Currency

I prefer to have some Euro in my pocket when I land. I want enough to cover transportation and meals for the first day so I don't have to deal with an ATM while I am a bit punchy from jet lag. Others are comfortable just tapping into an ATM when they get there but as an inexperienced traveler I feel that increases my anxiety.

I get Euro from my local bank. The rate is not as good and there is a $7.50 charge but I am willing to pay that for peace of mind on arrival. I usually have a 150-200€. Then I get Euro from an ATM attached to a bank in my destination on day 2 or 3.

I always arrive in Europe with euro that I brought back from my last trip. In fact, I make my last withdrawal on a trip with the specific intention of having euro in my pocket when I return. However, there are a lot of Wells Fargo banks here in Denver, and they sell euro for 5% over the Interbank rate that day. If you have an ATM card with a major US bank (USBank, Chase, Wells Fargo, et al), you are going to pay 4+% (3% discount plus $5 fee for less than $500) for your cash from an ATM over there, so there is hardly an issue.

You might find that exchanging some money at your departure airport is the simplest solution. True, the rate is not the best, but it's no worse than paying a service fee to have your bank order them for you ahead of time. You will only need maybe $100 worth or so, since you can hit the ATM when you arrive.

I am always more comfortable arriving with some cash on hand in case there is ever a problem getting money while I'm there. (card not working, lost or stolen) In my experience, a lot of Rick's recommendations for lodging are small, family run businesses that prefer to deal in cash, so I have at least my arrival lodging in cash, plus money for transportation and meals for that first day. My credit union will order the money for me without charging me additional fees if I give them enough notice. I am also sure to notify them of the dates I am travelling and where I'll be staying so they do not block my accounts for suspicious activities.

I bank at Bank of America. I order cash through the bank to start with, usually about 100 and I just use my bank card for large purchases. I use it at the atm's as well. The fees were very minimal like less than $3 but it is a percentage of the transaction. They will give you the names of the banks they work with which I found them everywhere when I was in England, Germany and France.

As evidenced in this thread, some people are more comfortable getting Euros in the US before they leave. I have never found that necessary. You will find better exchange rates at the ATM's at the airport in Dublin and/or Shannon. If you are feel the need to have some cash on hand, then it is perfectly fine to get some before you leave, but it is really not necessary. You literally cannot leave the Dublin airport without walking past an ATM.

It is not the availability of the ATM that is a problem but whether your card won't work because of some technical fault along the chain. It has only happened to me travelling once in 20+ years of ATM being my primary cash source but once is enough to make you extra wary (I had enough cash and the problem was sorted out on the Monday, being a weekend issue). These days you can get by a lot more on just cards if you get this kind of hiccough, but not always. You could instead have some $ to exchange in an emergency instead,