So you have decided against renting a car in Ireland, instead binging your own car over? Now it is entirely up to you to make sure you are equipped correctly when touring Ireland. Check your pockets and your trunk (or boot in Irish ca-speak) for some essentials. Some things to take are common sense items, some are legal necessities.
1. Your Driving License
This sounds obvious - but you wouldn't guess how many people forget it or carry the wrong license. Check whether your license is acceptable on the official Irish website.
And remember that it is the law to carry your license with you when driving, at all times.
2. Glasses or Contact Lenses
If you need optical aids while driving, wear them - regardless of whether this is mentioned on your driving license or not. To dispense with clear vision is reckless, endangering you and others and, to be blunt, plain stupid. Apart from the fact that you may lose insurance cover.
3. A Decent Road Map
Do not rely on those very basic mas that come with most guidebooks to Ireland. They are barely usable on the road. If you plan on doing a fair bit of driving, invest in a decent road atlas.
4. Sunglasses
Bring sunglasses or clip-ons - Irish sunsets especially in the West can last ages and no sun visor, cap or tinted windscreen will protect you from slowly going all but blind. At which point an obstacle will suddenly appear, in a shadowy area, the better to surprise you.
Do yourself a favor and prevent accidents (or simple tiredness) by wearing sunglasses.
5. Some Loose Change
Even if you are not planning on using the toll roads, always have some change ready. You will need it for parking meters. Leave a handful in the car and you are sorted for any emergencies.
Remember that there are two currencies in use in Ireland - you will need Euros in the Republic and Pounds Sterling in Northern Ireland.
6. Child Seats
Here is the law: children in cars must be using appropriately fixed seats, depending on size. It is illegal to carry child passengers without these (though you would not believe this when observing some Irish parents).
If the legal requirements are not enough to convince you, just remember that children without proper seats and restraints are airborne and often fatally injured in even minor crashes.
7. Water, Tissues and Baby Wipes
You can never have enough water - for re-hydrating or even topping up the radiator. And carrying a bottle or two makes economic sense as well - two liters will cost you € 0.35 in a supermarket, a quarter of this amount will cost you € 1.50 at a gas station.
Baby wipes a good idea, even if you have no drooling infants with you. For those awkward moments when you need a quick sneeze or clean hands. The latter can be especially relevant as many public restrooms lack in facilities. Enough said.
8. Spare Wheel and Tools
Check that these are in order before you head off - if they are missing or in need of repair, get them seen to immediately. Even one of those dreadful "emergency wheels" will get you to your hotel or B&B. Or any other place where you can wait safely and in moderate comfort for a replacement tire.
9. Auto Club Membership
If you already are a member of an auto club, chances are they will cover you in case of breakdown in Ireland as well. Contact their nearest office (or the head office) to find out and get contact numbers.
Also check with your insurance - many will have breakdown cover available to you in Ireland. And you may also get some info on how to proceed in case of a claim.
10. Common Sense in Planning
This is not a tangible thing to take, this is a state of mind - in Ireland you won’t be traveling further than 40 miles in an hour off the few motorways. Daily tours of 200 miles or more will leave you with almost no time to visit attractions. Plan shorter stages if you can.
