South East Ireland Tourism
Travel guide to Ireland's south east
Travel guide to Ireland's south east
Useful Information
Banking & Money
Banks are generally open from Monday to Friday between the hours of 10am to 4pm. ATM machines are widely available throughout the region. Most shops, restaurants, and services accept contactless payments via debit/credit cards, Apple Pay, and Google Pay.
Climate
Influenced by the Gulf Stream, Ireland has a mild temperate climate with summer temperatures generally ranging from 14 to 20 degrees Celsius (60-70 Fahrenheit). The temperatures in Spring and Autumn are generally around 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit) and in Winter between 4 and 7 degrees Celsius (30-40 degrees Fahrenheit). For regional forecasts, please consult www.met.ie.
Credit Cards
MasterCard and Visa are universally accepted throughout the South East. American Express is accepted in some larger hotels and restaurants, but less frequently in smaller businesses.
Currency
The unit of currency in the Republic of Ireland is the Euro, and each Euro has 100 cent. Commonly circulated notes are €50, €20, €10, and €5. Coins are €2, €1, 50c, 20c, 10c, 5c, 2c, 1c.
Electricity
The electrical supply throughout Ireland is 230 volts (50Hz). Plugs are 3-pin flat (Type G). Adapters are, therefore, required for 2-pin appliances. En-suite bathroom shaving points normally have 110 and 240 volt outlets for using shavers.
Internet Access
Free Wi-Fi is widely available in most hotels, cafés, pubs, and public libraries in the South East. Mobile data coverage (4G/5G) is also excellent throughout most of the region.
Emergency Services
In Ireland, the general Emergency Telephone number is 999 or 112, free of charge. These numbers will alert the appropriate service - Fire, Gardaí (Police), Ambulance, Lifeboat, Coastal, Mountain and Cave Rescue Services. Local Garda Stations can be found by checking online at www.garda.ie.
Health & Medical Treatment
EU Citizens are entitled to public hospital treatment and should carry a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). Private medical insurance is strongly advised for visitors from non-EU countries.
St. Luke’s General Hospital, Kilkenny
Tel: +353 (0)56 7785000
Tipperary University Hospital, Clonmel
Tel: +353 (0)52 6177000
University Hospital Waterford, Waterford
Tel: +353 (0)51 848000
Wexford General Hospital, Wexford
Tel: +353 (0)53 9142233
Language
There are two official languages in Ireland: Irish, which is the national language, and English, which is the language of the majority of the population. Street and road signs are all bilingual. Gaeltacht is the name given to parts of Ireland where Irish (Gaeilge) can still be heard as an everyday community language. Visit the Gaeltacht Ring (An Rinn) in West Waterford where the living language can be experienced.
Passports/Visas
Web: www.dfa.ie
Ireland has Diplomatic Relations with over 160 countries. For the latest information on passports and visa requirements for Ireland, check the Department of Foreign Affairs website or contact your local Irish Embassy or Consulate.
Post
Web: www.anpost.com
An Post is Ireland's national postal service provider. Generally, Post Offices are open from 9am to 5.30pm, Monday-Friday, and 9am to 1pm on Saturdays (though smaller rural offices may close on Saturdays).
Public Holidays
The following are the annual public holidays in the Republic of Ireland. Most companies, banks, and schools are closed on these days.
New Year's Day (January 1st)
St. Brigid’s Day (First Monday in February)
St. Patrick’s Day (March 17th)
Easter Monday
May Bank Holiday (First Monday in May)
June Bank Holiday (First Monday in June)
August Bank Holiday (First Monday in August)
October Bank Holiday (Last Monday in October)
Christmas Day (December 25th)
St. Stephen’s Day (December 26th)
*(Note: While Good Friday is not a statutory public holiday, many businesses and schools also close on this day).*
Regional Newspaper Links
Newspapers have been published in Ireland for over 300 years. National papers are available daily and local newspapers are available weekly. Below are some of the popular news outlets in the South East region:
Co Carlow - The Nationalist (Carlow)
Co Kilkenny - Kilkenny People (www.kilkennypeople.ie)
Co Tipperary - The Nationalist (www.nationalist.ie)
Co Waterford - Munster Express (www.munster-express.ie) / Waterford News & Star (www.waterford-news.com)
Co Wexford - Wexford People (www.independent.ie/regionals/wexford/)
Shopping Hours
Shops are generally open from 9am to 6pm, Monday-Saturday. Most large stores have late-night shopping on Thursdays or Fridays. Many supermarkets and large stores are also open on Sundays (typically 11am/12pm to 6pm).
Telephone
To call an Irish telephone number from outside Ireland, dial +353 (or 00 353), then drop the initial '0' from the local area code. Most mobile roaming networks work seamlessly across Ireland, and pre-paid local SIM/eSIM cards are cheap and easy to purchase for data and calls.
Time Zone & Daylight Saving Time
When planning your travel and checking schedules, please note Ireland's local time zone:
- Standard Time (Winter): Greenwich Mean Time (GMT / UTC+0).
- Daylight Saving Time (Summer): Irish Standard Time (IST / UTC+1).
Daylight Saving Time begins on the last Sunday in March, when clocks go forward one hour, and ends on the last Sunday in October, when they go back one hour.
Tipping
In Ireland tipping is generally at your discretion. In restaurants, it is customary to leave a tip of approximately 10% to 15% for good service. If a service charge is already included in the bill (often for large groups), an additional tip is not required. Tipping is not standard in pubs when buying drinks at the bar, except when you are served directly at a table.
