Supporters of free college in the US often point to countries that do not charge tuition to argue for the policy. However, international examples often illustrate that free-college policies entail unintended consequences. Ireland offers a particularly apt case study on that point. In the mid-1990s, Ireland abolished tuition for full-time undergraduates to expand access to higher education and address social inequalities (although financial and political pressures have since led policymakers to increase other student fees). At first glance, free college (known in Ireland as "free fees") appears to have been successful on some measures. Enrollment rates have grown, degree completion rates have remained high, and the share of workers with a college degree has tripled such that Ireland now has one of the highest college attainment rates in the world. However, several factors discussed in this paper may explain these positive trends better than Ireland's free-fees policy does. Overall, Ireland's experience demonstrates that a country can still struggle with many higher education challenges, much like those in the US, even after implementing free college. This suggests that free college in the US may be far less effective than many of its advocates claim unless policymakers adopt additional policies to increase access and maintain quality in the higher education system.