10 Tips for Your First Trip to Ireland

A few years ago, my now-husband, Colin, and I went on our very first trip to Ireland. It was a first time trip for both of us and our first time to Europe together.

During that trip, we did a quick 10 day loop around the Emerald Isle visiting Dublin, Belfast, Galway and Cork. And while it wasn’t nearly long enough, we had an amazing time and can’t wait to go back!

Ireland had long been on both of our bucket lists. I dreamed of cozy village pubs and rolling green hills while my husband was excited to drink a pint of Guinness on his ancestral homeland (he’s part Irish on his mom’s side).

We saw, ate and did so much during our 10 days in Ireland. Because it was a shorter trip, we wanted to make the most of it.

That’s why I’ve put together my list of top tips for anyone visiting Ireland for the first time. It’s an amazing country to explore and I want you to be able to enjoy every second!

If you’re heading out on your first trip to Ireland, here’s what you need to know.

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Tip #1: Dress for the weather in Ireland

Ireland is known for its cold and rainy weather. Apparently it warms up slightly in July and August, but the rest of the year is just plain cold.

We went to Ireland in April and were chilled wearing pants, sweaters and rain jackets.

Now listen, we’re Canadians from Vancouver – we’re used to cold and rainy weather! But this was a different type of cold and rainy. In Vancouver, it rains. In Ireland, it’s rainy.

Throughout our 10 days in Ireland, we got lots of little bursts of rain with just a few drops. There was only one day where it actually rained hard. The rest of the time, it was just a light mist with some grey clouds in the sky.

Before we left, I was convinced I should pack rain boots since I’ve heard that it rains all the time in Ireland. But I’m very glad I didn’t. My feet would have been so uncomfortable wearing hot and heavy rain boots all day long.

So my advice is to pack and dress in layers. Bring one more layer than you think you might need. And opt for waterproof running shoes rather than heavy rain boots.

Tip #2: Know the voltage and currency used in Ireland

Any time you travel abroad, you want to make sure you have two things figured out: how you’ll pay and how you’ll charge. You won’t get far without access to your money and a dead cellphone!

In the Republic of Ireland, the euro (€) is used. And in Northern Ireland, the British pound (£) is used. Both parts of the island widely accept credit cards, but you might like to have a little cash on you.

Across both Ireland and Northern Ireland, the Type G socket (circled in the photo above) is used. This is the same plug and outlet that you’ll see throughout the United Kingdom, but different than the one used on mainland Europe.

Electricity in Ireland operates on 230V voltage and 50Hz. I don’t know what that translates to in normal-speak but it generally means if you’re coming from abroad, you’ll need dual voltage electronics.

As a tip: Most cellphones, laptops, iPads, etc. are dual voltage, so you shouldn’t need a converter to plug these items in. Larger electronics, like hair dryers and vacuums, will need a converter unless they’re specifically marked as dual-voltage.

However, you will need an adapter for all of your electronics if your plugs are not Type G. I highly recommend picking up a universal adapter so you can plug your stuff in anywhere in the world.

Tip #3: Don’t worry, everyone speaks English

One thing that makes Ireland such a great travel destination, at least for English-speaking travellers, is that English is widely spoken.

Almost everyone in Ireland speaks English, albeit, with an accent. Depending on where you are in the country, this accent might be so heavy that you have a hard time understanding people.

If you’re really struggling to understand someone, ask them to please slow down or see if they can write down what they’re saying. Or do what we did on a cab drive with a particularly heavily accented driver – just nod and smile.

The other major language in Ireland is Irish. You may not hear this spoken, as it’s not as predominant as English, but you may see it on street signs or hear some Irish slang.

While you may not need to learn any Irish before your trip in order to get around, one word you will want to know is Sláinte, which means cheers. You’ll hear it often at the pub!

Tip #4: Ireland travel means all of the pub food

There is SO MUCH PUB FOOD in Ireland! I know that’s Ireland’s thing, but it did start to get a little repetitive for this Asian-food loving traveller.

Every single block will have at least one pub on it. And every pub will serve Steak and Guinness Pie, Irish Stew, a burger and almost nothing resembling a vegetable.

I seriously thought I might get scurvy from lack of fruits and vegetables (if only I had known about all of the vegetarian food in Ireland!).

Of course, as it was our first trip to Ireland, we embraced the pub food culture. We ate our fair share of stews, pies, burgers and more.

It wasn’t until about halfway through our trip when I really needed a change in menu. Cut to us wandering the streets of Galway until we found a half-decent Chinese take-away restaurant!

Tip #5: You have to try Guinness

We can’t talk about things to enjoy at a pub without talking about the Black Stuff aka Guinness.

Guinness, as you likely know, is a dark stout beer and the pride and joy of Ireland. You’ll find it served almost everywhere and enjoyed by both locals and tourists.

To be perfectly honest, I’m not a huge beer drinker. And dark beers are even harder for me to drink. But even I had to have a pint of Guinness while we were in Ireland!

Colin and I went to the Guinness Storehouse while in Dublin where we learned all about making beer and the history of the brand. We even got to try our hand at pouring a pint of Guinness and enjoyed a second pint up at their rooftop bar.

Despite not being a big Guinness fan, I really enjoyed the Storehouse experience and would recommend it.

