🇮🇪 Ireland Guide
Does Ireland Use Stone for Weight?
Yes, much like Britain. Ireland kept the stone for body weight in everyday life, even though the unit was removed from Irish trade law in 1983 and official Ireland is fully metric.
The Short Answer: Yes, Like the UK but More Metric
If you ask an Irish person how much they weigh, you will most likely hear an answer in stone and pounds: "I'm about 11 stone" or "I need to lose half a stone." In this respect Ireland is almost identical to the UK. But step into any official context, a hospital, a pharmacy, a school, a government form, and the stone vanishes: everything is in kilograms.
The difference from Britain is one of degree. Ireland metricated more decisively and with less public resistance. Road signs went metric in 2005 without the drama that surrounds every British metrication debate, and Irish schools teach exclusively in metric. The stone survives in Ireland purely as spoken habit, not as any kind of institution. For the British side of the story, see why the UK still uses stone.
The 1983 Law: Stone Removed From Irish Trade
Ireland's path mirrors Britain's but runs two years earlier. In response to the European directive on units of measurement (80/181/EEC), Ireland passed legislation in 1983 removing the stone from the units permitted for trade. Britain followed with the Weights and Measures Act 1985.
The practical effect was the same in both countries: shops had to sell in metric, and the stone retreated to the home, the gym, and the GP's consulting room. Neither country's law ever touched informal use, which is why the stone is still spoken in Dublin and Cork four decades later.
Where You Still Hear Stone in Ireland
The stone's Irish strongholds are the same as Britain's, with a few local accents:
- Body weight conversation: the default unit when Irish people talk about their own weight, weight loss, or someone else's size. "She's lost nearly a stone" is as natural in Galway as in Glasgow.
- GP surgeries: Irish medical records are metric, but doctors routinely translate into stone for patients, exactly as in the UK's NHS. See how doctors handle stone vs kg.
- Boxing and horse racing: Irish boxing follows the same weigh-in conventions as British boxing, with weights announced in stone and pounds. Horse racing weights are given in stone too, a tradition shared across the Irish Sea.
- GAA and rugby: player profiles in Gaelic games and rugby often list weights in stone and pounds for supporters, even though the sports' official data is metric.
- Media: Irish newspapers and broadcasters use stone when reporting on weight loss stories and celebrity diets, then often give the kg equivalent for younger readers.
What you will not find is the stone in Irish shops, on Irish food labels, in Irish schools, or in any Irish official document. In all of those, kilograms rule without exception.
Ireland vs the UK: The Key Differences
The two countries look similar on the surface, but Ireland is further along the metric road:
| Context | Ireland | UK |
|---|---|---|
| Casual body weight talk | Stone and pounds | Stone and pounds |
| Medical records | Kilograms | Kilograms |
| Road signs | Metric since 2005 | Still miles |
| Draught beer | Metric (litres) | Pints (imperial) |
| Public metrication debate | Largely settled | Still politically live |
| Young people's gym unit | Mostly kg | Mixed kg and stone |
The pattern is clear: Ireland treats the stone as a private habit, while Britain treats it as a small piece of national identity. Both countries say "stone" at home; only Britain argues about it in Parliament.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Ireland use stone for weight?
Yes, informally. Like the UK, Ireland uses stone and pounds for personal body weight in everyday conversation, even though official and medical measurements are metric. Ireland removed the stone from trade in 1983.
Is stone a legal unit in Ireland?
No. Ireland passed legislation in 1983, in response to the same EU directive as the UK, removing the stone from units permitted for trade. It survives only as a customary unit for body weight.
Do Irish doctors use stone or kilograms?
Irish medical records are kept in kilograms, the same as the UK's NHS. Doctors and nurses often translate into stone and pounds when talking to patients, because that is the unit most Irish people understand intuitively.
Do young Irish people use stone or kg?
Younger Irish people are more comfortable with kilograms than their parents, and gyms and fitness apps tend to use kg. But stone and pounds remain the default in casual conversation about body weight across all ages.