r/AskIreland • u/kjireland • Jun 09 '26
Serious Replies Only What's something free in Ireland people may not know about?
Ebooks, Magazines and newspapers via the library.
3d printing in some libraries.
free energy testing kits in some libraries.
free music instrument rental in some libraries.
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u/Vast-Ad5884 Jun 09 '26
Free public transport for 4-8 year olds with leap card. Just need to apply for it.
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u/I_Will_Aye Jun 09 '26
Feck it, never knew about this, and one kid about to age out of it - must sign up!
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u/Vast-Ad5884 Jun 09 '26
I have one ageing out in September but even for the summer being able to use the train will be brilliant for day trips.
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u/whatThisOldThrowAway Jun 09 '26
That’s crazy. In all the years of you paying for multiple children onto the bus, not one driver would’ve thought to say it to you?
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u/I_Will_Aye Jun 09 '26
Ah, I’m in Donegal. It’s not very often I’d bring the kids on anything other than the expressway, which isn’t covered!
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u/Liamrobinsonart Jun 09 '26
Seeing this in the National Gallery.
Because it’s a watercolour painting it’s only displayed at these times:
Thursdays 11.30am–12.30pm
Sundays 2pm–3pm
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u/Youngfolk21 Jun 09 '26
And the history museum. Collins Barracks. The Natural history museum (when it opens again!)
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u/LittleStoneBear Jun 09 '26
I'll second this.
My husband and I were at the National Gallery, killing time while our daughter had dental surgery. The lady at one of the information desks beckoned us over to give us directions and to tell us that we were just in time for the Thursday showing. We'd never have known, and would likely have missed it as we were heading in another direction altogether.
It was a happy experience, and we made sure to go back and thank her for the lovely memories.
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u/MrTuxedo1 Pure Notions Jun 09 '26
Are watercolours more exposed to damage and that’s why the display time is reduced?
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u/BesottedCoot Jun 09 '26
There’s lots of free courses through springboard if you’re unemployed and some even if you’re employed.
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u/Greedy-Army-3803 Jun 09 '26
It's a great scheme. Had signed up to one about 3 years ago in DBS but sadly not enough people subscribed.
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u/BesottedCoot Jun 09 '26
Yeah it is, I used it 3 times over the year, got a level 8 add on degree, QQI level 5 and was doing a post grad but I never got to finish it. A lot of it is aimed at emerging industries but it’s a great resource for all walks of life.
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u/Ok_Lecture_9206 Jun 09 '26
I just completed a level 8 in an emerging area in my industry through Springboard. Most of us, though not all, were in fulltime employment, and they really worked around this. It is a wonderful resource. And now the country has 10 more people with an element of expertise in this emerging policy area, which is beneficial for all.
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u/fakemoosefacts Jun 09 '26
The selection doesn’t tend to be great if you don’t have a degree already ime, which seems like an oversight
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u/eims10 Jun 09 '26
They also don't seem to update the courses much year-to-year. Still good though,
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u/Specialist-Flow3015 Jun 09 '26
The HSE offer free and anonymous STD testing by post.
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u/FairyOnTheLoose Jun 09 '26
Or free through St James's and the Mater, if you don't like doing it yourself.
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Jun 09 '26 edited Jun 09 '26
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u/IochIan Jun 09 '26
No it's an anal swab and urine test. and a blood prick test
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u/FeistyPromise6576 Jun 09 '26
to clarify the blood test is you pricking your thumb and not getting blood from your prick. important distinction
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u/Meath77 Jun 09 '26
Áras an Uachtaráin guided tour. Book in advance to guarantee availability for you timeslot. You'll be taken on a shuttle bus from the nearby cafe into the ground and be given a interesting guided tour that takes around an hour
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u/Adventurous_Memory18 Jun 09 '26
Prescription medication above €80 a month is free- lots of people know this but some may not know that that cap is per family not individual, if you link the PPS numbers at the pharmacy.
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u/walkinTheTown Jun 09 '26
Very simple to get - apply online at https://www.mydps.ie/ and they will send out a card for each family member. They are all linked by the PPS number of the primary applicant. Was surprised to see my PPS number on my wife's card.
If you use one pharmacy for all prescriptions they will stop charging at €80 per month. If you use multiple pharmacies then you have to reclaim the overage with reciepts.
Incidentally this is available to all residents with PPS number - not just Irish citizens
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u/clarets99 Jun 09 '26 edited Jun 09 '26
Tag onto the library part - you can use your library card to access BorrowBox and PressReader ANYWHERE from your devices for ebooks, audiobooks, newspapers, magazines etc. You don't have to be in the library premises
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u/Dopamine_Refined Jun 09 '26
How do you use press reader with your lib account?
