Tips Just a couple of quick notes as you get ready for your trip to Ireland. Euros, Tipping and ATM’s
You can buy euros in the States or in Ireland. Banks typically give you the best exchange rates. Avoid the European airport currency exchanges as they are very expensive. In your local area you can order from your bank or call AAA and/or a local currency exchange. I personally would not bother with euro travelers checks. Mostly you will need cash for tips & misc. snacks, drinks, etc. Remember that a caddie is 35 euro plus tip (usually 15 euro). A fore caddie is usually 80-100 euro total (split between a foursome). Tip for the coach driver is about 70-100 euro per person per week of service or 10-15 euro per day depending on service. Always check your restaurant tabs & ask specifically if a service charge has been added. It is common for them to automatically add 15% to the bill. Typical tip for restaurant servers is 15%. Tipping the bartender is not necessary. Typically they make good money & do not expect a tip. If you must tip them, 10% is about right. ATM machines are common in Ireland & another good way to get cash at a good rate. It is also very convenient & you do not have to carry a huge amount of cash with you. Credit Cards
Most places accept Visa and MasterCard. Just be aware of two things; 1.) Your credit card company may charge you an extra fee to handle the euro to dollar conversion & it can be as high as 3%. This is on top of an exchange rate. You may want to check your cards policy. 2.) The shop vendor in Ireland may give you an exchange rate then bill your card in dollars. Just be aware as they are supposed to ask you first but they often forget and sometimes their rates are not great. Credit cards are a great way to handle meals. On my last trip we split meal costs. A different person paid for meals each day with a credit card and we kept all the receipts. When we tallied up at the end, very few euros exchanged hands. Just an idea. Shopping, Duty Free & VAT Back
VAT stands for Value Added Tax. You are exempt from paying this tax which saves you about 17% on goods you purchase in Ireland. Store clerks will usually ask you if you want “VAT Back”. There are at least 3 ways to get your VAT back and the clerk will tell you how the system works (some ways are easy, others may require a stop at the VAT Back office at the airport). Many stores also provide shipping back to the States and sometimes it is free as well. This is a good way to get things home without lugging it around Ireland. Ireland is famous for woolen items, pottery, jewelry, crystal and art. A good place to get Irish made goods is the Killkenny store on Nassau St. in downtown Dublin (across the street from Trinity College). Duty Free at the airport is also a good place to shop for many things (like all Guinness logo items) and it is a great deal on Irish Chocolate & Irish Whiskey. Passports
Double check to make sure your passport is current and make a couple of photocopies (one for your luggage and one at home). This is one thing you do not want to be without. Cell Phones
Call your carrier to make sure it will work there (most GSM phones will). Also see if they have a rate other than roaming (can be $3 per minute). For $4.99 a month AT&T got me a rate of $.99 per minute. Dress/Attire/Shorts & Jeans
Ireland is a little more relaxed now than just a few years ago but it is still a little more formal than the States. Golf attire will get you most places but you may want to add a sports coat for the fancier restaurants. Jeans are much more common in Ireland these days & great for the pub & sightseeing. I suggest 2 pair, especially if you are traveling in jeans. Most golf courses allow shorts but due to the typical weather, 2 pair or so should work. Shorts are nice to wear under your rain gear. Jeans are not allowed at any golf courses Smoking
Good news! Ireland outlawed smoking in bars & restaurants. Most places have outdoor areas with propane heaters so you can still go have a smoke. The only bad news on my last trip was that people seem to sneak a smoke in their hotel room. We always reserve non-smoking rooms but be aware to check your room anyway & request a change. Climate & Packing Suggestions
The climate in Ireland is very similar to Seattle, 50 & rain in the winter and 60 & rain in the summer. The only difference in Ireland is how fast the weather changes. The storms come in off the Atlantic with no mountains to stop them and it is not unusual to get 4 or 5 different weather patterns in the same day. Late May through early October are the best weather months. If you do get a 70 degree day with sunshine, it is spectacular! But it does cool down at night so be prepared. Here is a partial list; Golf rain suit 2 pair golf shoes (if walking alot)
Light sweater or vest Wind shirt
Small umbrella Swim suit
Handicap card Gym bag/overnight bag
Vitamins/meds Sunscreen
Lip Balm Extra Golf Balls Electrical Adapter-these will allow you to charge cell phones, run laptops, charge camera batteries, etc. Available at Radio Shack & in Ireland for about $5. Leave your hair dryer at home. The hotels supply them & the 220 voltage will just fry them. | 
