Using ATMs in Ireland is straightforward once you know which currency the machine will give you and what your own card issuer charges. The Republic of Ireland uses euros (€), while Northern Ireland uses pounds sterling (£). If your trip crosses the border, plan your cash needs separately rather than relying on leftover money from one side to cover spending on the other.
Quick answer:
- ATMs in the Republic of Ireland give you euros. ATMs in Northern Ireland give you pounds sterling.
- If the screen offers to charge you in your home currency, choose euros or sterling instead, so your own card issuer handles the exchange rate.
- Cash machines at bank branches are run by the banks. Many machines in shops and petrol stations belong to independent operators, which can set their own charges.
- Your own issuer may charge for a foreign cash withdrawal, so check its terms before you travel.
- Know your PIN, make sure you can receive your bank’s texts and emails, and carry a backup card separately.
Two currencies on one itinerary
| Destination | Local currency | Banknotes you’ll handle | Paying in the other currency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Republic of Ireland | Euro (€) | Euro banknotes and coins, in use since 1 January 2002 | Plan to pay in euros |
| Northern Ireland | Pound sterling (£) | Sterling notes, including notes issued by Bank of Ireland, Danske Bank and Ulster Bank | Some large stores take euros, but ask first; smaller businesses may not |
Tourism Ireland’s money advice confirms this distinction. For a cross-border itinerary, keep the two currencies separate in your wallet so you can find the right cash without sorting through every note at the till.
Even a short outing can cross the border. Grianán of Aileach stands in County Donegal, near the N13 between Letterkenny and Derry, so a day based in Derry can start in sterling and finish in euros. If you’re unsure which side a stop is on, our guide to the 32 counties of Ireland shows which six are in Northern Ireland.
Northern Ireland banknotes
In Northern Ireland, three local banks (Bank of Ireland, Danske Bank and Ulster Bank) are authorised to issue their own sterling notes, so the cash you withdraw there may not look like the notes you’d get in London. UK Finance says these notes are legal currency and readily accepted in England and Wales, but it also advises against relying on them being accepted outside Northern Ireland. If your trip continues to Great Britain, spend them first or swap them at a bank before you leave.
Euros aren’t a dependable fallback north of the border. Discover Northern Ireland says some large stores accept euros but recommends asking first, and smaller businesses may not take them at all. Bring sterling, or withdraw it once you arrive, and use our Northern Ireland packing list for everything else you’ll want for Belfast, Derry and the countryside.
Read “free withdrawals” with the customer conditions attached
A bank’s promise to its own customers isn’t a promise to every visitor. Bank of Ireland UK’s branch-banking page says its cash machines are free to use for its customers. It also states that Bank of Ireland customers incur no charges for withdrawing euros at Bank of Ireland cash machines in Ireland.
Those statements don’t establish the complete withdrawal cost for a visitor using a foreign-issued card. Check your own issuer’s cash-withdrawal terms rather than treating these customer benefits as a promise that your withdrawal will be free.
Bank ATMs and independent cash machines
Not every cash machine in Ireland belongs to a bank. In the Republic, the machines at bank branches are run by the banks, but many in shops, petrol stations and other non-branch locations are not. AIB and Bank of Ireland sold about 1,200 non-branch ATMs to independent operators in 2020, and Newstalk reported in 2023 that the three-year arrangement keeping those machines free was due to end, leaving the operators able to introduce charges.
Since 30 June 2025, ATM deployers in the Republic have had to register with the Central Bank of Ireland. That registration doesn’t tell you what a particular machine will charge, so read the screen before you confirm a withdrawal and cancel if a fee appears that you don’t want to pay.
In Northern Ireland, cash machines on the UK’s LINK network must show an on-screen message when the machine’s operator applies a charge, and LINK’s rules require an option to cancel without paying it. Your own card issuer can still charge for a foreign withdrawal, and that cost may not appear on the ATM screen at all.
Choose euros or sterling when the ATM offers a conversion
Some ATMs offer to charge your card in your home currency instead of euros or sterling. This is called dynamic currency conversion, and it means the ATM operator sets the exchange rate rather than your card issuer.
Where the EU’s rules on currency conversion apply, Regulation (EU) 2019/518 requires the conversion charge to be shown as a percentage mark-up over the latest European Central Bank reference rate before you accept it, along with a reminder that you can be charged in the local currency instead. Whatever the screen shows, choosing euros in the Republic or sterling in Northern Ireland keeps the conversion with your own issuer, whose rate and fees you can check before you travel.
Prepare your card before you travel
Ireland uses chip and PIN for card transactions, so make sure you know the PIN for every card you plan to use. According to Tourism Ireland, Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted across the island of Ireland, while American Express is accepted in some places but not all.
Check your issuer’s foreign transaction fees and daily cash limit before you go. If it charges a flat fee for each withdrawal, fewer, larger withdrawals will usually cost less than lots of small ones.
You won’t need cash for everything. In the Republic, taxis must accept both cash and cards, as our guide to using taxis in Ireland explains.
Keep access to your bank’s messages
Being able to receive a bank message can matter while travelling. In its travelling-abroad guidance, Bank of Ireland tells its customers to keep their contact details current and ensure they can receive texts and emails. It explains that a card may be disabled if the bank can’t confirm that the genuine cardholder is using it.
That is an example of one issuer’s arrangements, not a universal travel-notification rule. Before you travel, check which contact channels your issuer uses and make sure you can access them while you’re away.
If you plan to use an Irish SIM or eSIM, keep your usual number reachable too, since that’s where your bank’s texts will go. Our Ireland phone and connectivity packing list covers roaming, SIMs and the rest of your travel tech.
Carry a backup payment method separately from your main card. Keeping both in the same wallet leaves you without either if the wallet goes missing.
Using ATMs in Ireland: FAQs
Do ATMs in Ireland charge fees?
It depends on who runs the machine and who issued your card. Bank-branch ATMs are run by the banks, while many machines in shops and petrol stations belong to independent operators that can set their own charges, and your own issuer may add a foreign withdrawal fee.
Should I choose euros or my home currency at an Irish ATM?
Choose euros in the Republic of Ireland and sterling in Northern Ireland. Picking your home currency lets the ATM operator set the exchange rate instead of your card issuer.
Can I use euros in Northern Ireland?
Not reliably. Pound sterling is the currency in Northern Ireland, and while some large stores accept euros, Discover Northern Ireland recommends asking first and notes that smaller businesses may not take them.
Are Northern Ireland banknotes accepted in England?
Usually, but don’t count on it. UK Finance says Northern Ireland notes are legal currency and readily accepted in England and Wales, but advises against relying on them being accepted outside Northern Ireland.
Do I need a PIN to use my card in Ireland?
Yes. Ireland uses chip and PIN for card transactions, and you’ll need your PIN to withdraw cash at an ATM.
Do I need to tell my bank I’m travelling to Ireland?
That depends on your issuer. Bank of Ireland, for example, focuses on being able to reach you by text and email and may disable a card if it can’t confirm you’re the one using it, so check what your own bank asks for before you go.
