international cell phones in Ireland

I use a Mobal SIM card in a cheap GSM phone I bought on e-bay. It works great because it links to the strongest available signal. The only drawback is the calling cost but it is pay as you go - no prepayment, no expiration - and charged to your credit card. It is great for making local reservations etc but not for long conversations.

Mobal has nice, clear call quality, but it is not the cheapest, as the previous poster pointed out. My unlocked GSM phone has spots for two SIM cards, so I buy a local one where I am, and I keep my Mobal SIM in the other. The Mobal number is permanent, so if anyone at home needed to reach me, that is the number they would call. It is a post-paid SIM, so I don't need to keep minutes on it - it will always work, and charge my credit card later. A local SIM will eventually expire once you stop using it after your trip, and a mew one will have a new phone number. The permanent number and not having to add minutes are the reasons I keep Mobal. For lengthier calls home, I use my local SIM.