Ireland is a lovely country with lush greeneries and breathtaking landscape. It features old century architecture and countryside lifestyle. Known as the Emerald Isle, Ireland experiences a fair amount of rainfall every year keeping its fauna in healthy condition. Not only that, but Ireland also has a lot of fascinating stories about its history, mostly about the wars and victories it has undergone in the past and a number of castles and fortresses are what remains of it. At present, these castles have become a symbol of Ireland’s history and some of them can still be visited by tourists. Visiting foreign countries, as tourists, you should be aware of the customs and traditions that you should respect and follow. You should know the things to do while in these countries, but most importantly, the things to avoid. So below is an article on what not to do while in Ireland. Feel free to check them out below and remember them by heart.
1. Don't refer to Ireland as part of the British Isles
Although Ireland was once long ago a part of the United Kingdom in ancient history, the fact is, 26 out of 32 counties of Ireland have been granted independence and have officially become a republic. But most tourists are clueless about Ireland’s history and commonly mistake this concept. If you want a worry-free vacation in Ireland, avoid talking to Irish people about the troubled part of their history or worse, making assumptions about the things that you are not 100 percent sure of. The phrase ‘British Isles’ in reference to Ireland, is somehow offensive to Irish people. Instead of saying the British Isles, you can say 'Britain and Ireland’.
2. Don't smoke in public places
Public smoking in Ireland has been officially banned by law since 2004. The ban includes the general workplace, restaurants, schools, hospitals, public transportations, and other enclosed public places. Ireland is the first country in the world to impose a law that bans public smoking in general and a lot of tourists are still unfamiliar with this law. It is important that you make yourself aware of these things or else you will have to pay a hefty amount as fine for breaking a law. On a lighter note, private residences are not covered by the ban since it clearly states that it only prohibits smoking in public places. But on the other hand, you should bear in mind that it is covered by the ban when you hire people to work in your residences, such as plumbers, electricians or tradespeople, and therefore your residence becomes a public area.
3. Try not to immitate Irish accent
Mimicking any foreign accent, especially the accent of someone you are directly conversing with can sometimes be offensive to the other person. So when you are in doubt if it is okay with them or not, just assume yes and avoid doing it altogether. Most of the time, it is generally offensive to people when the other person imitating their accent comes from a more socio-economically advanced country and therefore it can be viewed as racism. No matter how charming you find the Irish accent, it is only polite to just enjoy listening to it instead of trying hard to imitate it and end up just doing it wrong and making offensive remarks unintentionally.
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4. Avoid driving in cities
Ireland, just like most countries in the world, also experiences heavy traffic and that is one thing you can avoid by not driving in cities. Instead, you should take advantage of the public transportation available. The local drivers are much better drivers than you while in this country because they know the terrain by heart and they are mindful about the traffic rules and general regulations of the country. Common problems you may experience if you choose to drive in the cities are the extreme traffic during rush hour, no available parking space, metered-on street parking that is outrageously expensive, and a lot more.
Ireland Tour Guide
Diana M
Hi there! I am Diana :) My passion in life (next to my loved ones) is travelling and meeting new people, showing others the beauty of the world, art in various forms. My private guided day tours are experiences that are unique and are a great way to do an interesting activity without being overwhelmed. You get to do something only few other travellers would get to do and a chance to gain a local perspective. As your guide, I want to open you the door to Ireland's untouched beauty, from scenic cliffs to fairytale like forests and would point out many details you wouldn’t uncover on your own. You might also like to do an activity which can be difficult without local knowledge, like hiking or horse riding, - I am here to help and guide you. I’ll handle all the planning and the driving on the left hand side of the road, so all you have to do is sit back, relax, and soak in the beautiful sights and compelling stories. Ireland won’t leave you untouched and I will be delighted to be your guide and ‘local expert’ here. Hope to see you on one of my trips to the heart and soul of our beautiful country!
