New data has found that Monaghan has the highest percentage of cash transactions in Ireland.
That's according to Banking and Payments Federation of Ireland (BPFI) analysis of Central Bank of Ireland data.
During 2025, there were 298 contactless payments per person in Ireland on Irish cards, up from 279 in 2024.
The number of cash withdrawals using cards fell by 7.1% year on year to 82.2million in 2025.
At a county level, the value of cash withdrawn fell in 2025 in each county, except Donegal.
The lowest ratio was in Monaghan where only €1.11 was spent in contactless payments per euro in cash withdrawn.
Local businesswoman, Helen Drumm, isn't surprised by the news.
Speaking to Northern Sound this week, she said agrees that "cash is king" in Co. Monaghan.
Helen highlighted some of the reasons young people might use cash.
She said: "I was chatting to a young person a short time ago, and they said that they take cash out and use it. The reason being, they do not want to be traced. As in, what restaurant they are going to, if they're staying in a hotel, where they're going, what they're doing- they want privacy.
"Other young people have said to me that they take cash out if they are going out for the night. Let's say if they take €100 out, they know when that €100 is gone, they go home. You're tapping and tapping, and if you've one too many in you, you don't realise how much you are spending," Helen added.
