Deborah,

You are counting down now.  Before you know it you will be in Ireland.

There is a bank at Shannon Airport which is open. However, other banks in town will not be open. (The ATMs are always open and there is one at Bunratty Village Mills.) You probably want to exchange enough money to see you through the weekend. If you are staying in a B&B definitely have enough to cover that since many of them prefer cash to credit card. Restaurants take credit cards as do petrol stations and shops. So whatever you think you will need for the weekend.

And you are already starting out with some euros, so you are ahead of the game.

Michele

i have a different suggestion...if you have enough euros already to deal with getting from the airport to your hotel, then don't change any of it at the airport. I don't think the airport will give you as good a rate as a downtown bank...although maybe Michele can correct me if I'm wrong on that.

then the 2nd thought is, once you find a decent exchange rate, why not change all of it? I mean, its not like its safer to carry dollars vs euro...its still cash. Unless you don't think you'll spend it all (and I bet you will!). I wouldn't want to bother with going back to the bank to change more. Also, if the bank charges a flat fee to exchange your dollars (and I'm not sure, do they?haven't done this rather than ATMs in ages) you'll actually make out better by doing a larger chunk of cash all at once.

and a final thought...if you are carrying cash to be exchanged, why $20's? get $50s! you're never going to exchange or just spend a $20 bill. Heck, get $100's. They're smaller and FAR easier to hide in a sock or money belt or whatever. Much better than a wad of 20s.


All my comments are, of course, meaningless if you meant travellers checks. But I'm assuming you meant cash.

I was going to need quite a few Euros within a couple days of arriving because there's no ATM in Glencolmcille, so I took $600 cash to convert into Euros at a bank.  I figured the converted $600, plus my withdrawal limit from the ATM in Donegal town, would be plenty.  I took it in $50's and two $100 bills because it was much easier to stuff away than a big bundle of smaller bills would have been.

However, Maureen is absolutely correct about the $100 bills:  no one will take them, including the bank (the $50's were fine).  Also, be prepared for sticker shock if you exchange dollars for Euros:  I gave them $400 and received 309 Euros back --- ouch! Withdrawing Euros from my checking account at an ATM gave me a little better rate.

Have a wonderful trip!!

-- Edited by Maggie L at 22:01, 2006-08-24

wow, I'm surprised even the banks wouldn't take $100's! I only suggested it because I assumed that they would. Good to know for future reference.