Travel · Ireland · Type G
Euro currency, British plug.
Ireland is the one place where the euro in your pocket tells you nothing about the socket on the wall. The Republic uses Type G at 230V / 50Hz — the same three-rectangular-pin, fused plug as the UK — so the Type C adapter you bought for the rest of the eurozone is useless here.
Five questions, five answers
| Question | Ireland |
|---|---|
| Which plug? | Type G — three rectangular pins, fuse in the plug |
| What voltage? | 230V |
| What frequency? | 50Hz |
| What fits the socket? | Type G, and nothing else |
| What does not fit? | US Type A/B, and the Type C Europlug that works in France, Spain and Germany |
The same socket runs the length of the island. Northern Ireland is part of the UK and also uses Type G, so a Dublin-to-Belfast itinerary needs exactly one kind of adapter. Cross-border rail and coach routes change currency but not voltage.
Why the Europlug will not go in
Irish sockets, like British ones, keep the live and neutral holes behind mechanical shutters. Only the longer earth pin of a Type G plug pushes them open. Two round pins pressed against the faceplate do nothing at all — there is no angle, no wiggle, no partial contact. If your adapter kit has no rectangular-pin head, you are buying one at the airport.
The plug also contains a cartridge fuse rated up to 13A. Adapters sold for the Irish and British market carry the same fuse, and the well-made ones let you swap it without tools. Check that a spare is included before you leave; hardware shops abroad stock them, hotel front desks generally do not.
Which of your devices care about 230V
Almost none of them. Every USB-C charger sold in the US is printed Input: 100–240V ~ 50/60Hz on the housing — look on the flat face next to the prongs. That means the charger itself already speaks Irish mains, and all you are changing is the shape of the pins.
The exceptions are the appliances that make heat or spin a motor at a fixed voltage: hair dryers, flat irons, curling wands, travel kettles. Those read 120V only and will fail on 230V, adapter or not. Replace them with a dual-voltage model rather than carrying a transformer; the reasoning is laid out in travel adapter vs converter.
The kit that covers Ireland
- Type G
Type G plug adapter (US to Ireland/UK)
One passive adapter covers the whole island plus Britain. Grounded, fused, no electronics to fail.
- Fits
- Type G
- Earth
- Yes
- Fuse
- 13A, replaceable
- 4-in-1
EPICKA Universal Travel Adapter
Right choice if Ireland is one stop on a wider European trip: the G head and the C head are in the same body.
- Plug types
- A, C, G, I
- USB
- 3× A, 1× C
- Fuse
- 8A, spare included
- 65W
Statik 65W GaN 3-Port
Behind a plug adapter this runs a laptop, a phone and a camera battery charger from one Irish socket.
- Output
- 65W total
- Ports
- 2× C, 1× A
- Input
- 100–240V
Continuing to Britain? Nothing changes — see the UK guide. Crossing to the continent, everything does: France is Type E, Germany is Schuko, and the Europe overview maps the rest. Full country index at the travel hub.
FAQ
Does Ireland use the same plug as the rest of the EU?
No. Ireland uses Type G, the British three-rectangular-pin fused plug, at 230V / 50Hz. The Type C Europlug used across continental Europe cannot enter an Irish socket.
Is the plug different in Northern Ireland?
No. Northern Ireland is part of the UK and uses the same Type G socket at the same voltage, so one adapter covers the entire island.
Do I need a converter for my phone charger in Ireland?
No. Phone and laptop chargers are dual-voltage 100-240V devices; they need only a plug adapter. Converters are for single-voltage 120V heating appliances such as hair dryers and travel kettles.
Can I buy a plug adapter after I arrive?
Yes, in airports, supermarkets and electronics shops, at tourist prices. Bringing two from home costs less than one bought at Dublin Airport, and means you are not charging a dead phone at a hotel front desk on night one.