Fáilte abhaile · Welcome home
We left a light on for you.
Coming home for Christmas? Here’s a free Irish eSIM. Install it before you fly and the “Landed!” message goes out on the runway in Dublin, Shannon or Cork.
- 500 MB · 3 days
- Eir 4G and 5G
- No card needed
- Claim by 31 Jan
200 to give away. One per person. Republic of Ireland only.
An Irish tradition
Why a candle?
On Christmas Eve, homes all over Ireland light a candle in the window. It is a welcome for anyone on the road that night, and a way of saying to whoever is still travelling: you are expected, come in out of the cold.
Every December thousands of us make that trip from New York and Boston, Toronto and Vancouver, Sydney and Auckland. We cannot carry the bags or sit through the layover for you. We can make sure you are connected the minute you land.
ARRIVALS · TEACHT ISTEACH
24 Dec
| FROM | TO | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
| NEW YORK JFK | DUBLIN | EXPECTED |
| BOSTON | SHANNON | EXPECTED |
| TORONTO | DUBLIN | EXPECTED |
| CHICAGO | DUBLIN | EXPECTED |
| AUCKLAND | DUBLIN | EXPECTED |
| VANCOUVER | DUBLIN | EXPECTED |
| SAN FRANCISCO | DUBLIN | EXPECTED |
| SYDNEY | CORK | EXPECTED |
24 December. Every flight home, landed and connected.
What 500 MB gets you
Your first three days home, in megabytes
The free eSIM is built for the stretch between the plane and the Wi-Fi password: the hours when you most need to be reachable and are least likely to have a signal.
Your free 500 MB
Boarding
0 MB used
500 MB left
Wheels down
“Landed!” to the family group, before the seatbelt sign goes off.
about 1 MB
Arrivals hall
Find your lift, or the bus to town, on Maps. No hunting for airport Wi-Fi.
about 8 MB
The drive home
Directions, traffic, and a few voice notes to the cousins still in the air.
about 20 MB
First night
“Who’s going to the chipper?” Sorted in the group chat, order placed.
about 6 MB
Christmas Eve
The candle’s lit. A quick video call to the ones who couldn’t make it home.
about 120 MB
Christmas morning
The swim at the Forty Foot. Photos sent before your teeth stop chattering.
about 25 MB
St Stephen’s Day
The match, the walk, the pub quiz answers you definitely didn’t look up.
about 60 MB
Plenty to spare for the rest of the trip. Need more? Top up on the same eSIM, no new QR code. We’ll email you before you run low.
Three steps, about two minutes
- Step 1
Claim it
Enter your email, tap the link we send, claim. About a minute, and no card.
- Step 2
Install before you fly
Scan the QR or tap to install, at home on Wi-Fi, so it is ready before the gate.
- Step 3
Land home, connected
Airplane mode off on the runway in Dublin, Shannon or Cork. Online. The 3 days start then.
To: whoever’s coming home
What’s inside
- Data
- 500 MB
- Lasts
- 3 days from first connection
- Covers
- The Republic of Ireland
- Network
- Eir, 4G and 5G
- More data
- Top up on the same eSIM
- Price
- Free. No card.
Nollaig shona, from SimKit
The fine print, short version
- One free eSIM per person and per phone. Signing in is how we keep it fair.
- 200 to give away. When they are gone, this page says so.
- Claim by 31 January 2027, then use it within 180 days.
- Republic of Ireland only. It will not connect in Northern Ireland, Britain or anywhere else on the way.
- Top-ups are at our standard prices, which you see before you buy.
- Your phone needs to support eSIM and be unlocked. Check your phone.
- Everything else is in our Terms. If you cannot connect, email us and a real person will sort it out, Christmas week included.
Already home?
Send it to whoever’s on the way.
The son in Sydney, the cousins in Boston, the sister who swears she will be on the early flight. Drop it in the family group and they can sort it before they pack.
Free Irish eSIM questions
Is the free Irish eSIM really free?
Yes. Nothing to pay and no card to enter. You sign in with your email so we can keep it to one per person, and the eSIM is sent to that address.
Who is it for?
Anyone coming home to Ireland for Christmas, or visiting, with a phone that takes an eSIM. It was made with the Irish in America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand in mind, but you do not need to prove where you are from.
How much is 500 MB?
Enough for the landing message, Maps out of the airport, the drive home, a few days of WhatsApp and photos, and a short video call. It is not enough for streaming. When it runs low we email you, and you can top up on the same eSIM at our normal prices without a new QR code.
Does it work in Northern Ireland?
No. It covers the Republic of Ireland only, on the Eir network. Northern Ireland and Britain are not included, so if you are crossing the border for Christmas you will want a UK plan for that part of the trip.
When do the 3 days start?
When the eSIM first connects to a network in Ireland, not when you claim it. Claim it now, install it at home on Wi-Fi, and the clock only starts when you switch off airplane mode on the ground. Use it within 180 days of claiming.
Will the RTÉ Player and Irish banking apps work?
Messaging, Maps, email and most apps work as normal. Your traffic leaves the network through a European gateway, so a few sites that check for an Irish address, such as some streaming services, may think you are elsewhere in Europe. Use the Wi-Fi at home for those.
I claimed the free Bali eSIM. Can I claim this one too?
Yes. They are separate offers, so a Bali claim does not stop you. It is still one free Irish eSIM per person and per phone.
Can I keep my own number?
Yes. The eSIM handles data while your usual SIM stays in for calls and texts, so the family can still ring the number they know. Turn off data roaming on your home SIM so it never bills you.
Does my phone support eSIM?
Most phones from the last five years do, including iPhone XS and later, Google Pixel 3 and later, and recent Samsung Galaxy S and Z models. It must be unlocked. Our eSIM-compatible phones page has the full list.
Staying longer than a few days? See every Ireland plan.