Navigating a new country can be tough. Here are the top ten biggest faux pas tourists make in Ireland, so you can avoid making them on your next trip.
Ireland has long been known as the land of a thousand welcomes, so much so that people from all over the world claim Irish heritage and flock to the Emerald Isle for a glimpse of their ancestral home.
However, not all are as well-versed with the do’s and don’ts of visiting Éire. Here are ten of the biggest mistakes tourists in Ireland make.
10. Claiming you can “do the Irish accent” – can you really?
Believe it or not, Ireland is a large, diverse country with accents that can differ wildly, even between villages a mere fifteen-minute drive from one another.
So when you say you can “do the Irish accent” and come out with Emily Blunt’s Wild Mountain Thyme lilt, don’t be surprised if you get laughed at right in your face or worse – nodded at politely before the conversation is swiftly moved along.
We’ll definitely be telling our friends about this later.
9. Being alarmed at how modern everything is – we don’t live in the dark ages
No, The Banshees of Inisherin was set in 1923, not 2023, thank you very much. Yes, there is electricity here. Yes, we have Wi-Fi.
8. Complaining about the pronunciation of place names – they’re hard, but give them a go
We know Irish place names can be hard to pronounce – Dun Laoghaire has far too many letters, and saying Youghal out loud for the first time will shatter your confidence if you get it wrong.
However, we will forgive your butchering of Irish place names as long as you don’t complain. You’re in Ireland, after all.
Most of the towns and cities derive their names from a different language – Irish. If you’re happy giving the pronunciation of the Champs-Élysées a good go, then give that same respect to the likes of Drogheda and Cobh.
7. Not leaving Dublin – venture out
Never venturing beyond The Pale is one of the biggest mistakes tourists in Ireland make. Yes, it’s the capital, but it definitely doesn’t top an Irish person’s bucket list when it comes to doing a trip around Ireland.
While you’re here, don’t neglect cities like Galway and Cork, which have thriving food and drink scenes, and are often a lot cheaper. On top of this, as smaller cities, they can often be a lot friendlier (but don’t tell the Dubs we said that).
6. Only visiting pubs in Temple Bar – there are much better pubs elsewhere
Okay, fine, as a tourist, we’ll forgive you for going for one pint in the iconic Temple Bar Pub, but no more! There are plenty of good Dublin watering holes that are miles better and more authentic than anything on that side of the city.
Even if you only go as far as South William Street, we guarantee you’ll enjoy yourself (and maybe not have to remortgage your house for the price of a pint).
5. Trying to buy alcohol after hours – it’s not gonna happen
Although we are famed drinkers, you won’t get past those plastic barriers in Tesco to grab a sneaky few after the hours of 10 pm. Licensing laws prohibit the purchase of alcohol in shops after this time and before 10:30 am.
4. Thinking a baby Guinness is a small stout – couldn’t be further from it
Don’t be alarmed when the baby Guinness you ordered turns out to be a delicious shot of coffee liqueur and Irish cream rather than a tiny pint of plain (a Guinness). Next time you’re looking for Guinness in a smaller glass, order a half-pint.
3. Not renting a car – it’ll really enhance your trip
Don’t make one of the biggest mistakes tourists make by not going to explore beautiful Ireland by renting a car.
Unfortunately for us, our public transport system is not as sophisticated as other European countries, so this means you brush up your Google Maps skills and explore by car.
Especially if you want to explore the rugged west coast, the last thing you want to be doing is waiting at the side of a ditch for a Bus Éireann coach that may or may not turn up.
2. Telling us about your Irish ancestry – one of the biggest mistakes tourists make
This is one of the biggest mistakes tourists make. While we Irish people are thrilled that so many people proudly claim Irish heritage, that doesn’t mean we want to hear about everyone’s great-great-great-grandad’s voyage from Dublin to the States.
Just take it that we’re happy for you and save your story for another enthusiastic ancestry tracer.
1. Saying “top of the morning to you!” – an absolute no-no
Just no. We have no idea where that phrase came from, and we doubt any self-respecting Irish person would dare say it back to you.
