboard.ie) Has a network of local law centres.

Legal Services Agency Northern Ireland (%028-9076 3000; www.dojni.gov.uk/legalservices) Administers the statutory legal aid scheme for Northern Ireland, but cannot offer legal advice.

Maps

Michelin’s 1:400,000-scale Ireland map (No 923) is a decent single sheet map, with clear cartography and most of the island’s scenic roads marked. The four maps – North, South, East and West – that make up the Ordnance Survey Holiday map series at 1:250,000 scale are useful for more detail.

The Ordnance Survey Discovery series covers the whole island in 89 maps at a scale of 1:50,000, also available as digital versions. These are all available through Ordnance Survey Ireland (www.osi.ie) and many bookshops around Ireland.

Collins also publishes a range of maps covering Ireland, also available at bookshops.

Money

The currency in the Republic of Ireland is the euro (€). The island’s peculiar political history means that the six Ulster counties that make up Northern Ireland use the pound sterling (£). Although notes issued by Northern Irish banks are legal tender throughout the UK, many businesses outside of Northern Ireland refuse to accept them and you’ll have to swap them in British banks.

ATMs

Usually called ‘cash machines’, ATMs are easy to find in cities and all but the smallest of towns. Watch out for ATMs that have been tampered with; card-reader scams (‘skimming’) have become a real problem.

Credit & Debit Cards

Visa and MasterCard credit and debit cards are widely accepted in Ireland. American Express is only accepted by the major chains, and very few places accept Diners or JCB. Smaller businesses, such as pubs and some B&Bs, prefer debit cards (and will charge a fee for credit cards), and a small number of rural B&Bs only take cash.

Taxes & Refunds

Non-EU residents can claim Value Added Tax (VAT, a sales tax of 21% added to the purchase price of luxury goods – excluding books, children’s clothing and educational items) back on their purchases, so long as the store operates either the Cashback or Taxback refund program (they should display a sticker). You’ll get a voucher with your purchase that must be stamped at the last point of exit from the EU. If you’re travelling on to Britain or mainland Europe from Ireland, hold on to your voucher until you pass through your final customs stop in the EU; it can then be stamped and you can post it back for a refund of duty paid.

VAT in Northern Ireland is 20%; shops participating in the Tax-Free Shopping refund scheme will give you a form or invoice on request to be presented to customs when you leave. After customs have certified the form, it will be returned to the shop for a refund and the cheque sent to you at home.

Tipping

You’re not obliged to tip if the service or food was unsatisfactory (even if it’s been automatically added to your bill as a ‘service charge’).

Hotels Only for bellhops who carry luggage, then €1/£1 per bag.

Pubs Not expected unless table service is provided, then €1/£1 for a round of drinks.

Restaurants 10% for decent service, up to 15% in more expensive places.

Taxis 10% or rounded up to the nearest euro/pound.

Toilet attendants €0.50/50p.

Opening Hours

Hours in the Republic and Northern Ireland are roughly the same.

Banks 10am to 4pm Monday to Friday (to 5pm Thursday).

Offices 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday.

Post offices Northern Ireland 9am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday, 9am to 12.30pm Saturday; Republic 9am to 6pm Monday to Friday, 9am to 1pm Saturday. Smaller post offices may close at lunch and one day per week.

Pubs Northern Ireland 11.30am to 11pm Monday to Saturday, 12.30pm to 10pm Sunday, but pubs with late licences open until 1am Monday to Saturday and midnight Sunday; Republic 10.30am to 11.30pm Monday to Thursday, 10.30am to 12.30am Friday and Saturday, noon to 11pm Sunday (30 minutes of ‘drinking up’ time allowed). Pubs with bar extensions open to 2.30am Thursday to Saturday. All pubs close Christmas Day and Good Friday.

Restaurants Noon to 10.30pm in Dublin, till 9pm outside (aim to be seated by 8pm at the latest); many close one day of the week.

Shops 9am to 5.30pm or 6pm Monday to Saturday (until 8pm on Thursday & sometimes Friday), noon to 6pm Sunday (in bigger towns only). Shops in rural towns may close at lunch and one day per week.

Tourist offices 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday, 9am to 1pm Saturday. Many extend their hours in summer and open fewer hours/days or close from October to April.

Tourist sights Some sights only open from Easter through to September or October.

Photography

o Natural light can be very dull, so use higher ISO speeds than usual, such as 400 for daylight shots.

o In Northern Ireland, get permission before taking photos of fortified police stations, army posts or other military or quasi-military paraphernalia.

o Don’t take photos of people in Protestant or Catholic strongholds of West Belfast without permission; always ask and be prepared to accept a refusal.

Public Holidays

Public holidays can cause road chaos as everyone tries to get somewhere else for the break. It’s wise to book accommodation in advance for these times.

The following are public holidays in both the Republic and Northern Ireland:

New Year’s Day 1 January

St Patrick’s Day 17 March

Easter (Good Friday to Easter Monday inclusive) March/April

May Holiday 1st Monday in May

Christmas Day 25 December

St Stephen’s Day (Boxing Day) 26 December

St Patrick’s Day and St Stephen’s Day holidays are taken on the following Monday when they fall on a weekend. In the Republic, nearly everywhere closes on Good Friday even though it isn’t an official public holiday. In the North, most shops open on Good Friday, but close the following Tuesday.

Northern Ireland

Spring Bank Holiday Last Monday in May

Orangemen’s Day 12 July

August Holiday Last Monday in August

Republic

June Holiday 1st Monday in June

August Holiday 1st Monday in August

October Holiday Last Monday in October

Safe Travel

Ireland is safer than most countries in Europe, but normal precautions should be observed.

