Jump to content
This site uses cookies. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. More Info... ×
  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.




  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):



    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):


  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Ireland - Tips Needed!


JosieToo

Recommended Posts

JosieToo Explorer

I'm traveling to Ireland in a couple of weeks on a press junket. Basically, we are carted around for four days to different hotels, restaurants and activities to report on them for our respective media outlets. To this end, there is very little flexibility in terms of where we are eating and no ability to "stop the tour" to buy my own gluten-free food. While I have mentioned my celiac disease, there's really not much they can do.

 

Obviously I will bring a lot of gluten-free food with me (always carry nuts, chips, etc. when traveling). I also try and limit exposure by having as many safe foods as possible (breakfast: hard boiled egg in shell, yogurt, fruit in skin, etc.). Any other tips for this type of trip?


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



Gemini Experienced

Josie....don't even sweat this trip one bit!  I went to Ireland in the spring of 2011 and was thrilled to find out that everywhere I went to eat, every single person I spoke to knew all about Celiac.  Ireland has very high rates of it and they accommodate to an amazing degree.  On ordering my first breakfast there, after landing at the airport and driving to the hotel, they asked me right away...."Would you like Celiac bread with your breakfast"?  I blinked rapidly because I could not believe it.  Their Celiac bread is more like large rolls that are kept frozen and then heated before serving, so you get warm rolls.  They were very good too!  I was there 3 years ago and I hope things have not changed too much but this was my experience.

 

One thing to mention about bread......some of their bread may contain Codex wheat starch which is not allowed in American gluten-free diets.  It can contain up to 200ppm's of gluten. That was the information I got at the time.  I checked before I ate these rolls and they did not contain Codex because I would have declined them if it did.  Before eating any bread, just check to make sure.  Otherwise, it was very easy to eat gluten-free in Ireland and the people there are just so very friendly and accommodating, I didn't have to worry so much about food.  Bring snacks if you don't have time to shop for them but as far as meals go, it'll be easier than many places in the US. Make sure to try the salmon, if you like fish.  Best salmon I have ever eaten was in Ireland.

 

I am a very sensitive Celiac and it went pretty smoothly for me.  I hope you enjoy your limited time there!

IrishHeart Veteran

I agree with this totally:

 

Make sure to try the salmon, if you like fish.  Best salmon I have ever eaten was in Ireland.

 

 

and would add: no one on earth is more accomodating than the Irish, IMHO.

 

I would live there, if I could. 

 

Have a great trip--it's a beautiful country with generous and kind people and they "get Celiac". 

  • 2 weeks later...
Becks85 Rookie

Hi,

 

I may be writing too late for you, but thought I would post anyway. I currently live in Ireland, and have very rarely encountered a problem eating out, even in hotels. As the other posters mentioned, Ireland is one of the easiest places to travel gluten free. (Most of the problems I encounter eating out is finding gluten free food that is also vegetarian!)

 

Many restaurants have at least some understanding of celiac disease, and most can provide gluten free options. If you have a chance to purchase your own foods, most stores have gluten free sections, though smaller stores like Spar and Centra may have a limited enough selection. 

 

Also, it may be worth checking out the Irish Coeliac Society, if you haven't already left for your trip. Here's their website: Open Original Shared Link

 

Hope you have a great time in Ireland!

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Donate

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):





    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):




  • Recent Activity

    1. - Scott Adams replied to Jmartes71's topic in Dermatitis Herpetiformis
      1

      Natural remedies

    2. - Scott Adams replied to miguel54b's topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      1

      Gluten and short-term memory.

    3. - Scott Adams replied to Suze046's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      1

      Reintroduction of Gluten

    4. - Scott Adams replied to Rejoicephd's topic in Coping with Celiac Disease
      2

      Draft gluten-free ciders… can they be trusted ?

