They don't sell Caramel wafers here either.

December 6, 2006 11:46 AM

Can I buy Irn-Bru in Ireland?

By "Ireland", of course, I mean the large part which isn't in the UK.

In sixteen months I have yet to see so much as a single can of the anointed wonder drink on any shelf, either in Cork (where I live) or elsewhere. The "always-reliable" Wikipedia says more than once that it's on sale here.

Is there some corner store run by an expat which I've not seen yet? Or am I doomed to trying to import it?

posted by genghis to Shopping (12 answers total)

Where can I get IRN-BRU overseas?

IRN-BRU is manufactured overseas in Russia and Spain through franchisee partners and manfactured under licence in Canada and Australia.

Finished product exports (e.g. cans and pet bottles) of IRN-BRU and other brands are also shipped to Holland, Greece, Cyprus, U.S.A. and Hong Kong.
posted by grouse at 11:53 AM on December 6, 2006

So anyway, it looks like availability in IE is not through a regular official channel.
posted by grouse at 11:57 AM on December 6, 2006

You can get Irn-Bru in both standard and diet varieties at Reynolds newsagents on Lower Abbey Street in Dublin (across the road from the Luas stop). But I haven't patronised them for a couple of years, as the staff were very rude to me once.
posted by macdara at 12:10 PM on December 6, 2006

I bought Irn Bru when I was in Dublin from a shop somewhere in the area around Aungier Street and St Stephens green, and it was an average hot sausage roll/newsagent type place, not a deli or novelty shop. So it's out there for sure.
posted by fire&wings at 2:59 PM on December 6, 2006

Not much help admittedly, but in the small part which is part of the UK Irn-Bru is very readily available in most large shops and often in newsagents.

I'm sure I saw it in a Spar in County Kerry last year, so it's probably available you just need to hunt for it.
posted by knapah at 7:00 PM on December 6, 2006

I'm sure I've seen it in Donegal. To honest I think it tastes like bad red lemonade. For those that don't know, red lemonade is the best mixer for spirits/liquor!
posted by zaphod at 10:18 PM on December 6, 2006

BTW, what are caramel wafers?
posted by zaphod at 10:20 PM on December 6, 2006

I've seen it in many of the Spar/Londis/Centra shops here in Dublin as well. Maybe Cork just has an Irn Bru embargo in place? :)
posted by antifuse at 1:32 AM on December 7, 2006

BTW, what are caramel wafers?

They taste like bad Kit Kats.
posted by the cuban at 3:31 AM on December 7, 2006

Response by poster: These are caramel wafers. Another Scots delicacy.

So I'm still 250 miles form the nearest stockist then?
posted by genghis at 9:55 AM on December 7, 2006

Incidentally, I was just in Tesco at the Dundrum Town Centre today, and they had no less than 3 different brands of caramel wafers in the biscuit aisle.
posted by antifuse at 7:41 AM on December 10, 2006

Don't know if anyone is still watching this thread, as it's been a month (strange, feels like longer) but I just bought a bottle of Irn Bru this morning at the Frontpage newsagents at the top of O'Connell St. So if you're passing through the capital, that's where you can get it -- though it is expensive (1.60 for a standard 500ml bottle; 1.75 for the diet).

Now, if only I knew where I could get me some root beer, since that shop at Merchants Arch stopped stocking it a good while ago...
posted by macdara at 3:30 AM on January 11, 2007