Tip #6: Get out of the city and into the Irish countryside

No one comes to Ireland for their big cities. While we did base ourselves in cities, our best experiences were always out in the country.

You can rent a car or jump on a tour and quickly get out of the city and into the Irish countryside where you’ll find stunning coastlines, castle ruins, tons of livestock, natural wonders and so much more!

From Belfast, we saw the basalt columns of Giants Causeway, the spooky Dark Hedges (of Game of Thrones fame) and the daring Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge.

Check out this Game of Thrones tour which visits Giants Causeway and the Dark Hedges!

From Galway, we drove around the Burren and saw the famous Cliffs of Moher (can’t miss!). And from Cork, we drove the Ring of Kerry, Dingle Peninsula and Killarney National Park, plus visited the iconic Blarney Castle.

Check out this tour of the Cliffs of Moher from Galway and this tour of the Ring of Kerry from Cork!

We just scratched the surface of awesome places to see in Ireland, and I would recommend all of these for a first trip to Ireland. But there’s so much more to see!

Tip #7: Don’t want to drive in Ireland? Try trains and tour buses instead

Before we left, I did a bit of research and learned that many people struggled with driving in Ireland. Not only do they drive on the left side of the road, but many of the country roads are single lane and up against a rock wall.

There are countless stories of people ruining rental cars when they took a lane too wide or exited the wrong way out of a roundabout. I don’t drive and after hearing these stories, Colin didn’t want to try.

So, we took the train instead of booking a car rental. And it worked out so well!

Trains, when booked ahead of time, are super affordable. They’re also fast and drop you right in the city center.

Most trains through Ireland have free wifi and comfortable seats. There are great views out the windows. And you can book flexible tickets so you can leave anytime.

Of course, trains don’t go everywhere and you don’t have the luxury of getting off wherever you want. But they are a good option if you don’t want to drive in Ireland.

We paired our trains with tour buses. So we’d take the train between cities and then sign up for day trips via tour bus to take us into the country for sightseeing.

While I don’t always love a tour bus, it worked out perfectly for this first time visitor. We were able to relax, see the sights and learn from our guide without worrying about driving, parking or navigating.

Check out how to spend 10 days in Ireland without a car!

Tip #8: Know the difference between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland

For most of this article, I’ve just been using “Ireland” but there are actually two separate places on the same island.

The Republic of Ireland (commonly referred to as just Ireland) is a separate country. It uses the euro and is not part of the United Kingdom.

Northern Ireland, in the north of the island, is part of the United Kingdom. That means it’s a separate country from the Republic of Ireland and uses the pound instead of the euro.

Obviously being on the same island, these two areas share a lot of similarities. They also have a pretty difficult shared history. There were wars, violence, refugees and, sadly, many lives and livelihoods lost.

While you don’t have to become an Irish historian, I encourage you to read up a bit on this history and to always be respectful.

Most international visitors to Ireland will visit both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland in one trip. While it may seem like one happy trip to us, keep in mind that there are still some tensions between the two countries and different interpretations of the history.

Tip #9: Live music is the best and should accompany all of your meals

If you eat at a few pubs during your time in Ireland, odds are you’ll wind up eating next to some live music. And it really doesn’t get better than that!

On our first night in Dublin, we wandered into a nearby pub and just happened to be there in time for their live show. The band was so good and we were smiling our faces off. It was the perfect welcome to Ireland!

A few nights later we caught a great acoustic guitar player in Belfast and a few nights after that we were treated to a soulful trio in Cork. I was so impressed by the talent and the different music styles.

On our final night back in Dublin, we booked tickets to see a show that included Celtic musicians and Irish dancing. Sure, it was a little touristy, but it was also a ton of fun!

After 10 days, I learned that live music is everywhere in Ireland and it is so good!

Tip #10: The Irish people really are as nice as they say

Before visiting Ireland, I had heard two things about Irish people: They love a pint and they’re the nicest people in the world. I would concur on both accounts!

There’s just something so charming about coming into the pub from the cold, grabbing a pint of Guinness and chatting with your fellow Irishmen.

We didn’t spend a ton of time chatting with locals, but everyone we did interact with was so friendly and always went out of their way to make a joke, offer us advice, or ask about our trip.

We never felt unsafe at any point during our trip. While Colin and I travelled to Ireland together, I think it would be an excellent place for a solo trip since everyone in Ireland is ready to be your friend.

Wrapping up: What you need to know for your first trip to Ireland

I hope my 10 tips above have got you ready and excited for your very first trip to Ireland. You’re going to have an amazing time!

While it’s great to know what to pack (more layers) and what to drink (more Guinness), the most important thing to know before your trip to Ireland is how much beauty you’re going to experience.

Whether it’s a beautiful coastline, cave or castle in the country, a beautiful church or library in the middle of the city, or the beautiful music from a local band, there is so much beauty to experience in Ireland.

In my opinion, Ireland is a really easy place to travel to. The locals are friendly, English is widely-spoken, and there’s a great system of trains and buses if you don’t want to drive.

So all of that beauty and it’s easy to explore? Sign me up! It’s no wonder people love visiting Ireland. And after my first trip, I definitely can’t wait to visit again.