Ireland Sept 2024 info request

Cwing

Heading to Ireland in early Sept. Any of you guys have any Ireland experiences?

Avg Irish weather for September?

Anyone take cash? If not, how’d you pay / tip your caddies?

Did you need currency for other activities?

Did you convert your cash currency before your trip? If so, where?

If not, did you do it at the airport or did you do it once you were on the ground and where did you do it?

What kind of electrical adapter is needed?

How much / what type of clothes to take? One or two pairs of shoes?

Any other need to know items?

Golf Couses:
Enniscrone Golf Links
County Sligo GC
Rosapenna Sandy Hills Links
Ballyliffin GC Glashedy
Rosapenna St Patrick’s Links
Lahinch GC Old Course

Accommodatios:
Rosapenna Resort
Mount Falcon Estate
Lahinch Coast Hotel

DonM

Cwing
We had our bank at home sell us £200 for the UK and I figured they added about 8% fee. The cheapest is to take a debit card to an atm in Ireland, and when the screen asks if you want to convert (to dollars), don’t. Let your bank do it. There will of course be an atm fee.

Currency exchanges are notoriously costly, and especially at the airport.

We are going to Ireland next week. But my experience so far in Scotland is that even the most remote places are accepting credit cards. Yesterday we ate at the Applecross Inn, which is about at the edge of civilization, and cash was NOT accepted:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/WPrMqJbTE1DzBhSD8?g_st=ic

The modern hotels have USB ports. But you probably should take an adapter. We bought a a two pack on Amazon for under $20. Just search Ireland electric adapter. Ours include USB & USB C ports.

Luc_Van_Daele

Cwing Avg Irish weather for September?
...
Any other need to know items?

Weather : rain for sure, so take a spare pair of shoes.
Cash : easiest at ATM (no conversion, let your home bank deal with that), most placed take debit/credit cards like Visa, MasterCard (conversion is also done at your home bank).
Bars, restaurants: tax and tips are included, but feel free to be a generous american.
Adapter : UK style, beware of 220V

Golf courses : I played south and west coast up to Ballybunnion (2 brilliant links couses), a bit out of the way for you.

If you drive remember to do so at the left, the stearing wheel being at the passenger seat is a give-away 😉

DonM

Cwing We’ve been in Ireland for a few days now. The only need for cash is for tipping. At several stores we see signs, “card only”.

Of course the ATM gives you big bills, then you have to try to change a 20 to get useful denominations for tips. Unless you’re a bigger tipper than us. 😉

Tips are given to day tour guides, hotel housekeeping, etc. For meals, 10% is common but can be put on the card. Taxis typically no tip or round up to the next Euro.

Also, at several places, the card machines asked me to select euros or dollars. I believe the correct answer is euros. Otherwise the merchant or processor is going to charge a conversion fee that’s higher than your card company charges.

ode

@Graz

Maybe he's still around🤔

Par4QC

ode iirc, he was around Dublin.
Been quiet here for several years now.

SVonhof

I was there last year, but went for a football game (ND vs Navy) and only played Lahinch.
We went to AAA and got Euro's before leaving as the exchange rate is better, but you can use US dollars for tipping if you want (Euro's are best). Cash for tipping caddies is required, most everything else is credit card unless you have Euro's to spend.

SVonhof

As far as clothes, always plan for hot as well as cold and rainy for that time of year.
Lahinch for me, late Aug was perfect with clouds but no wind or rain and probably 72 degrees.
Since you are playing multiple rounds, bring at least 2 pairs of shoes.

SVonhof

If you ate using a hairdryer, curling iron or flat iron, make sure you buy a 220v version (cheap through Amazon) unless the places you stay will have them there. For any converters you buy, ensure they allow a polarized plug to be used (my wife had a non-polarized adapter but my Bro-in-law had a prized version (2-pack) which save the trip for her).

SVonhof

Yipsy totally agree. We got insurance on our trip and got money back for our brand new suitcases that had failed handles during our trip.
The price of insurance paid for the replacement suitcases.
We got it from AIG Travel Guard.

DonM

You have to plan for rain. No doubt about it. You might not get any, but that would be exceptional.

pellmell

DonM I believe the correct answer is euros

Yes, that's correct and bring a card that has no foreign transaction fees.

DonM

@Cwing

We are heading home tomorrow to the furnace that is Dallas.

It’s been hard to believe how crowded Ireland is with tourists. Even in the small towns, the traffic is stopped and sidewalks and shops are packed. But it’s August. Please report back on what September is like.