In Ireland people seem to park wherever they can. Parking is confusing. One yellow line marked on the pavement means no parking Monday through Saturday during business hours. Double yellow lines mean no parking at any time. Broken yellow lines mean short stops are OK, but you should always look for explicit signs or ask a passerby.

Even in small towns, rather than fight it, just pull into the most central 'disk' or 'pay-and-display lot'.

Parking discs can be purchased at local shops. You buy one disk for each hour you want to stay. Scratch off the time you arrived on the disk and put it on your dashboard.

These modern pay-and-display machines are solar-powered and placed regularly along the street (about six feet tall, look for blue circle with white letter P). Keep a bag of coins in the ashtray for meter/voucher machines (no change given for large coins).

Signs along the street will state whether parking disc or pay-and-display laws are in effect for that area.

In recent times there has been a concerted effort to control parking in the city. Vehicles which are illegally parked stand a good chance of being clamped or impounded so be careful where you decide to park your car. More and more towns are outsourcing parking control to private companies which are keen to be seen as efficient. This means that illegally parked cars will be quickly immobilized by clamps or even towed away and only released after a hefty fee is paid.

When driving in a city make sure all your windows are closed. You can lock your doors. Do NOT leave valuables on the seat in full view - there have been cases of cars having their window broken at junctions and traffic lights for thugs to steal valuables on display.

If you get a parking ticket in Ireland you should pay it even if you are driving a rental car. If a ticket is unpaid the rental car company will be charged, and they in turn will bill your credit card.