    5. - Scott Adams replied to Mykidzz3's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      1

      High Cost of Gluten-Free Foods


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,366
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    Sandy1963
    Newest Member
    Sandy1963
    Joined

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):


  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):





  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):



  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Scott Adams
      While it's always important to approach internal use of essential oils with caution and ideally under the guidance of a qualified professional, your experience highlights the potential of complementary approaches when traditional medicine falls short. Many in the community are also interested in the intersection of natural wellness and gluten-free living, particularly for managing systemic inflammation and its various symptoms, so sharing your story is valuable. Your observation that it may also be helping with bloating is fascinating, as that could point to an overall reduction in inflammation. Thank you for sharing what is working for you!
    • Scott Adams
      It's interesting how a single, clear moment—like struggling during a game—can suddenly connect all the dots and reveal the hidden impact of gluten exposure. Your experience with short-term memory fog is a very real and documented symptom for many individuals with gluten sensitivity, often occurring alongside the other issues you mentioned like mood disturbances, sleep disruption, and digestive irregularity. It's a frustrating and often invisible effect that can make you feel unlike yourself, so that moment of clarity, though born from a tough dominoes match, is actually a powerful piece of self-knowledge. Identifying a specific culprit like that steak strip is a huge win, as it arms you with the information needed to avoid similar pitfalls in the future and protect your cognitive clarity. You are definitely not alone in experiencing this particular set of neurological and physical symptoms; it's a strong reminder of gluten's profound impact on the entire body, not just the digestive system. Supplementation may help you as well.  The most common nutrient deficiencies associated with celiac disease that may lead to testing for the condition include iron, vitamin D, folate (vitamin B9), vitamin B12, calcium, zinc, and magnesium.  Unfortunately many doctors, including my own doctor at the time, don't do extensive follow up testing for a broad range of nutrient deficiencies, nor recommend that those just diagnosed with celiac disease take a broad spectrum vitamin/mineral supplement, which would greatly benefit most, if not all, newly diagnosed celiacs. Because of this it took me decades to overcome a few long-standing issues I had that were associated with gluten ataxia, for example numbness and tingling in my feet, and muscle knots--especially in my shoulders an neck. Only long term extensive supplementation has helped me to resolve these issues.      
    • Scott Adams
      Approximately 10x more people have non-celiac gluten sensitivity than have celiac disease, but there isn’t yet a test for NCGS. If your symptoms go away on a gluten-free diet it would likely signal NCGS. What you're describing is a very common and frustrating experience when reintroducing gluten after a period of avoidance, and your timeline is perfectly consistent with a non-celiac gluten sensitivity. While a celiac reaction can be more immediate, a sensitivity reaction is often delayed, sometimes taking several days to manifest as your body's inflammatory response builds up; the fact that your symptoms returned a few days after reintroduction is a strong indicator that gluten is indeed the culprit, not a coincidence. Your doctor's advice to reintroduce it was necessary to confirm the diagnosis, as the initial negative celiac test and subsequent improvement on a gluten-free diet pointed strongly towards sensitivity. Many in this community have gone through this exact same process of elimination and challenging, and it's wise to reintroduce gently as you did. Given your clear reaction, the best course of action is likely to resume a strict gluten-free diet, as managing a sensitivity is the primary way to control those debilitating symptoms and allow your body to heal fully.
    • Scott Adams
      Your suspicion is almost certainly correct, and you are wise to be cautious. Draft cider is a very common and often overlooked source of cross-contact because the same tap lines are frequently used for both beer and cider; unless a bar has a dedicated line for gluten-free beverages, which is rare, the cider will run through tubing that has previously contained gluten-containing beer, contaminating your drink. The fact that you didn't react at a clean brewery suggests they may have had more meticulous practices or separate lines, but this is the exception, not the rule. Many in the community have had identical experiences, leading them to strictly avoid draft cider and opt for bottled or canned versions, which are poured directly from their sealed container and bypass the contaminated tap system entirely. Switching to bottles or cans is the safest strategy, and your plan to do so is a smart move to protect your health. PS - here are some articles on the topic:    
    • Scott Adams
      Your post really highlights the financial and emotional struggle so many families face. You are not alone in feeling frustrated by the high cost of gluten-free specialty items and the frustrating waste when your daughter can't tolerate them. A great place to start is by focusing on naturally gluten-free whole foods that are often more affordable and less processed, like rice, potatoes, beans, lentils, corn, eggs, and frozen fruits and vegetables—these are nutritional powerhouses that can form the basis of her meals. For the specialty items like bread and pasta, see if your local stores carry smaller, single-serving packages or allow returns if a product causes a reaction, as some companies understand this challenge. Regarding vitamins, that is an excellent next step; please ask her doctor to prescribe a high-quality gluten-free multivitamin, as insurance will often cover prescribed vitamins, making them much more affordable. Finally, connecting with a local celiac support group online can be a treasure trove of location-specific advice for finding the best and most affordable products in your area, saving you both time and money on the trial-and-error process. 
×
×
  • Create New...