Banks are generally open from Monday to Friday between the hours of 10am to 4pm. ATM machines are widely available throughout the region. Most shops, restaurants, and services accept contactless payments via debit/credit cards, Apple Pay, and Google Pay.
Climate
Influenced by the Gulf Stream, Ireland has a mild temperate climate with summer temperatures generally ranging from 14 to 20 degrees Celsius (60-70 Fahrenheit). The temperatures in Spring and Autumn are generally around 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit) and in Winter between 4 and 7 degrees Celsius (30-40 degrees Fahrenheit). For regional forecasts, please consult www.met.ie.
Credit Cards
MasterCard and Visa are universally accepted throughout the South East. American Express is accepted in some larger hotels and restaurants, but less frequently in smaller businesses.
Currency
The unit of currency in the Republic of Ireland is the Euro, and each Euro has 100 cent. Commonly circulated notes are €50, €20, €10, and €5. Coins are €2, €1, 50c, 20c, 10c, 5c, 2c, 1c.
Electricity
The electrical supply throughout Ireland is 230 volts (50Hz). Plugs are 3-pin flat (Type G). Adapters are, therefore, required for 2-pin appliances. En-suite bathroom shaving points normally have 110 and 240 volt outlets for using shavers.
Internet Access
Free Wi-Fi is widely available in most hotels, cafés, pubs, and public libraries in the South East. Mobile data coverage (4G/5G) is also excellent throughout most of the region.
Emergency Services
In Ireland, the general Emergency Telephone number is 999 or 112, free of charge. These numbers will alert the appropriate service - Fire, Gardaí (Police), Ambulance, Lifeboat, Coastal, Mountain and Cave Rescue Services. Local Garda Stations can be found by checking online at www.garda.ie.
Health & Medical Treatment
EU Citizens are entitled to public hospital treatment and should carry a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). Private medical insurance is strongly advised for visitors from non-EU countries.
St. Luke’s General Hospital, Kilkenny
Tel: +353 (0)56 7785000
Tipperary University Hospital, Clonmel
Tel: +353 (0)52 6177000
University Hospital Waterford, Waterford
Tel: +353 (0)51 848000
Wexford General Hospital, Wexford
Tel: +353 (0)53 9142233
Language
There are two official languages in Ireland: Irish, which is the national language, and English, which is the language of the majority of the population. Street and road signs are all bilingual. Gaeltacht is the name given to parts of Ireland where Irish (Gaeilge) can still be heard as an everyday community language. Visit the Gaeltacht Ring (An Rinn) in West Waterford where the living language can be experienced.
Passports/Visas
Web: www.dfa.ie
Ireland has Diplomatic Relations with over 160 countries. For the latest information on passports and visa requirements for Ireland, check the Department of Foreign Affairs website or contact your local Irish Embassy or Consulate.
Post
Web: www.anpost.com
An Post is Ireland's national postal service provider. Generally, Post Offices are open from 9am to 5.30pm, Monday-Friday, and 9am to 1pm on Saturdays (though smaller rural offices may close on Saturdays).
Public Holidays
The following are the annual public holidays in the Republic of Ireland. Most companies, banks, and schools are closed on these days.
New Year's Day (January 1st)
St. Brigid’s Day (First Monday in February)
St. Patrick’s Day (March 17th)
Easter Monday
May Bank Holiday (First Monday in May)
June Bank Holiday (First Monday in June)
August Bank Holiday (First Monday in August)
October Bank Holiday (Last Monday in October)
Christmas Day (December 25th)
St. Stephen’s Day (December 26th)
*(Note: While Good Friday is not a statutory public holiday, many businesses and schools also close on this day).*
Regional Newspaper Links
Newspapers have been published in Ireland for over 300 years. National papers are available daily and local newspapers are available weekly. Below are some of the popular news outlets in the South East region:
Co Carlow - The Nationalist (Carlow)
Co Kilkenny - Kilkenny People (www.kilkennypeople.ie)
Co Tipperary - The Nationalist (www.nationalist.ie)
Co Waterford - Munster Express (www.munster-express.ie) / Waterford News & Star (www.waterford-news.com)
Co Wexford - Wexford People (www.independent.ie/regionals/wexford/)
Shopping Hours
Shops are generally open from 9am to 6pm, Monday-Saturday. Most large stores have late-night shopping on Thursdays or Fridays. Many supermarkets and large stores are also open on Sundays (typically 11am/12pm to 6pm).
Telephone
To call an Irish telephone number from outside Ireland, dial +353 (or 00 353), then drop the initial '0' from the local area code. Most mobile roaming networks work seamlessly across Ireland, and pre-paid local SIM/eSIM cards are cheap and easy to purchase for data and calls.
Time Zone & Daylight Saving Time
When planning your travel and checking schedules, please note Ireland's local time zone:
- Standard Time (Winter): Greenwich Mean Time (GMT / UTC+0).
- Daylight Saving Time (Summer): Irish Standard Time (IST / UTC+1).
Daylight Saving Time begins on the last Sunday in March, when clocks go forward one hour, and ends on the last Sunday in October, when they go back one hour.
Tipping
In Ireland tipping is generally at your discretion. In restaurants, it is customary to leave a tip of approximately 10% to 15% for good service. If a service charge is already included in the bill (often for large groups), an additional tip is not required. Tipping is not standard in pubs when buying drinks at the bar, except when you are served directly at a table.
