What to do with this activity?

This is a great game to pass the time on a long car or bus journey, and it will help your child get to know the names of the 26 counties of the Republic of Ireland.

1. As you travel, spot the car registration details and name the Irish county they represent.

2. If you are unsure, have a look at the list of counties and their abbreviations on the PDF download above right. If you can, bring the list with you on your journey.

3. You may notice that Waterford and Limerick have two signs each - one for the city and one for the county - and that Tipperary is divided into Tipperary North and Tipperary South? However, on cars registered from 2014 onwards, there is only one sign each for Waterford (W) and Limerick (L) and Tipperary (T).  

4. Where there are several counties starting with the same letter of the alphabet, the abbreviation often uses the first and last letter of the county.  For instance, Westmeath is WH and Wicklow is WW.

5. Spot the exceptions to this rule.