As the saying goes “If you're enough lucky to be Irish… You're lucky enough!” And despite the distinctive Irish culture, it’s understandable if your clients blur the lines between Ireland and Britain.
The Irish use British terms (a lift is an elevator; petrol is gas). Beer is greatly appreciated. They drive on the left. There are masses of school kids in their tidy uniforms.
And yet.
The Irish – which unlike the UK are part of the EU - have a proud culture, geography, history and language. Just a bit larger than New Brunswick, Ireland punches way above its weight when delivering a wonderful tourist experience.
The scenery is eye-popping, from the verdant, sheep-dotted fields to the spectacular Atlantic coastline. Clients keep their cameras ready for images of fiddlers in pubs and picture-perfect villages.
Mind you, Ireland does share Britain’s famously damp climate. How else could it be so green? One tour guide made us laugh when she said, “Ireland would be perfect – if they could only cover it over.” We were glad to have umbrellas (and gloves).
What struck me on this trip – my 5th to the Emerald Isle – is how cosmopolitan it has become. Between the tourists, the foreign workers and the international students, it seemed only 1 in 10 pedestrians in Dublin was chatting in English.
Not surprisingly, the restaurant options are international as well, though there’s never a shortage of pub grub and places for lighter fare. Prices are somewhat higher than Canada, and our extremely unscientific survey found pub/casual food such as burgers, pizza and fish and chips ringing up around €15-20 (the Euro is worth about Cdn$1.50).
Given the literally millions of people who have emigrated from Ireland, Irish music and writing is known around the world. From street buskers to lively live pub tunes and concert halls, there is music everywhere; and bookstores have Irish works of literature and history piled high and wide.
Speaking of history, any client with even the slightest interest in history will find much to fascinate. Every country has its history of course, but Ireland seems to have more than its fair share including the tragic Potato Famine of the 1840s and a long and often bitter relationship with Britain.
A special Irish tradition is the conservation of the Gaelic language (simply called “Irish” by the locals). Taught from a young age in schools and appearing on all government signage including, for example, buses, it’s clearly a point of pride.
But don’t forget the craic. A uniquely Irish word, craic (“crack”) means fun, laughter and entertainment, as in “How was the craic at the concert?” Craic is much a part of Irish life as Guinness beer.
We spent 11 happy days in Dublin and Cork, the country’s 2nd largest city. We travelled by rail between the 2 – an efficient and pleasant service. Find out more about Ireland’s many charms at Tourism Ireland.
Tips to make an Irish vacation complete
Some insider suggestions:
Renting a car is a great way to explore rural Ireland, but the roundabouts (traffic circles) and crazy-busy roads can be intimidating – not to mention driving on the left, in a right-hand drive vehicle. Do not recommend clients drive in Dublin (“I live here but I never drive here,” one local told us). fwiw, petrol (gas) is currently about Cdn $2.70 per litre.
Tap water absolutely fine to drink.
Though part of the EU, Ireland uses British electric plugs (3-prong).
A number of popular attractions have timed admissions which can be booked even before leaving Canada (such as Dubin’s Book of Kells, the Guinness Storehouse and the Epic Emigration Museum) – a great way to give the FIT client a fuller, pre-planned itinerary.
Taxi drivers very much prefer cash to cards.
Speaking of cash, some ATMs will not recognize Canadian bank cards. Stick to a major name such as the Bank of Ireland.
Tipping isn’t (yet) part of the Irish culture. Round up a fee or cab ride by a Euro or two. Many servers and cab drivers we encountered didn’t even seem to anticipate a tip.
In my experience, mid-range hotels don’t provide face cloths, conditioner or shower caps. Suggest clients bring their own.
