Is Ireland safe for a visitor walking in cities at night?
By the standards of comparable cities, yes, with the ordinary city cautions doing most of the work. Violent crime against visitors is uncommon. The risks that actually affect tourists are petty theft in crowds, phone snatching, and trouble around closing time when a lot of drink has been taken. Walk the lit, busy streets rather than the quiet shortcut, keep a bag zipped and a phone put away in dense crowds, and use licensed taxis or a taxi app rather than accepting a lift from an unmarked car. An Garda Siochana patrols the city centres in the Republic and the Police Service of Northern Ireland does the same in Belfast and Derry. In an emergency the number is 112 or 999 anywhere on the island.
Useful pages: Money and tipping in Ireland · Shopping in Ireland · Packing checklist · Travel notices · Healthcare and emergencies · Irish weather · Festivals and events · Dublin · Ireland dos and don'ts · Solo travel in Ireland · First time visitor tips
Sources
- An Garda Síochána and the Irish Tourist Assistance Service: visitor safety and help after crime, garda.ie
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