Ireland Plug Adapter: Type G, 230 V for US Travelers

Where these numbers come from

Ireland uses type G, the same three rectangular pins found in Britain. The Irish standards IS 401 for the plug and IS 411 for the socket were written to match the British design, so the two countries share hardware. Voltage is 230 V at 50 Hz. For an American, that means a physical adapter is always required, and a voltage converter is needed only for appliances that cannot take 230 V.

The shared standard is a real convenience on an island trip. You can fly into Dublin, drive to Belfast and fly home from London without changing adapters. A single fused type G adapter is enough for all three stops. The fuse inside each plug protects the cord, so an adapter that includes a fuse fits local practice. Ireland does not use the rounded two-pin European plug at wall sockets, so a Europlug-only adapter bought for a Paris leg will not help you here.

Consider a typical rental-house week near the Wild Atlantic Way. You carry two phones, a tablet, a camera charger and a laptop. Each is a 100-240 V unit drawing under 65 W. That is under 250 W total, about 1.1 A at 230 V. A single four-port USB adapter handles it all with room to spare. Add a hair dryer rated for 120 V only and the picture changes, since it would need about 1,875 W of transformer capacity.

Irish and UK outlets commonly have a small switch beside each socket. Flip it on before you conclude the adapter is faulty. If a rental has few sockets, buy a local extension strip with a type G plug instead of stacking adapters. A 120 V US power strip is not a good match for 230 V, even with an adapter under it.

One more point for Ireland: the frequency is 50 Hz, so any US plug-in clock or timer that keeps time from the mains will run slow. Battery or phone-based clocks are unaffected.

Heading onward to the continent changes the answer: compare United Kingdom, France and Germany in the plug adapter finder. Mixed itineraries are easiest with one G adapter plus a C/F adapter. Plug-and-voltage facts here are general travel information. Always read the rating label on your own device.

Sources

• BS 1363 plug and socket system (Irish adoption)
• Mains electricity by country (reference table)
• Power plugs and sockets: Ireland (US traveler view)
• AC power plugs and sockets (type reference)

Figures checked on September 30, 2026.

This page is general information, not legal, insurance or travel-agent advice. Fees, rules and limits change, so confirm the figures with the official sources listed above before you book or travel.