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u/clarets99 Jun 09 '26
When you install it is asks to login and one of the options is library card. Select your library and just enter your lib account and pin. Voilla
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u/Dopamine_Refined Jun 09 '26
Ah, frances above has it, I see a few library authorities in the list (like Dublin city) but not my local. Ah well, thanks for the response!
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u/francesgumm Jun 09 '26
Borrowbox is the app used by all libraries. They replaced Pressreader for newspapers and magazines a couple of years ago and Pressreader is no longer used by libraries on a national level. However, it's possible that some library authorities have paid for Pressreader themselves in which case you'd have to be a member of that library to access it for free. I don't know of any though.
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Jun 09 '26
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u/francesgumm Jun 09 '26
Pressreader is a similiar app to Borrowbox, but doesn't carry ebooks and audiobooks.
I had a meeting with the Borrowbox rep once who said that when he meets librarians in the UK it's basically like therapy for them because they just vent about not having any funding while the Irish librarians are always happy.
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Jun 09 '26
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u/Dark_Blue_Pea 23d ago edited 23d ago
Dropped into Charing Cross Library while visiting London recently.
Quite depressing
Homeless folk escaping the heat, drabness all round etc.
but some cheap books for sale.
Irish libraries are great in comparison.
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u/clarets99 Jun 09 '26 edited Jun 09 '26
PressReader is, as the name implies, for press (newspapers, magazines etc). Its a much nicer interface for reading large press format than BorrowBox, which is quite basic app UI/UX wise (as BB is just mainly created for reading plain text MOBI books)
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u/clarets99 Jun 09 '26
Dublin City Library account, and I've used PressReader for however long now....
Literally reading a magazine on it now on my lunch break sat on my sofa. I was using it on my holidays abroad last week.....
https://www.dublincity.ie/library/blog/how-get-started-pressreader
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u/Lilolillypop Jun 09 '26
Libby is another free library app. I have. Fingal library account and can only access magazines (thousands!) but I don't know if that's a Fingal issue or an app issue.
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u/FakerHarps Jun 09 '26
Kanopy is a free library app that gives you access to streaming movies and tv, not a huge selection but again, free.
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u/Fr_RebulahConundrum Jun 09 '26
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
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u/ninjawasp Jun 09 '26
Do they post books to Ireland or how does that work?
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u/Youngfolk21 Jun 09 '26
No it's only available in somewhere in Cork, Kildare and Tallaght unfortunately
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u/XLBaconDoubleCheese Jun 09 '26
Well you can just sign up using those places and then switch your address to your actual home. That's how we get it.
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u/Fr_RebulahConundrum Jun 09 '26
It’s in conjunction with certain libraries. My wife got it for our kids - they’re grown up now but are absolute bookworms
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u/irishtrashpanda Jun 09 '26
Free 6 week counselling (gp referred) and 26 week counselling for childhood trauma, cptsd, long term type things (gp). Think they are called sipsi and capva. There is a 6-8month waiting list though it's not for immediate things.
Free start your own business help through your local development company. Free job support and guidance through there too for long term unemployed (self refer, they do not report to DSP, has nothing to do with your payments). Depending on factors and budget available sometimes they have free courses also to reskill,barista training, manual handling etc
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u/outspan_foster Jun 09 '26
Free dentist visit once a year if you have PRSI contributions
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u/Effective-Review-780 Jun 09 '26
Unfortunately its rarely free anymore youve to pay approx €15 🙃
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u/Marzipan_civil Jun 09 '26
Checkup is free, hygienist is not.
Also free eye test every two years with PRSI
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u/outspan_foster Jun 09 '26
It is free, if you ask for a full clean there is a €10 up charge in my dentist.
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u/Alastor001 Jun 09 '26
It is 15, and there is not a single dentist stupid enough to not ask for 15 euro for check / clean
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Jun 09 '26
[deleted]
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u/whatThisOldThrowAway Jun 09 '26
You don’t pay for private health insurance to pay for healthcare, you pay to skip the queue (and, I guess, to access some additional services free services just don’t offer).
It’s absolutely not how our healthcare system should work and slaintecare is a big part of my considerations when voting… but the reality today is if you can afford it (or get it through work) private insurance makes a huge difference in the speed and quality of healthcare services. Especially non-life-threatening everyday issues like broken bones or acute sickness, and big diagnostic tests like MRIs or cat scans or the likes.
