The VAT tax in Ireland. How to beat it!

Dear Travelers: During a recent vacation in the Republic of Ireland, I was
pleasantly surprised when I was told in stores that they would deduct the
VAT tax right then and there if I paid with a credit card. No such deal if
you insisted in paying with Euros. They take off the tax of the total
bill - and it is a different tax for different products - and give you a
form that you have to fill out and deposit on a special mail box at the
airport, which was my case. I was told that if I didn't do so, the deducted
VAT tax would reappear on my next credit card billing. (Naturally, this tax
refund applies only to folks from non-European Union countries.)
While at the airport I saw long lines of folks trying to get their VAT tax
refund because they had paid with Euros. It isn't worth the aggravation. The
office that reimburses you is inside the departure lounge of the Dublin
airport. You will find the lounge after you have cleared security. I didn't
have time to check it out but it appeared that you could also get refunds in
the post office store across from the regular refund office. It might be
worth looking into. It was less crowded.
I assume that special mailing boxes exist elsewhere when people leave the
country by ferry.
I further assume that when they refund you your VAT tax, they pay you in
whatever foreign currency you want. I wouldn't be surprised if the
organization that does the refund takes a nice commission for the service.
Best, MR