Tours by Diana
5. Don't talk about Irish history
![THE RIC PLOT AND OBELISK IN MOUNT JEROME CEMETERY [PHOTOGRAPHED 2020]-159239](http://static.trip101.com/paragraph_media/pictures/002/448/005/large/the-ric-plot-and-obelisk-in-mount-jerome-cemetery-_photographed-2020_-159239-1622175991.jpg?1622176020)
As previously mentioned, Ireland’s history is filled with troubled parts of the war, British colonialism, the Irish rebellion, and a lot more. Some events have left scars in the hearts of Irish people and left haunting stories told from generation to generation. That is why it has become a sensitive topic for them. In order to avoid misunderstandings, it is just better to cross out Irish history from the list of topics to talk about with Irish people. Otherwise, you might just hurt their feelings or unintentionally offend them with your lack of knowledge about this sensitive topic.
6. Don't expect to pay museum entry fee
One fascinating thing about Ireland is that most of their museums, if not all, are free of charge and should stay that way. They believe that these museums and the objects it features are priceless, therefore, these things and the experience in being in the museum as a whole is never tantamount to any monetary value. Not charging entrance fee is one concrete influence of the Victorian Paternalism for Ireland and they have strict principles that museums should be accessible to everyone regardless of life status. Another interesting fact why Ireland does not intend to charge entrance fees in their museums is that they believe that a huge part of its visitors are tourists of Irish heritage as well. Therefore, these displays are also a part of who they are as much as it is Ireland’s as a whole.
7. Avoid wearing football colors
Irish people are very much into sports whether actually playing it or just being proud of their teams. They show huge support by wearing their team’s colors during gatherings and parties, and sometimes even just on a casual Wednesday. It is advisable to avoid wearing football colors to avoid being picked on by supporters of the opposing team. Or better yet, know which team they support and invest in a plain shirt of identical colors as their team’s.
8. Don't expect table service in pubs
Pubs are generally a part of Ireland’s vibrant culture. It is a symbol of social connection and as a tourist, you should experience the pub scene of Ireland and know the pub etiquettes. Commonly, Irish pubs do not have table service. When you enter the premise, you seat yourself in any vacant seat available and when it is time to order, you go to the bar get your drinks or your food. One fascinating fact about pubs in Ireland is that Irish people celebrate most of their milestones in pubs from birthdays to anniversaries to christening to celebrating national victories in sports and other reasons to celebrate. To Ireland, it is not just a place to drink but also a venue to make a connection and create experiences.
9. Don't tip in pubs
Ireland does not have a strong mandatory tipping requisite in their culture. Most of their pubs do not require tips because most of them do not have waiters and waitresses. It may not be required, but tipping won’t do harm anyway, and most tourists give tips as a token of their appreciation. The general rule is, restaurant barkeeps, taxi drivers, table services, and cafes in Ireland may accept tips but are not encouraged. It all boils down to you as a guest whether you enjoy their service or not.
10. Don't complain about the weather
Ireland’s weather is known for being extremely unpredictable, and it changes quickly from one moment to another. You should be prepared for this when you visit Ireland. Ireland experiences a fair amount of rainfall each year, and that is how their greens are maintained. They also experience four seasons, but you cannot entirely rely on that because their weather is too unpredictable; it can rain hard in summer and be hot in winter. The general advice for tourists is just to be always prepared.
Tip from tour guide
So why do we have snow in March?
Snow in Ireland is usually the result of cold air masses from the Arctic region colliding with moist air from the Atlantic. When these two air masses meet, the moisture in the air can freeze and fall as snow.
Additionally, Ireland’s climate is influenced by the Gulf Stream, a warm ocean current that flows from the Gulf of Mexico towards Europe. This current helps to keep Ireland’s temperatures relatively mild compared to other countries at similar latitudes. However, if the Gulf Stream weakens or changes course, it can result in colder temperatures and more extreme weather conditions, including snowfall.
Such weather will not last long though. As resilient local people joke: “If you don’t like the weather in Ireland, just wait five minutes.”
Precautionary measures in Ireland
Irish people may be kind and warm hospitable people, and Ireland may be just as lovely as a whole, but like all other countries, they have customs and traditions that must be followed and respected. As a tourist in this beautiful country, it is your duty to be aware of these things to avoid misunderstandings and to be able to make a meaningful and lasting relationship with the new Irish friends that you will make along the way. If you are planning a trip to Ireland soon or in the future, we advise that you check this list of the things to avoid doing in Ireland and may you have an amazing vacation ahead.
History
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