Ireland is an English-speaking island on the northwestern edge of Europe. It is 300 miles long and 150 miles wide. The Republic of Ireland takes up three-quarters of the island and its capital city is Dublin. The remainder, Northern Ireland, is part of the U.K. and its capital is Belfast. Ireland is a constitutional democracy and a member of the European Union.

Things are relaxed in the dressing-up department. Daytime fashions are informal, but for an evening out in Ireland, men tend to wear a suit or jacket and tie. When it comes to daytime shoes, choose comfort over fashion. It is also wise to carry a raincoat and an umbrella. It is best to dress in comfortable layers, so if the day is warm or if you head indoors to a snug pub or warm shop, you can remove your outer layers. A warm coat is recommended for the Winter months.

A valid U.S. or Canadian passport is required. To drive a car, a valid U.S. or Canadian driver's license is sufficient.

Customs operates on the red and green channel system. Visitors to Ireland are allowed 180.30 euro (about $170.00 USD) per adult, 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars, 1 litre of spirits, 2 litres of wine and 60 mls of perfume or 250 mls of toilet water) U.S. visitors can take home $400.00 worth of goods per person, including 200 cigarettes or 100 cigars and 1 litre or spirits or wine. Canadians are allowed Can$500.00 worth of goods per person, including 200 cigarettes and 1.4 litres of spirits or wine.

Your small appliances may need an adapter to fit Ireland's 3 pin flat or 2 pin round wall sockets. The current is 230 Volts. The voltage in Northern Ireland is 240v. Most 3 star properties supply hairdryers in the guest rooms, and in B & B or Guesthouse Properties, the proprietor will normally let you borrow one. If you are buying a holiday adapter here in the US before you depart - the average price is $30 and they are available in stores like Radio Shack, Staples or other fine electronic/travel stores around the United States. You should make sure that the adapter is suitable for Ireland and not just mainland Europe.

The Irish punt was replaced by the euro on January 1st 2002. It became the only legal currency of the Republic Of Ireland on July 1st 2002. The euro consists of 100 cents. Notes are in dominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500. Coins are found in 1, 2, 5, 10 and 20 cent and also 1 and 2 euro.

Phone Ireland from the U.S. and Canada by dialing 011(international access code) 353 (Ireland country code), the area code (minus the 0) and the number. E.g. to call (01) 2782677, dial 011 353 1 2782677. To call Northern Ireland, dial 011 44(U.K. country code) and the number (minus the 0)

Phone the US and Canada from Ireland by dialing 00 (international access code) 1 (US and Canada country code) the area code, and the number. To access AT&T Direct, dial 1800 550000; for MCI Direct or to make a call using MCI WorldPhone service, dial 1800 551001. Ireland offers card phones that use prepaid calling cards sold at telecenters and post offices.

Shopping hours are 9am to 6pm Monday through Saturday with late-night shopping till 8pm or 9pm on Thursdays in Dublin and at most shopping malls. Many larger stores are open Sunday from noon till 6pm. Duty-free shopping is available at all international airports.

The price of most goods includes value-added tax, or VAT. As a visitor you can have this sales tax refunded at the end of your trip. Be sure to ask for a tax-free shopping form with each purchase and present these forms to either Global Tax Free Shopping or Tax Back at the airport prior to your departure.

Bars are open in summertime from 10:30am to 11:30am Monday through Saturday, closing 30 minutes earlier in winter. On Sundays, bars are open from 12:30pm to 2:00am and from 4:00pm to 11:00pm all year. Nightclubs and discos operate until 2 or 3am. Some have full licenses and others serve only wine.

Many hotels and restaurants add a service charge of around 15% to the bill. However, this is not universal. When service is not included, a tip of 15% is appropriate. Taxi drivers and hairdressers tend to be tipped 10% and porters about 1 Euro per bag. Tips are always appreciated by porters, drivers and guides.

Although the overwhelming majority of Irish people speak English, Irish (Gaelic) is the official language of the Republic. All official documents are issued in Irish and English, and bilingualism is officially encouraged. You will find all the road signs in the country are written both in the native launguage and English.

In practice, Irish is spoken full time by some people mainly in the west.