🇮🇪 This is the brand hub for Bank of Ireland in the Republic. For the bigger picture on Irish banking after the Ulster Bank exit and the Euronet trap in Temple Bar, see the Ireland Money Guide. For exact ATM addresses, see the Dublin ATM Guide. For card acceptance and TFI Tap transit, see the Dublin Money Guide. For the other half of the post-Ulster-Bank Irish duopoly, the AIB guide.
🎧 Order Euros Before You Fly
Pre-order EUR 100-200 for trad-music session tips at The Cobblestone and O'Donoghue's, plus B&B cash for the Ring of Kerry and Connemara. Insured 2–5 day shipping.
Order EUR → CEI Currency ExchangeWhat Bank of Ireland is, in one paragraph
Bank of Ireland Group plc is the oldest continuously-operating retail bank in the Republic of Ireland, founded by Royal Charter on 11 May 1783, predating both Allied Irish Banks and the Republic itself (Ireland gained independence as the Irish Free State in 1922). The bank's most architecturally significant fact is that it operates from the former Irish Houses of Parliament building at 2 College Green, which it purchased in 1803 after the 1800 Acts of Union dissolved the Irish Parliament. The building today serves as Bank of Ireland's flagship Dublin branch, directly opposite the front gates of Trinity College Dublin. The group operates Republic of Ireland retail banking, the separately-licensed Bank of Ireland UK subsidiary (covering Northern Ireland and the UK mainland), the Post Office Money partnership in the UK, and the global Bank of Ireland Treasury operations.
The College Green flagship and the post-Ulster-Bank position
The single most photographed bank branch in Ireland is the Bank of Ireland flagship at 2 College Green, which sits directly across Westmoreland Street from Trinity College's front gates. The building was the seat of the Irish Parliament from 1729 to 1800, before the Acts of Union dissolved it and merged the Irish legislature into Westminster. Bank of Ireland purchased the building in 1803 for £40,000 and has occupied it ever since. The architecture (Edward Lovett Pearce's 1729 design, expanded by James Gandon in the 1780s) makes it one of Ireland's most photographed civic buildings, and the working bank branch inside with multiple ATMs on the wall facing the Trinity gates is a curious overlap of monumental architecture and routine retail banking.
Bank of Ireland's branch density in central Dublin is therefore unmatched by AIB: the College Green flagship, the IFSC head office on North Wall Quay, the O'Connell Bridge corner branch, the Ballsbridge head office, and additional branches in Ranelagh, Rathmines, and the Stephen's Green Shopping Centre. For travelers staying central in Dublin, Bank of Ireland is usually the first bank-branded ATM you'll see. After the 2023 Ulster Bank exit, Bank of Ireland (along with AIB) absorbed the practical share of Republic-of-Ireland retail banking, with Permanent TSB and An Post making up the rest.
What Bank of Ireland charges foreign cards at ATMs
| Fee component | Amount | Paid to |
|---|---|---|
| Bank of Ireland operator fee (foreign card) | €0 | Bank of Ireland Group plc |
| Exchange rate | Mid-market (interbank) | Visa or Mastercard network |
| Visa / Mastercard network fee | ~1% | Card network, baked into total |
| Your home bank's foreign ATM fee | $2-5 | Your home bank, unless waived (Schwab, Wise) |
| Your home bank's FX conversion fee | 1-3% | Your home bank, unless 0% FX card |
| DCC markup (if surfaced) | +4-12% | Always decline. Bank of Ireland rarely surfaces DCC; pick EUR every time. |
Real Bank of Ireland ATMs display the navy-and-white Bank of Ireland logo with the historic Irish harp insignia. The bright-blue standalone Euronet machines that have moved into Dublin tourist spots post-Ulster-Bank exit charge a EUR 1.99 to EUR 3.50 surcharge plus push DCC.
Where to find Bank of Ireland branches in Dublin and around Ireland
Dublin: Bank of Ireland College Green flagship at 2 College Green directly opposite Trinity, with multiple ATMs on the wall facing the Trinity gates. Bank of Ireland IFSC head office on North Wall Quay (one stop on the Luas Red Line from Connolly Station). O'Connell Bridge corner branch. Branches in Ranelagh, Rathmines, Ballsbridge, and inside the Stephen's Green Shopping Centre. Bank of Ireland also operates the ATMs at Heuston Station main concourse for travelers arriving from Cork, Galway, Limerick, or Waterford.
Cork: Bank of Ireland main Cork branch at 70 South Mall near the River Lee, plus a flagship at the corner of Patrick Street and Maylor Street.