Northern Ireland is as safe as anywhere else, but there are areas where the sectarian divide is bitterly pronounced, most notably in parts of Belfast. It’s probably best to ensure your visit to Northern Ireland doesn’t coincide with the climax of the Orange marching season on 12 July; sectarian passions are usually inflamed and even many Northerners leave the province at this time.

Telephone

Area codes in the Republic have three digits and begin with a 0, eg %021 for Cork, %091 for Galway and %061 for Limerick. The only exception is Dublin, which has a two-digit code (%01). Always use the area code if calling from a mobile phone, but you don’t need it if calling from a fixed-line number within the area code.

In Northern Ireland, the area code for all fixed-line numbers is %028, but you only need to use it if calling from a mobile phone or from outside Northern Ireland. To call Northern Ireland from the Republic, use %048 instead of %028, without the international dialling code.

Other codes:

o %1550 or %1580 – premium rate.

o %1890 or %1850 – local or shared rate.

o %0818 – calls at local rate, wherever you’re dialling from within the Republic.

o %1800 – free calls

Free-call and low-call numbers are not accessible from outside the Republic.

Other tips:

o Prices are lower during evenings after 6pm and weekends.

o If you can find a public phone that works, local calls in the Republic cost €0.30 for around three minutes (around €0.60 to a mobile), regardless of when you call. From Northern Ireland local calls cost about 40p, or 60p to a mobile, although this varies somewhat.

o Prepaid phonecards can be purchased at both news agencies and post offices, and work from all payphones for both domestic and international calls.

Directory Enquiries

For directory enquiries, a number of agencies compete for your business.

o In the Republic, dial %11811 or %11850; for international enquiries it’s %11818.

o In the North, call %118 118, %118 192, %118 500 or %118 811.

o Expect to pay at least €1/£1 from a land line and up to €2/£2 from a mobile phone.

International Calls

To call out from Ireland dial %00, then the country code (%1 for USA, %61 Australia etc), the area code (you usually drop the initial zero) then the number. The Republic’s international dialling code is %353, Northern Ireland’s is %44.

Mobile Phone

o Ensure your mobile phone is unlocked for use in Ireland.

o Pay-as-you-go mobile phone packages with any of the main providers start at around €40 and usually include a basic handset and credit of around €10.

o SIM-only packages are also available, but make sure your phone is compatible with the local provider.

Time

In winter, Ireland is on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), also known as Universal Time Coordinated (UTC), the same as Britain. In summer, the clock shifts to GMT plus one hour, so when it’s noon in Dublin and London, it’s 4am in Los Angeles and Vancouver, 7am in New York and Toronto, 1pm in Paris, 7pm in Singapore, and 9pm in Sydney.

Tourist Information

In both the Republic and the North there’s a tourist office or information point in almost every big town; most can offer a variety of services, including accommodation and attraction reservations, currency-changing services, map and guidebook sales, and free publications.

In the Republic, the tourism purview falls to Fáilte Ireland (%Republic 1850 230 330, the UK 0800 039 7000; www.discoverireland.ie); in Northern Ireland, it’s the Northern Irish Tourist Board (NITB; %head office 028-9023 1221; www.discovernorthernireland.com). Outside Ireland, Fáilte Ireland and the NITB unite under the banner Tourism Ireland (www.tourismireland.com).

See the individual destinations for the location of major tourist offices in Dublin, Cork, Donegal, Galway and other cities/towns.

Travellers with Disabilities

All new buildings have wheelchair access, and many hotels have installed lifts, ramps and other facilities. Others, especially B&Bs, have not adapted as successfully so you’ll have far less choice. Fáilte Ireland and NITB’s accommodation guides indicate which places are wheelchair accessible.

In big cities, most buses have low-floor access and priority space onboard, but the number of kneeling buses on regional routes is still relatively small.

Trains are accessible with help. In theory, if you call ahead, an employee of Irish Rail (Iarnród Éireann) will arrange to accompany you to the train. Newer trains have audio and visual information systems for visually impaired and hearing-impaired passengers.

The Citizens’ Information Board (%0761 079 000; www.citizensinformationboard.ie) in the Republic and Disability Action (%028-9066 1252; www.disabilityaction.org) in Northern Ireland can give some advice to travellers with disabilities.

Visas

If you’re a European Economic Area (EEA) national, you don’t need a visa to visit (or work in) either the Republic or Northern Ireland. Citizens of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and the US can visit the Republic for up to three months, and Northern Ireland for up to six months. They are not allowed to work unless sponsored by an employer.

Full visa requirements for visiting the Republic are available online at www.dfa.ie; for Northern Ireland’s visa requirements see www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-visas-and-immigration.

To stay longer in the Republic, contact the local garda (police) station or the Garda National Immigration Bureau (%01-666 9100; www.garda.ie; 13-14 Burgh Quay). To stay longer in Northern Ireland, contact the Home Office (www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-visas-and-immigration).

Women Travellers

Ireland should pose no problems for women travellers. Finding contraception is not the problem it once was, although anyone on the Pill should bring adequate supplies.

If you experience sexual assault, the following services are recommended:

Rape Crisis Network Ireland (%091-563 676; www.rcni.ie) In the Republic. App available.

Nexus NI (%028-9032 6803 (Belfast); www.nexusni.org; h8.30am-5pm Mon & Thu, 8.30am-8pm Tue & Wed, 9am-4pm Fri) Offers counselling and support to survivors of sexual abuse and victims of sexual violence and sexual assault. Offices in Belfast, Londonderry, Portadown and Enniskillen.