I’m going to Ireland this Feb for 10 days. Any input on buying cell phones and service over there? Seems like the latest blogs on the subject are from about 2011. Seems like rental is a bit more expensive. Thank you!
I’m no expert but you should be able to purchase a pre-paid or pay-as-you-go SIM card and fit it into your current mobile. I’m sure that someone at the airport or near your hotel will be able to help. Alternatively, just buy a really cheap phone and put the SIM in that. Several supermarkets do such packages.
When I travel out of country my cell provider (Verizon) rents me an enabled phone. Costs around $25 including shipping & return + minutes.
This is for a smartphone, so I can check email. Flip-phone would be cheaper.
I need to have my farmsitter be able to call & rarely use it for calling out.
I also use the loaner as a camera, then email the pics to myself.
When we were in Ireland in August, we had an international plan for our iPhones. It worked for calling and texting.
Turn your data off on your phone and iPad when you don’t have wifi. International data plans are expensive, and if you don’t get a plan, it is really expensive to surf the web.
Who is your carrier? If you’re on a GSM network, you can use your existing phone abroad no problem.
I have a Mobal phone as Equibrit linked to. Bought it in about 2005 or 2006 for $35, it’s old technology but still works (only outside the U.S.), you pay per minute with a credit card on file. I intend to use it til it dies, but I think what others have suggested might be more cost effective than they used to be. My sister travels frequently and she simply buys a sim card wherever she happens to be.
Thanks everyone for all the ideas. I think I’m getting it figured out what to do! Now, If I’ll just stay in the saddle !!!
Are you hunting? Where? It’s so much fun and I don’t think I am going this year but it’s just the best.
But I have a basic phone that I bought in the airport and you buy a SIM card that allows for basic calls and texts. Pretty inexpensive. I brought my smartphone just to take pictures.
4 days hunting!!! Blazers, Co. Roscommon, N Tipps and E Galway. Wahoo!!!
We went to the Royal Dublin Horse Show this past summer. It was so much fun.
You’ll have such a good time! Are you going with Flower Hill? I went with Roscommon, E. Galway, N. Tipps and Grallagh. The N. Tipps are some brave boys. Their hounds look like something out of Game of Thrones.
Please post when you’ve returned. Pack 2 pair of everything - you’ll get wet. Also, don’t bother with those handwarmers - they don’t work when they are wet and you have little packs of concrete in your gloves/boots.
Thank you for all the input.
Yup, going with Flowerhill for 3 of the hunts and I believe Willy Leahy is doing livery for the Balzers hunt. I’ve got the Sealskinz and a bunch of 10 belows, which is what I’ve used for a couple of years out here in Montana…that is till it gets to about 25 above and then I switch to mittens!! I also have Ariat Brossard tall boots, Brit Colt Muck boots and just ordered some Bogs. At packing time I’ll decide which pair to put in. I’ve lost confidence in the Mucks, as the inside foam has developed holes in them early on for both me and a friend, hence the ordering of Bogs. I will take the chemical packs (for my feet) over but that is a good thought about them turning to cement when wet…hadn’t thought about that! Hopefully it won’t be cold enough to need them. Taking 3 pairs of breeches, couple of cashmere sweaters, boiled wool sweater, gortex rain coat and a black (not oil skin) slicker I found in a second hand store. Can you tell I don’t like to get cold?
LONG UNDERWEAR under your breeches. And your shirt. I wore a turtleneck rather than a regular riding shirt, and just put my stock tie over it. People were oddly formal in some ways (always wore stock ties) and not in others -some wore rain jackets, esp. the children, and lots of rubber riding boots.
Usually it’s about 40-50degrees F, but it will probably rain at least once a day. I had one hunt where it was near freezing and poured all. day. long. Sideways. That’s why you need multiple everything. Took 2 days to dry out. And that was the day I discovered the chem packs (in my boots) didn’t work after they got wet. So, yeah, little packs of concrete in your boots for 3 hours, not so fun.
If you are at a pub, hot port is the best. Before and after. 
I am Dutch and in the past went on Holiday to Greece, the UK, North America, Ireland, Germany and Belgium and never had a problem. My phone just switches to a local network and I can call anyone I like. As long as I had a signal of course :D.