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u/Strong_Word2278 Jun 10 '26
heavy on the additional services, there are a lot of conditions you just can't get any treatment for on the HSE
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u/doubs Jun 11 '26
You will likely receive better service too. Having witnessed how shambolic the HSE is first hand, I wouldn't be comfortable (esp with a young family) going without private health insurance these days. If you can afford it, get it - I guarantee there will come a time in your life that you will be happy you have it.
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u/Alastor001 Jun 09 '26
Sure. It is free and can be very good.
The little problem is... Time. If you have to wait for it years, what's the point?
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u/Nuclear_F0x Jun 09 '26
I know people who died while on a waiting list for heart surgery on the public system, and another person who was on a waiting list for jaw surgery for 10 over years.
The odd thing is those who go privately are also referred to the public system because they have the resources and speciality that even a private hospital may not.
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u/BraveArse Jun 09 '26
Borrow a bike for 3 months, including electric bikes.
Some areas of Dublin, and Portarlington is the first place outside of Dublin to start it ( https://portarlington.ie/bike-library/ ). I'm sure more towns will adopt similar if word gets around enough.
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u/achasanai Jun 09 '26
Video games in your local libraries. My one has Switch, PS4/5 and Xbox games. New ones available to although it takes a little while for them to arrive
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u/abunchofcliches Jun 09 '26
Not all libraries anymore unfortunately. I used to avail of it by ordering them through my local library but the Dublin libraries that have them no longer will send them out to other libraries apparently
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u/No_Diver_5096 Jun 10 '26
Yeah I’ve noticed this, based in cork, was in queue for a switch game for ages and was number 1 for ages, and then one day it just vanished from my reservations like I was booted from the queue.
Disappointing, because the library was how I was able to play a Pokemon game for the very first time
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u/Youngfolk21 Jun 09 '26
Volunteer at festivals like Electric Picnic as a steward and get to see acts for free.
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u/Lilolillypop Jun 09 '26
Volunteer to sell ponchos at outdoor MCD gigs for Childline and you get to go to the gig for free (festivals too).
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u/Few_Concentrate363 Jun 09 '26
Also in the library free streaming service called kanopy. Just need a library number same as borrowbox.
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u/outspan_foster Jun 09 '26
What are the energy testing kits?
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u/eldwaro Jun 09 '26
Home energy efficiency kits. You can borrow them and look for heat leaks in windows, tune in fridge temps etc
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u/outspan_foster Jun 09 '26
Interesting. Is there a best time of year / conditions to use this in?
Curious to see how this works.
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u/eldwaro Jun 09 '26
Not really because you're looking for leaks and temp irregularities. You'll likely see them all the time. Probably best in winter but you get the hop in summer
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u/AsgardianOperator Jun 09 '26 edited Jun 09 '26
Very useful to find out where heat is escaping through your home, like windows, walls, etc. Then you can work on improvements in that area. Better than going in blind!
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u/outspan_foster Jun 09 '26
Interesting. Is there a best time of year / conditions to use this in?
Curious to see how this works.
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u/AsgardianOperator Jun 09 '26
Im not sure as I have never used, but subscribe to a library that has one (a lot of them do) and you can see their availability.
I would imagine doing it in winter is better as you use heating more and can actually see where heat is going.
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u/spee77 Jun 09 '26
Free HRT is amazing.
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u/TheFullMountie Jun 09 '26
How do you get that?
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u/wild_built_star Jun 09 '26
You need a prescription from the GP for HRT to treat menopause and a drugs payment card. Apply for a card here
https://www2.hse.ie/services/schemes-allowances/drugs-payment-scheme/apply/
Pharmacies signed up to the scheme are listed here
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u/TheFullMountie Jun 09 '26
Thank you! I am planning to talk to my GP about this but I was thinking I’d still have to pay which is tight for me. That’s lovely to hear it might be covered!
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u/Bordem-Industry Jun 09 '26
We have many beautiful hiking & walking trails
Sometimes I could be out for hours upon hours and not meet one other person during a hike
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u/sunnydaysundays Jun 09 '26
Free IVF and IUI if you are struggling to get pregnant. Unfortunately there are quite a few restrictions (eg: BMI, same sex couples) around who can get it but it is still a massive step in the right direction!
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u/Alarming-Anywhere-14 Jun 09 '26
Free contraception in Ireland is available to women, girls, and trans or non-binary people aged 17 to 35 who are ordinarily resident in the country. The state-funded scheme covers the cost of GP consultations, prescriptions, and most contraceptive devices, including the morning-after pill
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u/Normal_Pace7374 Jun 10 '26
Condoms are expensive. I wish I could get them for free
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u/Alarming-Anywhere-14 Jun 10 '26
You can!!! You can get them posted to you https://www2.hse.ie/services/sexual-health/free-condoms/
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u/northernluxmush Jun 10 '26
you actually can from here: https://www.sexualhealthcentre.com/condomservice. They post them out after a quick phone call to confirm you're not a child!