Galway: Bank of Ireland Eyre Square main branch directly opposite the bus and train station. Useful for travelers starting the Wild Atlantic Way driving loop alongside the nearby AIB branch.
Limerick: Bank of Ireland main Limerick branch at 125 O'Connell Street, plus a branch at the University of Limerick campus.
Killarney: Bank of Ireland main Killarney branch at New Street, useful before driving the Ring of Kerry or Dingle Peninsula.
Dublin Airport: Bank of Ireland ATMs inside DUB Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 arrivals (landside near the customs exit), plus the IFSC head-office ATMs reachable via the AirCoach. See the DUB airport currency guide for the trap-free routing through arrivals.
Why Bank of Ireland is not the BoA Alliance pick (no Irish Alliance partner exists)
Ireland does not have a Bank of America Global ATM Alliance partner. Bank of Ireland is not a member of the Alliance, and the BoA-side 3 percent non-network surcharge applies regardless of which Irish bank ATM you use. Bank of Ireland charges zero on the Irish side, but BoA debit cards still pay the BoA-side surcharge.
For BoA customers, the cleanest setup in Ireland is: Wise or Charles Schwab debit (zero foreign-transaction fee, free at every Bank of Ireland and AIB ATM) for everything except the trad-music session tip jars at The Cobblestone in Smithfield, O'Donoghue's near St. Stephen's Green, or the Doolin and Galway sessions, where pre-ordered euros from CEI cover the cash-only scenarios. Schwab refunds operator fees on the rare standalone Euronet machine in Temple Bar.
Best card pairing with Bank of Ireland
Wise + Bank of Ireland is the cleanest College Green combo
Wise debit at the Bank of Ireland College Green flagship or any branch ATM: zero on the Irish side, zero FX markup on the Wise side, real interbank rate. Plus Wise debit works at TFI Tap on every Dublin Bus, Luas, and DART.
Get the Wise Card →Charles Schwab Investor Checking
Schwab refunds operator fees on the rare standalone Euronet machines in Temple Bar and around the Trinity College gates, and adds zero foreign-transaction fee. Combined with Bank of Ireland's zero, Schwab is a free Irish withdrawal.
UK Bank of Ireland subsidiary note
If your itinerary crosses from the Republic into Northern Ireland (Belfast, Derry, the Giant's Causeway), note that Northern Ireland uses pounds sterling (GBP), not euros. Bank of Ireland UK is a separately-licensed subsidiary in NI and the UK mainland; the ATMs charge zero operator fee on foreign cards on the GBP side, but you are crossing a currency boundary.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Bank of Ireland?
Founded by Royal Charter on 11 May 1783, making it the oldest continuously-operating retail bank in Ireland. The College Green flagship building was the Irish Houses of Parliament from 1729 to 1800, purchased by Bank of Ireland in 1803.
How much does Bank of Ireland charge foreign cards at ATMs?
Zero operator fee on every Bank of Ireland ATM. Real Visa or Mastercard interbank rate. Your only cost is whatever your home bank charges (1-3 percent typical; zero with Wise or Schwab).
Is Bank of Ireland in the Bank of America Global ATM Alliance?
No. Ireland has no BoA Alliance partner. Bank of Ireland charges zero on the Irish side, but BoA debit cards pay the BoA-side 3 percent surcharge.
Where is Bank of Ireland's main branch in Dublin?
2 College Green directly opposite Trinity College Dublin. The building is the historic Irish Houses of Parliament (1729-1800) purchased by Bank of Ireland in 1803. Multiple ATMs on the wall facing the Trinity gates.
What is the Bank of Ireland UK subsidiary?
Separately-licensed UK subsidiary covering Northern Ireland and the UK mainland, including the Bristol-based Bank of Ireland UK plc and the Post Office Money partnership. NI uses pounds, not euros.
Should I use Bank of Ireland or AIB?
Both charge zero operator fee. Bank of Ireland has the most prominent central-Dublin locations (College Green, IFSC, O'Connell Bridge). AIB has more branches in greater Dublin and rural Ireland post-Ulster-Bank exit.
Are there Bank of Ireland ATMs at Dublin Airport?
Yes. DUB Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 arrivals (landside) both have Bank of Ireland ATMs. Zero operator fee on foreign cards. See the DUB airport guide.
The Wise + Bank of Ireland Combo
Zero FX markup at the College Green flagship and every Bank of Ireland branch.
Get the Wise Card →