DebD

We are due to depart for our first trip to Ireland next week. Thanks to all of the Fodorites for fabulous information and tips. I look forward to reading every trip report that pops up -

My question is - Did any of you that recently returned from Ireland use your ATM cards for cash? And if so, were there enough prevelant banks in Western and Southwestern Ireland to make it easy? Finally, what was the exchange rate noted when you got cash? Were there fees associated?

Finally, Did the B&B's accept traveller's checks (Euro)? Or did you have to cash them at banks?

Thanks for all of your help! This site helps relieve the "stress of not knowing".

Budman

Deb, My ATM card worked in every machine that I tried with the exception of one in Cobh -- I just went down the street to the other one.

I could easily get anywhere from 300 to 400 euro per day on my ATM card -- mostly in denominations of 50 Euro bills, but one machine gave me 20's. I always paid my B&B's in Euro's.

Traveler's checks in today's world seem to be a thing of the past. I would just have the ATM card for cash, and the credit card for expenses, rental car, restaurants, purchases, etc. I think the general consensus of travelers on this board would be against traveler's checks.

I got the best exchange rates using my ATM card -- it has no fees. There seemed to be a couple of ATM's in every major town, including one at Shannon Airport.

wojazz3

Hi Deb:

Any town with a bank has an ATM and there are plenty of options in the West and SW. Last I heard, there was not an ATM in Doolin, though that may have changed. There was word that some of the "post offices" were going to have ATMs. Also, as far as I know, there are no ATMs on the Aran Islands.

The ATM at the Shannon Airport is notorious. Sometimes it is working, other times no. Depending on the direction that you are headed, there are plenty of options in Ennis and the Woolen Mills shop in Blarney has at least one.

Not all cards work in all machines. Cirrus and Plus networks are prevalent. If you have a Pulse Network card, you will have a slightly harder time. My sister has that and One of the two major banks accepted it and the other did not.

Have Fun!!!

Bill

MaryZ

I exist exclusively on my ATM and credit cards while in Ireland. There are still some very small towns and villages without ATMs, but fewer of them every day. Just think ahead and don't get down to your last penny. Replenish your cash when you have the opportunity.

Some B&Bs accept credit cards, but certainly not all. I've never tried a traveler's check.

BobP46

Hi Deb,

Since it was our first trip to Ireland, we took U.S. dollars, travelers checks, an ATM card, and credit cards on our recent trip to cover all the bases. Didn't use the dollars or travelers checks. We used the credit cards whenever possible but mostly used euros from the ATMs. ATMs were available at the airport (Shannon) and in most towns. After comparing the exchange rates for ATM transactions and the exchange rates charged by my credit card, the ATM rates were better. Only one bank charge an ATM fee. I would definitely go with the ATM and credit cards.

Bob

nytraveler

Unless you positively know otherwise I would stongly doubt if a B&B would accept travelers checks. To do so would require them to go to the trouble and cost of cashing them - which they would then have to pass on to you. Using TCs would make your trip much more expensive.

bob_brown

Most places don't want those silly checks, except banks, where a nice fee for very little work can be collected.

The ATMs in Ireland are no obstacle.
The usual ATM rate is 1% over the wholesale bank rate, which is on the web. I look at Yahoo's financial section before I leave to have an idea what I should get. No surprises in the last 5 years in Canada, Ireland, Switzerland, France, Germany, Austria, or Finland.

allisonm

We too use our ATM and credit cards in Ireland and have never had any problems finding machines. (Well, I thought I would be washing dishes in a Sligo pub one afternoon when my husband left me there to go off in search of an ATM and didn't find one for the longest time...)
I would also strongly suggest that you have a back up card since a bank in London would not return my husband's card at the beginning of our trip there a couple of years ago. Fortunately, I had my card.

We have always paid our B&B hosts with cash or, one year, vouchers. (As much as I don't think I would use them again, I never had to worry about having the cash to pay up.) Most of them do not take credit cards.

IrishEyes

B&Bs will not accept euro traveler's checks nor will the majority of business in Ireland with the exception of banks. They accept them and will give you cash but charge a transaction fee. Better to use the ATM and credit cards.

jef_e

Bill, Kilronan on Inis Mor has (at least) 1 ATM - in the Spar store. I saw it when we stopped in to buy some sandwiches for a lunch picnic.

That said, anyone travelling there would probably not want to rely on it as their only cash source for the day, tho.

rshersnow

We used our ATM cards to get cash in Ireland (we use Cirrus sp?). Use your credit card rather than your ATM to actually buy anything though. Your credit card has better protections if you get charged erroneously. With an ATM card once it is gone, it is gone.