The Euro Changeover Board and its cast of stars - footballers, newsreaders, pop stars, weather forecasters and actors - can all take a bow. Their work over the past year to inform the Irish public about the euro has not gone unheeded. In fact, it seems to have received a tremendous reception.
Shoppers in Dublin city centre yesterday, young and old, had no difficulty making the conversion from euro to pound and vice versa, with many citing the huge volume of TV, radio, billboard and newspaper advertising as the reason behind their intimate knowledge of the new currency.
Almost to a man, woman and child, every person knew how much €1 was worth to the pound.
The exact figure of 0.787564 rolled off the tongues with what started off as surprising, but was later to become monotonous regularity. Practically everybody else gave the figure 0.79 or "just under 80p" or "just over 78p".
A few people said 1.27, but corrected themselves quickly when they realised they had given the value of £1 in its euro equivalent.
"And €5 is worth £3.94," said Ms Mary Noonan, from Donnybrook, displaying a knowledge of the subject, which was above and beyond the call of duty. "It's not that I know it so well, it's just that there is so much media attention given to it at the moment."
While she said it was sad to see the pound disappear, she believed the benefits of the new currency were worth it. "It's going to make life a lot easier for commerce within the EU and for people who travel," she said. Mr Patrick Fitzsimons, from Clontarf, said the timing of the euro introduction was a mistake. "It should have come in on June 1st next year and not coincide with this time when pubs and shops are up to their tonsils in money," he said.
However, Mr Liam McLoughlin, who works in a bank, said he felt people were becoming used to the conversion rates and any initial confusion would be short-lived.
While the changeover board deserves praise, considerable effort also seems to have been made by shops, pubs and retail outlets to make staff and customers aware of the new currency and the conversion rates.
"I work in Marathon Sports so I work with dual prices all the time," said Mr Michael Finglas, from Glasnevin, explaining his knowledge of the conversion rate.
Schools and colleges also deserve a mention. "I'm doing business in college, so I know all about it," said Mr Stuart Tallant from Ratoath, Co Meath, who knew the exact amount. "We haven't done a project on it, but we have studied it." Among older people, there was a somewhat weary resignation of having seen it all before - been there, done that, bought the T-shirt. "We'll just have to manage because they did it before with decimalisation," said Mr John Farrelly from Rathfarnham.
Mr Frank Monks, from Inchicore, said it would be the third changeover of his lifetime. "It'll take a bit of getting used to, but once February 9th comes, we'll be home and dry."
