Packing list for Ireland, insurance for Ireland and taking your belongings

What to take to Ireland: brief

To pack and check

• Documents and money: a valid passport or identity card is sufficient for travelers from the EU. If you're from outside the EU, you may need a visa to enter Ireland, and a passport with 3 or 6 months validity. A Schengen visa isn't valid in Ireland. Ireland uses the euro. You can use your debit card and contactless payment almost everywhere, even in smaller towns.
• Clothing: pack clothing for all types of weather, so layering is key. In Ireland, sun, wind, and rain on the same day are not uncommon. A layering system and a waterproof and windproof jacket are therefore much more practical than a thick winter coat or just summer clothing.
• Shoes: waterproof hiking boots are ideal if you want to explore the Wicklow Mountains, the Cliffs of Moher, Connemara, or the Ring of Kerry. Comfortable sneakers or sandals (in the summer, that is) are sufficient for cities like Dublin, Cork, and Galway.
• Personal care and hygiene: sunscreen, especially when you are going for coastal walks.
• Packing and protection: a rain cover for your backpack, a compact umbrella, and possibly waterproof bags for electronics. There is a good chance you will encounter a rain shower. Insects and animals: mosquito repellent is usually not necessary, but can be pleasant during the summer at lakes, wetlands, or campsites. Ticks are found in nature reserves; therefore, a tick remover is handy if you do a lot of hiking.
• Medicines and travel first-aid kit: a small first-aid kit with plasters, blister plasters, painkillers, and personal medication.
• Outdoors and handy items: a reusable water bottle, sunglasses, and a daypack.
• Technology and equipment: A universal adapter for type G sockets.

To consider

• Walking sticks for rugged hikes.
• Binoculars for puffins, seabirds, and seals.
• Rain trousers for hiking.
• Swimwear if you want to take a dip in one of the many natural swimming spots or the Irish Sea.
• Power bank for long hikes.
• A lightweight hat and gloves; even in summer, it can be chilly on the Atlantic coast.

Are there mosquitoes in Ireland?

• Yes, mosquitoes are most common in the summer, around lakes, rivers, peatlands, and damp nature reserves.
• For most travelers, especially hikers, they are primarily a source of itching. Mosquito-borne diseases do not play a role in Ireland.
• More about protection against mosquitoes and insects.

Are there sandflies in Ireland?

• Sandflies do not pose a relevant problem for travelers in Ireland.
• More about sandflies and sand fleas.

Can you buy DEET, or other mosquito repellents, in Ireland?

• Yes, mosquito repellents containing DEET or picaridine are readily available at pharmacies, drugstores, and larger supermarkets.

Can you buy a joint or weed in Ireland, or bring it into Ireland?

• No, cannabis is illegal in Ireland. Although you might sometimes smell weed on the street, buying, consuming, possessing, or transporting it is absolutely punishable. There is no tolerance policy.
• Will you get caught with weed in the country or while traveling? Then you run the risk of arrest, a criminal record, imprisonment, and possible deportation.