Fast Facts

American Express -- American Express International, 116 Grafton St., Dublin 2 (tel. 01/6772-874), is a full-service travel agency that also offers currency exchange, traveler's checks, and (for members) mail-holding. It is open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm, Saturday 9am to noon. There is also an out-of-hours number that connects directly with the London office at no extra charge (tel. 01/8721-511). American Express also has a desk at the Dublin Tourism Office on Suffolk Street (tel. 01/605-7700). In an emergency, traveler's checks can be reported lost or stolen by dialing toll-free in Ireland tel. 1800/964-868.

Banks -- Nearly all banks are open Monday to Friday 10am to 4pm (to 5pm Thurs) and have ATMs that accept Cirrus network cards as well as MasterCard and Visa. Convenient locations include the Bank of Ireland, at 2 College Green, Dublin 2, and 6 O'Connell St., Dublin 1, and the Allied Irish Bank, at 100 Grafton St., Dublin 2, and 87 North Strand, Dublin 3.

Business Hours -- Museums and sights are generally open 10am to 5pm Tuesday to Saturday, and 2 to 5pm Sunday. Shops generally open 9am to 6pm Monday to Friday, with late opening on Thursday until 7 or 8pm. In the city center most department stores and many shops are open noon to 6pm on Sunday.

Currency Exchange -- Currency-exchange services, signposted as BUREAU DE CHANGE, are in most Dublin banks and at many branches of the Irish post office system, known as An Post. A bureau de change operates daily during flight arrival and departure times at Dublin airport; a foreign-currency note-exchanger machine is also available on a 24-hour basis in the main arrivals hall. Some hotels and travel agencies offer bureau de change services, although the best rate of exchange is usually when you use your bank card at an ATM.

Dentists -- For dental emergencies, contact the Eastern Health Board Headquarters, Parkgate St. Business Centre, Dublin 8 (tel. 01/635-2500), or try Molesworth Clinic, 2 Molesworth Place, Dublin 2 (tel. 01/661-5544). See also "Dental Surgeons" in the Golden Pages (Yellow Pages) of the telephone book. The American Embassy can provide a list of dentists in the city. Expect to be charged upfront for services.

Doctors -- If you need to see a physician, most hotels and guesthouses will contact a house doctor for you. The American Embassy can provide a list of doctors in the city and you should contact them first. Otherwise, you can call either the Eastern Health Board Headquarters, Parkgate St. Business Centre, Dublin 8 (tel. 01/635-2500), or the Irish Medical Organization (a doctors' union) at 10 Fitzwilliam Place, Dublin 2 (tel. 01/676-7273). As with dentists, expect to pay for treatment upfront and when you return home, contact your insurance company to see if you are eligible for reimbursement.

Embassies & Consulates -- The American Embassy is at 42 Elgin Rd., Ballsbridge, Dublin 4 (tel. 01/668-8777); the Canadian Embassy at 65-68 St. Stephen's Green, Dublin 2 (tel. 01/417-4100); the British Embassy at 29 Merrion Rd., Dublin 2 (tel. 01/205-3700); and the Australian Embassy at Fitzwilton House, Wilton Terrace, Dublin 2 (tel. 01/664-5300). In addition, there is an American Consulate at 223 Stranmillis Rd., Belfast BT9 5GR (tel. 028/9038-6100).

Emergencies -- For police, fire, or other emergencies, dial tel. 999.

Gay & Lesbian Resources -- Contact the Gay Switchboard Dublin, Carmichael House, North Brunswick Street, Dublin 7 (tel. 01/872-1055; fax 01/873-5737; www.gayswitchboard.ie); the National Lesbian and Gay Federation (NLGF), Unit 2, Scarlet Row, Temple Bar Dublin 8 (tel. 01/671-0939); or the LOT (Lesbians Organizing Together), 5 Capel St., Dublin 1 (tel. 01/872-7770).

Hospitals -- For emergency care, two of the most modern are St. Vincent's University Hospital, Elm Park (tel. 01/221-4000), on the south side of the city, and Beaumont Hospital, Beaumont (tel. 01/837-7755), on the Northside.

Hot Lines -- In Ireland, hot lines are called "helplines." For emergencies, police, or fire, dial tel. 999; Aids Helpline Free Fone (tel. 1800/459-459), Monday to Friday from 7am to 9pm and Saturday from 3 to 5pm; Alcoholics Anonymous (tel. 01/453-8998 and after-hours 01/679-5967); Asthma Line (tel. 1850/445-464); Narcotics Anonymous (tel. 01/672-8000); Rape Crisis Centre (tel. 01/661-4911) and FreeFone (tel. 1800/778-888, 24 hr.), or after 5:30pm and weekends (tel. 01/661-4564); and for people suffering from depression, Samaritans (tel. 01/872-7700 and 1850/609-090).

Information -- For directory assistance, dial tel. 11811 or 11850.

Internet Access -- Internet access is everywhere in Dublin; look for signs in cafes, pubs, shopping malls, hotels, and hostels. Like all of Dublin's public libraries, the Central Library, in the ILAC Centre, off Henry Street, Dublin 1 (tel. 01/873-4333), has a bank of PCs with free Internet access. Three centrally located cybercafes are Planet Cyber Café, 13 St. Andrews St., Dublin 2 (tel. 01/670-5183), The Connect Point, 33 Dorset St. Lower, Dublin 1 (tel. 01/834-9821), and the Central Cybercafe, 6 Grafton St., Dublin 2 (tel. 01/677-8298), which also offers a left-luggage service. A half-hour online averages € 4 ($5.20).

Magazines -- The leading magazines for upcoming events and happenings are In Dublin (€3/$3.90), published every 2 weeks and available at newsstands, Hot Press, also published every 2 weeks with excellent event listings, and the free biweekly Event Guide (www.eventguide.ie).

Pharmacies -- Centrally located drugstores, known locally as pharmacies or chemist shops, include Dame Street Pharmacy, 14 Dame St., Dublin 2 (tel. 01/670-4523). A late-night chemist shop is Hamilton Long & Co., 5 Lower O'Connell St. (tel. 01/874-8456), and its sister branch, Hamilton Long Byrnes at 4 Merrion Rd., Dublin 4 (tel. 01/668-3287). Both branches close at 9pm on weeknights and 6pm on Saturday.

Police -- Dial tel. 999 in an emergency. The metropolitan headquarters for the Dublin Garda Siochana (Police) is in Harcourt Street, Dublin 2 (tel. 01/666-0000).

Post Office -- The Irish post office is best known by its Gaelic name, An Post. The General Post Office (GPO) is located on O'Connell Street, Dublin 1 (tel. 01/705-7000; www.anpost.ie). Hours are Monday to Saturday 8am to 8pm. Branch offices, identified by the sign OIFIG AN POST/POST OFFICE, are open Monday to Saturday only, 9am to 5pm.

Weather -- Phone tel. 1550/122113, or check the Web at www.ireland.com/weather.

Yellow Pages -- The classified section of the telephone book is called the Golden Pages (www.goldenpages.ie).