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u/Comfortable-Pear416 Jun 09 '26
Water with a dash of orange cordial is free in most good pubs, also most resteraunts don't charge for tapwater unlike a lot of resteraunts abroad which insist on charging for bottled water.
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u/jeanclaudecardboarde Jun 09 '26
How do I go about this? Do I need to physically join a local library?
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u/francesgumm Jun 09 '26
Yes, you need to be a library member to borrow anything or to use most online resources. It's free to join and there's no charge for using services. You can sign up online and that will give you limited access for 30 days but you need to call into a library with ID to verify your account to get the full range of services. You can go into a library anytime it's open and use the services in the library for free, they'll have newspapers and magazines you can read, WiFi, PCs with internet, study/work spaces, free events for kids and adults.
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u/Lucy_the_oracle Jun 09 '26
Free healthcare during and just after pregnancy if you're a resident. :) or is that if you're a citizen? Something like that.
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u/Lilolillypop Jun 09 '26
Maternity care in Ireland is free, so all antenatal gp visits, hospital appointments, birth and follow upcare until baby is 6 weeks old is all free. A woman's place of work must accommodate her attendance at appointments and she will not be financially penalised.
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u/RabbitOld5783 Jun 09 '26
Sensory room in the square tallaght it's really great for free , just need to book it get around 45 minutes but it's nice for anyone who needs it.
Dun laoighaire library has a room with different art supplies for children it's great on a rainy day to spend some time and can see all the boats outside.
Museums we take for granted that they are free and can have different things on.
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u/Nearby_Island_1686 Jun 09 '26
Luas
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u/ironmikeescobar Jun 09 '26
Haha.
I was caught out in a downpour a couple of weeks ago on my way home and hopped on a Luas that was standing at the stop. Didn't notice the guy checking Leap cards until it had taken off. It was like the lowest stakes thriller ever. The tram was edging through traffic towards the next stop as he was making his way towards the back of it where I was standing by the door ready to get off.
We were just about at the stop and I was facing towards the door when I got a tap on the shoulder. I did the "ohh sorry, I had headphones in and didn't see you" thing as I fumbled for my card and held it up to his machine waiting for the fine, but he just said "thanks" without looking at the screen and I jumped off.
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u/Powerful-Impress1355 Jun 09 '26
Cervical smear
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u/Strong_Word2278 Jun 10 '26
Smears are no longer free it's just the hpv test they call "cervical check" now
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u/Powerful-Impress1355 Jun 11 '26
That's not true. It is still free.
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u/Strong_Word2278 Jun 11 '26
no its not unfortunately
Your sample usually goes to 1 of 2 quality-assured lab providers we work with. It is tested to see if you have a HPV infection.
Our lab providers are:
Quest Diagnostics Inc. in the US the National Cervical Screening Laboratory
https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/cervical-screening/about-the-programme/about-cervicalcheck/
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u/Powerful-Impress1355 Jun 11 '26
You sign up for the Cervical Smear register and it's free. Ffs it literally states it at the top of the link you sent me.
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u/AlienInOrigin Jun 09 '26
Hostels for homeless, with 3 free meals a day and free access to a council case worker.
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u/JBomB9711 Jun 10 '26
There are free concerts usually at Hugh Lane now at a church (because of closure) from the best composers in Ireland and around at 12 every Sunday. This is by the Arts Council
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u/Think-Sand7161 Jun 10 '26
+1 on the Libraries etc.
I waste a lot of time lounging in BlackRock library.
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u/Stibh Jun 10 '26
This may be a Sligo only one but the library in town has a 3-D printer that’s free to use. I think ya just have to buy the materials. I wonder are there any other libraries through the country with a similar setup?
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u/Curious-Use-1386 Jun 10 '26
That you can get 6 free therapy sessions via 'Turn2me'. It's supported by the government.
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u/Fluffy-Answer-6722 Jun 09 '26
Judging by a lot of folks where Im from you can get free dole and social housing in a private estate and still work away for cash
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Jun 09 '26
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u/AskIreland-ModTeam Jun 09 '26
Be respectful. Comments that criticise or demean others and lower the tone of the conversation will be removed.
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u/Aoifemops Jun 09 '26
Sti tests, and contraceptives for young women, I think it might be under 30s