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OPENING HOURS |
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Business and shop opening hours in both Northern Ireland and the
Republic are very similar to Britain's: approximately 9am to 5.30pm,
Monday to Saturday. Many places in the towns stay open until 8pm or
later on Thursdays and Fridays and most now open on Sundays from around
noon until 6pm. The midweek half-day closing tradition survives in some
of the smaller towns though even then you're likely to find somewhere
open.
In the Republic, however, particularly away from the bigger towns, hours
are more approximate, with later opening and closing times. In rural
areas you can generally find someone to sell you groceries at any
reasonable hour, even if they have to open their shop to do it - and
very often the village shop doubles as the local pub. On the main public
holidays , outside the cities virtually everything will be closed except
the garages and pubs. Should St Patrick's Day or Orange Day happen to
fall on a Saturday or Sunday, the holiday is carried over to the Monday.
There's no pattern to the opening and closing of museums, archeological
sites and the like, though many close altogether for at least one day a
week. Wherever possible, hours and prices are listed in the guide. The
bigger attractions will normally be open throughout the day, while
smaller places may open only in the afternoon. Many sites away from the
main tourist trails - especially houses or castles which are also
private homes - are open only during the peak summer months.
Churches, at least if they're still in use, are almost always open, and
if they're locked there's usually someone living nearby (often the
priest) who will have the keys; otherwise, opening times will follow
religious activity fairly closely
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