Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
• Watch out for drivers coming in from the left - it's surprisingly disorienting.
• Bring prescription medications with you, as some medications can be diffi-
cult to find abroad.
Because of a health scare in the mid-90s, some people are concerned that Irish beef may
be contaminated with mad cow disease. This fear is unfounded, however, as the mad cow
outbreak was nearly 20 years ago and there have been no indications that it is coming back.
(Even when it was at its worst, the risks were fairly slight.) Besides, the Irish export about
90% of their beef production, so the risks are certainly no greater here than they would be
in other parts of Europe. Enjoy as much Irish beef as you like!
If you do get sick in Ireland, you can walk into most doctors' offices and ask for a consulta-
tion, which most likely will cost under €100.
Although Ireland's healthcare system is excellent, hospitals and doctor's offices sometimes
experience overcrowding, and this may delay your care somewhat. However, most Amer-
icans from major cities are unfortunately pretty accustomed to long waits at the emergency
room, so the delays in Irish healthcare won't seem so bad by comparison.
The Seasons
Ireland experiences all four seasons in dramatic fashion. Often, in fact, you'll get all four of
them in a single day! Situated in the middle of the turbulent North Atlantic, the island is ex-
tremely unpredictable in terms of weather, especially on the windswept western coastline.
There's
no bad season to visit Ireland
, but here's some of what you can expect depending
on when you choose to go:
Pros
Cons
Fall
Rainbows every day (lit-
erally)
Festivals!
Generally pleasant tem-
perature
Frequent rain showers
High winds
Occasional (very) cold days
Winter
Christmastime in Ireland
Picturesque snow on the hills
No crowds
Cold
Very few hours of daylight
Trails often closed
