When is the best time to go to Ireland?

The slightly difficult climatic conditions in Ireland are most certainly not a reason to miss out on the great opportunities to have fun and discover the architectural heritage that is otherwise described in fairytales. The many festivities that take place in Ireland throughout the entire year attract those who like to party. The best time to travel to Ireland and enjoy the sun is undoubtedly the summer season: June, July and August. During these months, tourists flock to Ireland in order to enjoy the mild climate. Spring marks the beginning of cultural events, as with the Six Nations when all rugby fans turn their attention to Ireland. Then, the month of March brings St. Patrick's, a festival that enchants the whole territory; the jubilant crowds amuse the streets for 5 days in order to celebrate the patron saint of Ireland. Autumn is cool enough and this period is suitable for art and theater enthusiasts. Some travelers choose to visit Ireland during the winter, but only to relax in peace because with all the rain, outdoor excursions are pretty much out of the question.

So, when is the best time to go to Ireland? Here's some more information to help you in your decision:

  • In Ireland, the weather is good across more than 25% of the territory for: June, August and September
  • The best months to go to Dublin are June, July, August and September
  • On average, the warmest months in Dublin are June, July, August and September, and the coldest months are January, February and March
  • The rainiest months in this city are June, July, August, October, November and December
  • The cities with the best climate are Dublin, Dalkey Island, Tramore, Waterford, Wexford, Balbriggan, Bray, Dún Laoghaire, Dungarvan and Enniscorthy, with good weather at least 4 months a year



Where and when to go based on the weather?

Connacht
Galway, Connemara National Park, Belmullet...

May, June, July, August, September and October
54°F to 65°F°C
2 to 13 days
52°F to 61°F
January, February, March, April, November and December
45°F to 56°F°C
2 to 16 days
50°F to 56°F

Leinster
Dublin, Kilkenny, Dundalk...

July, August and September
61°F to 67°F°C
3 to 7 days
58°F to 61°F
May, June and October
56°F to 63°F°C
2 to 9 days
52°F to 59°F
January, February, March, April, November and December
45°F to 56°F°C
2 to 10 days
49°F to 58°F

Munster
Cork, Limerick, Dingle...

May, June, July, August, September and October
56°F to 67°F°C
3 to 13 days
54°F to 63°F
January, February, March, April, November and December
47°F to 56°F°C
3 to 16 days
49°F to 56°F

North East Ireland (Ulster)
Letterkenny, Killybegs, Dungloe...

May, June, September and October
54°F to 63°F°C
3 to 10 days
52°F to 59°F
January, February, March, April, July, August, November and December
45°F to 65°F°C
3 to 12 days
49°F to 59°F

To get all the information about the climate and weather in Ireland for a specific month, click on the corresponding link below:

Ireland in january Ireland in february Ireland in march Ireland in april Ireland in may Ireland in june Ireland in july Ireland in august Ireland in september Ireland in october Ireland in november Ireland in december


Best time to travel to Ireland by cities

Chargement en cours
Connacht Connacht Leinster Leinster Munster Munster North East Ireland (Ulster) North East Ireland (Ulster)

See full list of cities


Climate and Weather in Ireland

Located not far from England, Scotland and Wales, Ireland is a place to avoid if one are not fond of rain. With reason, because the island - also known as the Emerald Isle - is characterized by its humidity, with no less than 250 days of rain per year!

However, thanks to the moisture, the country has such beautiful and wild landscapes. Moreover, these rainer days present an opportunity to admire the beautiful rainbows in the sky, as these are common on Irish soil!

Ireland: Le parc national du Connemara

In Ireland, one will literally be faced with all types of rain: the small drizzle, the big drops of rain - the choice is yours. On a more positive note, the climate in Ireland is not limited to this humidity! The country has, just as its English neighbor, a wide variety of climates and everything can change in just a few hours. Generally, the rains are short enough and alternate constantly with beautiful sunshine at times, just as with their Normandy neighbours. The wettest area of the island is located in the southwest mountains, while the eastern coast is much drier, especially towards Dublin.

Fortunately, the high humidity climate of Ireland also knows very mild temperatures, with pleasant winters and hot summers that are more than bearable. Moreover, whether one is in Dublin or in Birr, the country presents very little temperature differences. Do not get too accustomed to the warmth! Other places like in London, Edinburgh, Ireland and its capital, Dublin, can still be surprised by snowfall occasionally throughout winter.


