Location
You will find Ireland on the map at 53.5° N and 8° W. It is an island country bounded on the west by the North Atlantic Ocean and on the east by the Irish Sea.
Ireland is part of the European Union and is one of the “Euro” countries. Euro coins and notes came into operation in 2002.
Watch an introduction to Dublin and the route HERE.
Capital City
Dublin. Situated on the River Liffey, it is located halfway up the east coast.
Local Time
GMT. Local time is adjusted per British Summer Time (GMT +1 hour) from the end of March.
Climate
Temperate (no extremes and not a lot of snow). Relative to other locations at the same latitude, Ireland has a milder climate because of the North Atlantic Drift from the Gulf of Mexico.
Size & Population
The island of Ireland is 83,000 square kilometres. Population of greater than 5 million. Outside city areas, the country is sparsely populated.
Geography
The highest mountain is 1,010m. However, the landscape is very scenic.
Government
Democratically elected Dáil (Parliament).
Water
Quality: tap water is safe to drink.
Currency
1 Euro = 100 cent.
Coins 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 cent, 1 Euro, 2 Euro
Notes 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 Euro.
Tax / Duty
Value Added Tax (usually 23%) applies to most goods. Displayed prices usually include VAT.
Electricity
Uniformly 230 volts, 50Hz. Sockets are generally of the type that accepts British 13A, 3 pin (flat) plug tops (BS1363).
Fixed Line Communications
The country telephone access code is 353. The international access code from Ireland is 00. Dublin area code is 01. If dialling into Ireland, then omit the leading digit of the area code, e.g. +353 1 XXXX XXX for Dublin.
Mobile / Cellular Communications
Ireland has 5 GSM Networks (083, 085, 086, 087, 089) with nationwide coverage.
Driving
Driving in Ireland is on the left-hand side of the road. The majority of cars (including hire cars) use manual gear shifts.
Emergency Services
Telephone 999 or 112 from any public telephone.