World Country Guide

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Food & Drink
Ireland is a farming country noted for its meat, bacon, poultry and dairy produce. The surrounding sea, inland lakes and rivers offer fresh fish including salmon, trout, lobster, Dublin Bay prawns, oysters (served with Guinness and wholemeal bread), mussels and periwinkles. Dublin has a wide selection of restaurants and eating places to suit every pocket, as do the other major towns. Table and self-service are both common. The most typical Irish dishes will usually be found in a country restaurant, and include corned beef and carrots, boiled bacon and cabbage and Irish stew. Other local delicacies are crubeens (pigs’ trotters), colcannon (a mixture of potatoes and cabbage cooked together), soda bread and a souffl made with carrageen (a variety of seaweed). Visitors should note that ‘tea’ is often almost a full meal with sandwiches and cakes.
Pubs, of which Ireland has plenty, are sometimes called ‘lounges’ or ‘bars’ and there is often a worded sign outside the premises rather than the traditional painted boards found in Britain. Pubs and bars have counter service. The measure used in Ireland for spirits is larger than that used in Britain, for example an Irish double is equal to a triple in Britain. Irish coffee is popular (a glass of strong black coffee, brown sugar and whiskey with cream). Almost any drink is imported but the two most internationally distinctive products are whiskey (spelt with an ‘e’) and stout. Guinness, one of the most famous, popular and distinctive drinks in the world, is found everywhere and Murphy’s is almost as widely available. One of the most popular of lighter ales is Smithwick’s or Harp Lager, also available everywhere. Irish whiskey has a uniquely characteristic flavour and is matured in a wooden barrel for a minimum of seven years. Amongst the most popular brands are Jamesons and John Powers Gold Label, but others include Hewitts, Midleton, Old Bushmills, Paddy, Reserve and Tullamore Dew. Certainly as popular as whiskey is stout which is bottled or served from the tap. Liqueurs such as Bailey's and Irish Mist are both made from a base of Irish whiskey. Licensing hours: Mon-Wed 1030-2330, Thurs-Sat 1030-0030 and Sun 1030-2300. Legal drinking age: 18, although some bars will insist that patrons are over 21 and carry ID. Children under 18 years must leave establishments by 2100.

Nightlife
Most towns in Ireland have clubs, bars and pubs with live music. It is quite common to find pubs holding seisun, playing traditional Irish music with traditional instruments. The dancehalls and discos of previous eras have now been replaced with clubs similar to those found throughout the UK and Western Europe. Special events and themed nights often take place at special attractions such as the medieval banquet at Bunratty Castle. There is still a good choice of theatres and cinemas.

Shopping
Special purchases include hand-woven tweed, hand-crocheted woollens and cottons, sheepskin goods, gold and silver jewellery, Aran knitwear, linen, pottery, Irish crystal and basketry. Shopping hours: Mon-Sat 0900-1730/1800. Many towns have a late night opening on Thursday or Friday until 2000/2100 and smaller towns may have one early closing day a week.

Note
Under the ‘Retail Export Scheme’, it is possible to claim VAT back on goods bought in Ireland on leaving the EU. For further information, contact the VAT Administration Branch, Stamping Building, Dublin Castle, Dublin 2 (tel: (1) 674 8858; fax: (1) 657 5000; e-mail: vatinfo@revenue.ie; website: www.revenue.ie).

Special Events
For full details, contact Filte Ireland (see Contact Addresses). The following is a selection of special events occurring in Ireland in 2005:
Jan 1 Lord Mayor’s New Year’s Day Parade, Dublin. Feb 9-13 Chinatown Festival, Dublin. Feb 25-Mar 5 North Cork Drama Festival. Mar 11-17 St Patrick's Week Celebrations, nationwide. Mar 29-Apr 3 Pan Celtic International Festival, Kerry. Apr 12-17 Wexford Book Festival. Apr 17 Sliabh Beagh Walking Festivals. Apr 29-May 1 Bray Jazz Festival, Wicklow. May 5-8 Bantry Mussel Fair, Cork. Jun 2-6 The Murphy's Cat Laughs Festival, Kilkenny. Jul 1-15 Ballyheigue Summer Festival, Kerry. Aug 10-12 Puck Fair, Kerry. Sep 22-24 36th Ryder Cup Golf Tournament, Kildare. Oct 7-10 Harvest Moon Festival, Tyrone. Nov 16-20 Darklight Film Festival, Dublin.

Social Conventions
The Irish are gregarious people, and everywhere animated craic (talk) can be heard. Oscar Fingal O’Flahertie Wills (better known as Oscar Wilde) once claimed: ‘We are the greatest talkers since the Greeks.’ Close community contact is very much part of the Irish way of life and almost everywhere there is an intimate small-town atmosphere. Pubs are often the heart of a community’s social life. Visitors will find the people very friendly and welcoming no matter where one finds oneself in the country. A meal in an Irish home is usually a substantial affair and guests will eat well. Dinner is the main meal of the day and is now eaten in the evening. Even in cities there is less formal wear than in most European countries and casual dress is widely acceptable as in keeping with a largely agricultural community. Women, however, often dress up for smart restaurants and social functions. Handshaking is usual, and modes of address will often be informal. Smoking is banned in all public enclosed/working spaces, including pubs, bars and restaurants. Tipping: The customary tip in Ireland is 10 to 12 per cent. Many hotels and restaurants add this in the form of a service charge indicated on the menu or bill. It is not customary to tip in bars unless you have table service when a small tip is advised. Tipping porters, taxi drivers, hairdressers etc is customary but not obligatory.