Irish pound

1 6.4

Former money used in Ireland before the euro

noun

Literature

: libra irlandesa

Many people still remember the Irish pound.

Examples

Before 2002, Ireland used the Irish pound as its official currency.
The Irish pound featured unique symbols and imagery distinct from its British counterpart.
He exchanged his Irish pounds for euros during his trip to Dublin.
The Irish pound was replaced by the euro in 2002.
The Irish pound was the official currency of Ireland before the euro was introduced in 2002.
Many people still remember the days when the Irish pound was used for everyday transactions.
In 1999, the exchange rate was fixed at 0.787564 Irish pounds to one euro.

Synonyms

punt

vsIrish pound

Literature

1 9.8

Old Irish money worth 100 pence, replaced by the euro in 2002

is the same unit but referred to by another traditional name

Irish punt

vsIrish pound

Literature

8.7

A unit of money used in Ireland before the euro

is the same monetary unit but expressed with the other traditional label

Irish monetary unit

vsIrish pound

Literature

7.8

Old currency used in Ireland before the euro

is the specific former basic unit defined as 100 pence

Surface Forms

Irish pound singular

Irish pounds plural

Morphology

Irish + pound

The meaning 'the former basic unit of currency in Ireland' is directly derivable from combining 'Irish' (pertaining to Ireland) with 'pound' (a currency unit); a B1 learner who knows both constituents can infer it refers to Ireland's pound. This follows a common national-currency composition pattern (e.g., British pound, US dollar) found across languages, making the expression transparent.

Etymology

Irish pound comes from the familiar money unit 'pound' with 'Irish' added to show it was Ireland's own money, often printed on coins and notes with Irish pictures like the harp. So, the name means Ireland's national 'currency' that was used until it was replaced by the euro in 2002.