After spending the last two weeks in Ireland and Northern Ireland, these are my bits of advice:
VAT is not worth claiming unless you really spend a lot of money. Some places won't charge you for it if they know that you are just going to claim it back. VAT needs to be stamped in Dublin if you are going to collect it
Irish bacon is amazing
Belfast is very uncomfortable feeling compared to Dublin
Rolling green hills are only in the country
Guinness is king
Harp; although listed as an Irish beer back home is only in Northern Ireland, the Irish were unaware of it (it's also brewed and owned by the Guinness factory so good marketing on their part)
O'Connell is not a street to visit after dark
If you want an Irish experience, skip Temple Bar
Even their bad curry is better than anything in Canada; just be careful with the spice
Skip the pizza, donair, certainly fruit juices, and beer gravy on pork
If you can't sleep on flights then nap, you'll need it
Eat to keep your energy up as airports are idiot central
It will rain; might only be a mist though
Take tours. Research them to figure out where you want to go before hand to make sure you get the tour for you but it helps you cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time
Dublin can be done in a week or less
Frankfurt has extremely tough security, YYZ checks you with dogs before getting on international flights and check your passport when you get off
I blend in until I open my mouth
The snacks you bring with you on the flight are never the ones you want to eat....
Weather
Winter: November to February; usually cold but dry
Spring: March to May; usually wet
Summer: June to August; warm and sunny
Fall: September to October; warm and sunny
Weather can be unpredictable so you can get all kinds of weather in a matter of hours!
What to Pack
Closed toe walking shoes - it's a very walkable city with lots of cobble stone streets
Umbrella and / or rain coat - never know what the rain will show up!
Camera - a must no matter where you go
Clothes - Make sure you have pieces you can layer as Dublin is on the water so it can get cold. Avoid anything too revealing as you will probably be cold and look out of place.
Electricity
If you do need a converter, make sure you buy the correct one as you can get two types: one for low-wattage and the other for high-wattage. If you are blow drying or straightening your hair, you will need the high-wattage one. **We charged an ipad, cameras, and cell phones without needing one of these
