WHEN BEST TO GO
The best time of year to visit Dublin is from May to September when the days are long and the weather is warm.
The most popular season is the height of summer (July and August). Irish weather is famously unpredictable, but the climate is generally mild thanks to the island’s position in the Gulf Stream.
LOCAL CUSTOMS
Smoking in pubs, cafés and restaurants is illegal, though many places have embraced al fresco culture and have large heated terraces.
ATTIRE
Ireland is liberal when it comes to dress and Dublin’s sartorial habits are eclectic. Churchgoers and guests at the more up-market restaurants tend to dress conservatively. Though temperatures rarely drop below freezing, warm clothes are advisable in the winter. Summer can be pleasant when the sun is shining, though evenings are often cold so it is always best to have a sweater handy. Dublin is not especially rainy but visitors should come prepared for the occasional shower even at the peak of summer.
LANGUAGE
English is the dominant language in Ireland. The official ‘national language’ is Irish (Gaeilge), which is still taught as a compulsory subject in schools but outside the classroom it is only spoken in isolated rural communities.
Related
CURRENCY
Euro
EXCHANGE RATE
$1 = EUR 0.73
£1 = EUR 1.17
Content from our partners
COUNTRY DIALLING CODE
+353
24 HOUR EMERGENCY CONTACT
Ambulance: 999
Fire services: 999
Police: 999
Coastguard: 112/999
EMBASSY CONTACTS
US: + 353 1 668 8777
UK: + 353 1 205 3700
TIME ZONE
GMT (GMT +1 between the last Sunday in March and the last Sunday in October).
POPULATION
1.1 million
RELIGIOUS DEMOGRAPHIC
The population of the Republic of Ireland is 87% Roman Catholic, 4.8% Protestant and other Christian religions, and 4.2% non-religious. Though the Catholic Church has become less influential in the last twenty years, Ireland still has one of the highest rates of regular church attendance in the western world.
TYPICAL OPENING HOURS
Business hours are usually from 9am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday, with a lunch break from 1pm to 2pm.
