Ireland restaurant dinner etiquette

These days, I take the view that I'm paying, I can have what I like.
Certainly, if you are buying drinks too.
I often have a second starter as my main course, or my husband and I will share a starter and have a main course each.
Or skip the starter, main course each and share a pudding.

“And would tip well”

Here’s a link to Travel Tips regarding tipping. It’s not the same as in the US. A few € at most unless it’s exceptional service. Oh, how I wish the US would get off the tipping mindset…and pay servers a living wage.
I’ll leave the sharing meals answer to someone else since I travel solo.
https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/money/tipping-in-europe

Yes- sharing food and drink in nicer restaurants and pubs is acceptable in Ireland.

I don't think restaurant owners would be too impressed at patrons not ordering food. If not hungry then don't bother with a starter, or indeed see if you can get two starters as a main course.

I would say in a pub, where many people aren't even ordering any food at all, this is absolutely fine. At a restaurant, I think this would be a bit unexpected.

In a pub, no issues with your ordering plan. It may be tougher to pull that off in a restaurant, just as it would be in the US. However, in nicer restaurants, portions are more reasonable, so you may not have a lot of food to contend with anyways. Perhaps order one appetizer to share, and a main course each to share (that would be about the same amount of food).
Be prepared to eat a burger with a knife and fork (not our practice back home and kind of fun to watch).

Thanks everyone for the helpful advice, and we’ll definitely consider more pubs/informal dining!

I totally understand what people are saying about restaurants not wanting to serve shared meals. It’s a balancing act, though, isn’t it? Last year in Italy I had an experience where after a risotto primo I was served a large beef secondo and had to leave much of it uneaten. The chef actually came to our table after it was cleared to demand to know why I hadn’t eaten more. He was insulted. It was awful! Obviously this was one isolated incident but sometimes no matter what you do it’s the wrong thing!

Ruth, I'm heading to London and Paris next week and I'm coming across more restaurants requiring a minimum per person order or everyone must order a main.

I've had success in Italy and elsewhere asking if I could have a half order of something like a pasta when ordering several courses.

Enjoy your time in Ireland.

I think Ozempic is partly to blame for restaurants requiring a minimum spend. If you take a weight loss drug you don’t feel like eating or drinking, but you still want to go out and enjoy the social space of a restaurant. That’s not sustainable for businesses.

I agree that pubs, fine, do whatever, but in a restaurant I think you need to order a main course each as a minimum and don’t just drink tap water. It’s more acceptable to skip starters and dessert.

Oh how horrible Ruth--what did you say to the chef? I don't know if "my eyes were bigger than my stomach" would compute in Italian! I can definitely relate because although some say the portions are smaller, I have had some similar experiences (I count on my husband to take what I cannot eat, but sometimes he rebels). The worst is when you are given free food, which you of course hate to turn away, but when I am full I am full.
I have only been to Ireland once, but I would not think you would have the slightest problem. I never hesitate to say "we'll share" and not linger if it looks like the table is needed.