Under Irish law, you are not strictly required to carry your physical passport with you at all times while walking around the streets of Ireland, but you must be able to produce a valid form of identification if requested by the Gardaí (police). For tourists, the passport is the only universally accepted ID. However, because of the risk of loss or theft in busy tourist hubs like Temple Bar in Dublin, most travel experts in 2026 recommend leaving your physical passport in a secure hotel safe and carrying a high-quality color photocopy or a clear digital scan on your smartphone. You should only carry the original document when you are traveling between cities, changing accommodations, or if you plan to visit a bank or a government building. If you intend to drive, your domestic driver's license is sufficient for a traffic stop. If you are crossing the border into Northern Ireland (UK), you should carry your passport, as even though there is no "hard border," random spot checks by immigration authorities can occur, and the passport is the only document that proves your legal right to be in the Common Travel Area.