Temperatures and rainfall in Ireland

On these 3 graphs, we present the evolution of temperatures of Ireland and month-by-month rainfall for the cities of Dublin, Cork, Galway, Belmullet and Connemara National Park, as well as the month-by-month sea temperature for coastal cities.


Peak visitor numbers and tourist seasons in Ireland

Find out when Ireland has its high tourist season (the period when the influx of tourists is highest) and off-peak tourist season using our data and figures.

Tourist seasons in Ireland

The months with low numbers of tourists are: January, February, March, April, October, November and December. The number of visitors to Ireland is high in: May, June, July, August and September.

  • Very low season in Ireland: January, February, March and November.
  • Low season in Ireland: April, October and December.
  • High season in Ireland: May, June and September.
  • Peak season in Ireland: July and August.

Figure: Visitor index for Ireland month by month


Average price for flights to Ireland

A return flight between New York City and Dublin is generally cheaper if you go in january ($ 488 on average): this is the best time for travellers on a tight budget. In contrast, you may end up paying $ 439 more for your airline ticket to Dublin if you go in july.

Find the best price for your flight Flight prices to Ireland




Where to go in Ireland?

This table allows you to see the maximum temperature for each city and our opinion on the weather month by month (see colour legend below the table).

Cities jan.feb.mar.apr.mayjun.jul.aug.sep.oct.nov.dec.
Dublin47°F49°F50°F52°F58°F61°F65°F65°F61°F58°F52°F49°F
Cork49°F49°F50°F54°F58°F63°F67°F65°F63°F58°F52°F49°F
Galway49°F49°F50°F56°F59°F63°F65°F65°F63°F58°F52°F49°F
Belmullet50°F49°F50°F52°F54°F58°F61°F61°F59°F58°F54°F50°F
Connemara National Park45°F45°F49°F52°F56°F59°F61°F61°F59°F54°F49°F47°F
Dingle50°F49°F50°F54°F56°F59°F63°F63°F61°F58°F54°F50°F
Dundalk45°F47°F50°F54°F58°F63°F65°F65°F61°F56°F50°F47°F
Dungloe45°F47°F49°F54°F58°F61°F63°F63°F61°F56°F50°F47°F
Kilkenny47°F49°F50°F54°F59°F63°F67°F65°F63°F58°F50°F47°F
Killybegs47°F47°F50°F54°F58°F61°F63°F63°F61°F56°F50°F47°F
Letterkenny45°F47°F50°F54°F58°F63°F65°F65°F61°F56°F50°F45°F
Limerick47°F49°F52°F56°F59°F65°F67°F65°F63°F58°F50°F49°F
Achill Island50°F49°F50°F52°F54°F58°F61°F61°F59°F58°F54°F50°F
Aran Islands50°F50°F50°F54°F56°F59°F63°F63°F61°F59°F54°F50°F
Ardmore49°F49°F50°F54°F58°F63°F67°F65°F63°F58°F52°F49°F
Ballycastle50°F49°F50°F52°F54°F58°F61°F61°F59°F58°F54°F50°F
Birr47°F47°F50°F56°F59°F63°F67°F65°F63°F58°F50°F47°F
Bundoran47°F47°F50°F54°F58°F61°F63°F63°F61°F56°F50°F47°F
Burren National Park47°F49°F50°F56°F59°F65°F67°F65°F63°F58°F52°F49°F
Cashel47°F47°F50°F54°F58°F63°F67°F65°F63°F58°F50°F47°F

Legend:

good weather

tolerable weather

bad weather

very bad weather


About Ireland

What can I do in Ireland?

Beaches / swimming

Nature and countryside

Culture and heritage

Sports

Family travel

Crafts / shopping

Gastronomy

Nightlife




Is this weather information for Ireland reliable?

Climate data for Ireland has been gathered every day since January 2009. The analysis of these meteorological data for Ireland allows us to determine the average for each month in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Belmullet, Connemara National Park, Dingle, Dundalk, Dungloe, and 80 other cities.

So yes: this data is reliable except in cases of temporary climate disruption in the region.

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