Travel TipsIreland

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.

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.

Currency Information:

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 (&Euro;) = 100 cents. Notes are in denominations of &Euro;500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5. Coins are in denominations of &Euro;2 and 1, and 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 cents.

Currency exchange
Available in banks, airports and in bureaux de change. ATMs are widely available, catering for Cirrus and Mastero symbols.

Credit & debit cards
American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard 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.

Travelers cheques
Accepted throughout Ireland. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travelers are advised to take travelers cheques in Euros, Pounds Sterling or US Dollars.

Currency restrictions
There are no restrictions on the import of local and foreign currencies. The export of local currency is restricted to &Euro;190.46 and of foreign currency notes up to &Euro;634.87 or up to amount imported.

Exchange rate indicators
The following figures are included as a guide to the movements of the Euro against Sterling and the US Dollar: