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Social Profile
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 soufflé 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 (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 Paddy, Tullamore Dew, Old Bushmills, Midleton, Reserve and Hewitts. Certainly as popular as whiskey is stout which is bottled or served from the tap. Liqueurs such as Irish Mist and Bailey’s are both made from a base of Irish whiskey. Licensing hours: Mon-Wed 1030-2400, Thurs-Sat 1030-0030 and Sun 1030-2400.
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 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) 679 2777 ext 48861; fax: (1) 679 5236; e-mail: vat@revenue.ie; website: www.revenue.ie).
Special Events: For full details, contact the Irish Tourist Board (see Contact Addresses). The following are some of the many festivals and events held in Ireland in 2003:
Mar 14-17 St Patrick’s Festival, Dublin. Mar 30-Apr 1 Samhlaiocht (Kerry Arts Festival), Tralee. May 1-Jul 31 County Wicklow Gardens Festival, Wicklow. May 1-Sep 3 Diversions Temple Bar (summer festival of contemporary arts), Dublin. May 7-18 All Ireland Drama Festival, Athlone. May 8-11 Murphy’s International Mussel Fair, Bantry Bay. May 15-18 Early Music Festival, Galway. May 23-27 Fleadh Nua, Ennis. May 25 International Maytime Festival, Dundalk. May 28-Jun 7 Sligo Arts Festival, Sligo. May 31-Jun 3 Heineken Green Energy Festival, Cork. Jun 3 Dublin Women’s Mini Marathon, Dublin. Jun 6-15 Music in Great Irish Homes Festival, nationwide. Jun 12-17 Bloomsday Festival (celebration of the Irish writer James Joyce), Dublin. Jun 13-16 Dublin Writer’s Festival, Dublin. Jun 16-29 Dublin Pride (gay and lesbian festival), Dublin. Jun 29 Irish Derby, Newbridge. Jul 4-7 Smurfit European Open (golf tournament), Staffan. Jul 9-14 Galway Film Fleadh, Galway. Jul 12-13 Drogheda Samba Festival, Drogheda. Jul 15-27 Galway Arts Festival, Galway. Jul 19-21 Irish Coffee Championships Festival, Foynes. Jul 19-26 Gerard Manley Hopkins Summer School, Monasterevin. Jul 27 Garland Sunday Climb, Croagh Patrick, Mayo. Aug 1-4 Muff Festival, Muff. Aug 2-4 Waterford Spraoi Street Festival, Waterford. Aug 10-12 Puck Fair, Killorglin. Aug 10-19 Kilkenny Arts Festival, Kilkenny. Aug 23-25 Fleadh Cheoil nah Eireann (traditional Irish music compeition and festival), Listowel. Aug 23-27 Rose of Tralee International Festival, Tralee. Aug 31-Oct 7 Matchmaking Festival, Lisdoonvarna. Sep 8 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Final (hurling tournament), Dublin. Sep 19-22 World Golf Championship/American Express Championship, Thomastown. Sep 27-30 Galway International Oyster Festival, Galway. Sep 30-Oct 13 Dublin Theatre Festival, Dublin. Oct 16-Nov 2 Wexford Opera Festival, Wexford. Oct 25-28 Guinness Cork Jazz Festival, Cork. Dec 19-23 Winter Solstice at Bru na Boinne, Slane.
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 acceptable unless otherwise stated. Tipping: The customary tip in Ireland is ten 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.
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