Best time to go to Ireland for a perfect weather and where to go?
Discover the very best time to go to Ireland from seasonal norms in many locations like Rosslare or Dublin, here.
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, Wexford, Balbriggan, Bray, Dún Laoghaire, Dungarvan, Enniscorthy and Greystones, with good weather at least 4 months a year
Annual weather in Ireland
For information about the climate and the weather city by city in Ireland for a specific month, click on the corresponding line below:
| Month | Our opinion | View Details | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 38°F to 50°F | very bad weather* | |||
| February | 38°F to 50°F | very bad weather* | |||
| March | 38°F to 52°F | very bad weather* | |||
| April | 40°F to 56°F | bad weather* | |||
| May | 47°F to 59°F | tolerable weather | |||
| June | 52°F to 65°F | tolerable weather* | |||
| July | 54°F to 67°F | tolerable weather* | |||
| August | 52°F to 65°F | tolerable weather* | |||
| September | 49°F to 63°F | tolerable weather* | |||
| October | 47°F to 59°F | tolerable weather* | |||
| November | 41°F to 54°F | bad weather | |||
| December | 38°F to 52°F | bad weather* |
Best time to travel to Ireland by cities
Dublin
The best months to go to Dublin are june, july, august and september.
Cork
The best months to go to Cork are june, august and september.
Galway
The best months to go to Galway are april, may, june, july, august, september and october.
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!
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, Achill Island and Aran Islands, 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, November and December. The number of visitors to Ireland is high in: May, June, July, August, September and October.
- Very low season in Ireland: January and February.
- Low season in Ireland: March, April, November and December.
- High season in Ireland: May, June, September and October.
- 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 Manchester and Dublin is generally cheaper if you go in january ($ 45 on average): this is the best time for travellers on a tight budget. In contrast, you may end up paying $ 22 more for your airline ticket to Dublin if you go in september.
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. | may | jun. | jul. | aug. | sep. | oct. | nov. | dec. |
| Dublin | 47°F | 49°F | 50°F | 52°F | 58°F | 61°F | 65°F | 65°F | 61°F | 58°F | 52°F | 49°F |
| Cork | 49°F | 49°F | 50°F | 54°F | 58°F | 63°F | 67°F | 65°F | 63°F | 58°F | 52°F | 49°F |
| Galway | 49°F | 49°F | 50°F | 56°F | 59°F | 63°F | 65°F | 65°F | 63°F | 58°F | 52°F | 49°F |
| Achill Island | 50°F | 49°F | 50°F | 52°F | 54°F | 58°F | 61°F | 61°F | 59°F | 58°F | 54°F | 50°F |
| Aran Islands | 50°F | 50°F | 50°F | 54°F | 56°F | 59°F | 63°F | 63°F | 61°F | 59°F | 54°F | 50°F |
| Ardmore | 49°F | 49°F | 50°F | 54°F | 58°F | 63°F | 67°F | 65°F | 63°F | 58°F | 52°F | 49°F |
| Ballycastle | 50°F | 49°F | 50°F | 52°F | 54°F | 58°F | 61°F | 61°F | 59°F | 58°F | 54°F | 50°F |
| Belmullet | 50°F | 49°F | 50°F | 52°F | 54°F | 58°F | 61°F | 61°F | 59°F | 58°F | 54°F | 50°F |
| Birr | 47°F | 47°F | 50°F | 56°F | 59°F | 63°F | 67°F | 65°F | 63°F | 58°F | 50°F | 47°F |
| Bundoran | 47°F | 47°F | 50°F | 54°F | 58°F | 61°F | 63°F | 63°F | 61°F | 56°F | 50°F | 47°F |
| Burren National Park | 47°F | 49°F | 50°F | 56°F | 59°F | 65°F | 67°F | 65°F | 63°F | 58°F | 52°F | 49°F |
| Cashel | 47°F | 47°F | 50°F | 54°F | 58°F | 63°F | 67°F | 65°F | 63°F | 58°F | 50°F | 47°F |
| Castletownbere | 49°F | 49°F | 50°F | 54°F | 58°F | 61°F | 65°F | 63°F | 61°F | 58°F | 52°F | 50°F |
| Cliffs of Moher | 50°F | 50°F | 50°F | 54°F | 56°F | 59°F | 63°F | 63°F | 61°F | 59°F | 54°F | 50°F |
| Connemara National Park | 45°F | 45°F | 49°F | 52°F | 56°F | 59°F | 61°F | 61°F | 59°F | 54°F | 49°F | 47°F |
| Dalkey Island | 47°F | 49°F | 49°F | 52°F | 56°F | 61°F | 65°F | 65°F | 61°F | 58°F | 52°F | 49°F |
| Derrybeg | 45°F | 47°F | 49°F | 54°F | 58°F | 61°F | 63°F | 63°F | 61°F | 56°F | 50°F | 47°F |
| Donegal | 45°F | 47°F | 49°F | 54°F | 58°F | 61°F | 63°F | 63°F | 61°F | 56°F | 50°F | 47°F |
| Dunfanaghy | 45°F | 47°F | 49°F | 54°F | 58°F | 61°F | 63°F | 63°F | 61°F | 56°F | 50°F | 47°F |
| Dungloe | 45°F | 47°F | 49°F | 54°F | 58°F | 61°F | 63°F | 63°F | 61°F | 56°F | 50°F | 47°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, Achill Island, Aran Islands, Ardmore, Ballycastle, Belmullet, and 80 other cities.
So yes: this data is reliable except in cases of temporary climate disruption in the region.