View source for Ireland

The Irish bitcoin scene is split into those in the Republic of Ireland, which currently has no rules in place for bitcoin, and [[Northern Ireland]], which as part of the UK does. 

==Bitcoin ATMs==
There has been some controversy in relation to the installation of Bitcoin ATM's in Ireland, which has been covered in the broadsheet media. A pub in Dublin, formerly known as the Baggot Inn accepted bitcoin through a [[bitpay]] system for food and drink and shortly after hosted a bitcoin ATM <ref name="Baggot Inn accepts bitcoin">{{cite web |url=http://www.dailyedge.ie/baggot-inn-bitcoin-1346145-Mar2014/ |title=This Dublin pub now accepts Bitcoin as payment for a pint |publisher=DailyEdge.ie}}</ref> in March 2014. However, the pub changed ownership, and the ATM was removed in October 2014 <ref name="The Baggot Inn pulls the plug on bitcoin atm">{{cite web |url=http://bitcoinirl.ie/news/irish-pub-the-baggot-inn-pulls-the-plug-on-bitcoin-atm/ |title=Irish Pub The Baggot Inn pulls the plug on Bitcoin ATM |publisher=Irish Bitcoin Foundation}}</ref>

Separately in March 2014, GSM Solution's owned Bitvendo was due to place a Bitcoin ATM in a venue in Dublin's famous Temple Bar, but was refused an Irish bank account <ref name="Bitcoin company refused bank account">{{cite web |url=http://www.coindesk.com/bitcoin-atm-company-refused-account-bank-ireland/ |title=Bitcoin ATM Company Refused Account by Bank of Ireland |publisher=CoinDesk}}</ref>  which received considerable media coverage in print and radio. This was moved to the GSM Solutions shop in Abbey Street, and retired soon after from active service, although has been used in demonstrations. It was replaced by a Skyhook ATM which is currently in place. 

Between February 2015 and February 2016, a second Skyhook ATM was installed by a separate owner in Busyfeet & Coco Cafe in South William Street <ref name="Two Irish stories come along at once">{{cite web |url=http://bitcoinsinireland.com/like-buses-two-irish-bitcoin-stories-come-at-once/ |title=Like Buses, two Irish bitcoin stories come at once |publisher=BitcoinsInIreland.com}}</ref> <ref name="Busyfeet and coco become dublin's second Bitcoin ATM">{{cite web |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/business/technology/bitcoin-atm-at-busyfeet-coco-cafe-becomes-dublin-s-second-1.2117152 |title=Bitcoin ATM at Busyfeet & Coco Cafe becomes Dublin’s second |publisher=The Irish Times}}</ref>, which is no longer available. However, the café continues to accept bitcoin for food and drink at the till.

==Bitcoin Events in Ireland==
The Dublin Meetup Group was formed in May 2013, and has regularly put on talks, or social events<ref name="Dublin Meetup Group">{{cite web |url=http://www.meetup.com/Bitcoin-Dublin/ |title=Dublin Meetup Group |publisher=Dublin Bitcoin Meetup Group}}</ref>.

In July 2014, Bitcoin Finance (BitFin) 2014 
<ref name="BitFin 2014 Press Release">{{cite web |url=http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/bitcoin-meets-global-finance-and-commerce-at-bitfin-2014-dublin-1893174.htm |title=Bitcoin Meets Global Finance and Commerce at Bitfin 2014, Dublin |publisher=Market Wired}}</ref> was held in Dublin's Royal Dublin Society, which attracted speakers including  Max Keiser of The Keiser Report, Nicholas Carey of Blockchain.info, Bobby Lee CEO of BTC China, Michael Terpin, CEO and founder of the bitangels<ref name="Bitcoin Growing Up in Ireland">{{cite web |url=https://bitcoinmagazine.com/14817/bitcoin-growing-ireland/ |title=Bitcoin Growing Up in Ireland |publisher=Bitcoin Magazine}}</ref> , and an address by Director of Markets Supervision Gareth Murphy <ref name="Transcript of Gareth Murphy's BitFin 2014 speech">{{cite web |url=http://bitcoinsinireland.com/irish-central-banks-gareth-murphy-transcript-from-the-bitfin-conference-in-the-rds-on-3rd-july-2014/ |title=Address by Director of Markets Supervision Gareth Murphy at the BitFin 2014: Digital Money and the Future of Finance Conference |publisher=BitcoinsInIreland.com}}</ref> 

Gavin Andresen also addressed the Dublin Bitcoin Meetup Group in November 2014.<ref name="Gavin Andresen Dublin Bitcoin Meetup">{{cite web |url=http://www.meetup.com/Bitcoin-Dublin/events/212795122/ |title=Gavin Andresen Visit To Dublin |publisher=Dublin Bitcoin Meetup Group}}</ref> ()

In May 2015, a Belfast Meetup Group<ref name="Belfast Meetup Group">{{cite web |url=http://www.meetup.com/Belfast-Bitcoin-Meetup/ |title=Belfast Meetup Group |publisher=Belfast Bitcoin Meetup Group}}</ref> commenced running events.



A number of bitcoin related companies attended or exhibited at Web Summit in November 2015. <ref name="Bitcoin Web Summit Article">{{cite web |url=http://bitcoinsinireland.com/bitcoinsinireland-com-web-summit-2015/ |title=Bitcoin Web Summit Article |publisher=BitcoinsInIreland.com}}</ref>. There were also several bitcoin talks, including with Sam Neville of Circle <ref name="Bitcoin Web Summit Article">{{cite web |url=http://bitcoinsinireland.com/sam-neville-of-circle-at-web-summit/ |title=Bitcoin Web Summit Article |publisher=BitcoinsInIreland.com}}</ref> and Gavin Andresen <ref name="Bitcoin Web Summit Article">{{cite web |url=http://bitcoinsinireland.com/gavin-andresen-web-summit/ |title=Bitcoin Web Summit Article |publisher=BitcoinsInIreland.com}}</ref>.

In February 2015, the Cantillon 2016 summit in Institute of Technology Tralee featured a number of talks about bitcoin. <ref name="Bitcoin Cantillon 2016 Article">{{cite web |url=http://bitcoinsinireland.com/cantillon-2016-in-it-tralee-to-feature-bitcoin/
 |title=Bitcoin Web Summit Article |publisher=BitcoinsInIreland.com}}</ref>
==International Bitcoin companies in Ireland==
[[Circle Internet Financial]] incorporated in Dublin in August 2013. <ref name="Circle Internet Financial">{{cite web |url=https://www.duedil.com/company/IE531058/circle-internet-financial-limited |title=Circle Internet Financial Ltd |publisher=Duedil.com}}</ref>. They have attended or sponsored several of the Dublin Bitcoin Meetup group events.

==Irish Bitcoin Advocacy Groups==
There are two official chapters of the Bitcoin Foundation, [[Bitcoin Association Northern Ireland]] and the [[Irish Bitcoin Foundation]]. Separately to this, there is the [[Bitcoin Ireland]] group that runs a lot of events. Recently, a similar meetup group was formed by [[Bitcoin Belfast]]. While it seems that there is some crossover in membership, there doesn't seem to be any coordination between the three groups.
==References==
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