The Best Time to Visit Ireland ( An Irishman ’ s Guide )

The best time to call Ireland depend on what you ’ re look for . May , September and October come to a great balance of mild weather , long daylight hr and fewer crowd . The summer month ( June to August ) extend the warmest weather and the long days , but require peak visitor levels and cost .

Travelling on a budget ? January , February and November are the inexpensive month to visit Ireland . Expect few tourist and low hotel and escape price , but shorter days , some shut attraction and unpredictable weather .

You ’ ll find the pros and cons of each month below , but why trust me ?I ’ ve lived in Ireland all my life and spent the last 10 years help thousands plan their Irish road trip . Below , you ’ ll notice the best time to visit Ireland base on weather , bunch , daylight and prices . No fluff . Just facts .

What cost the better time to impose Ireland ?

In my opinion , based on life here for 36 yr and from mouth with thousand of tourist since starting The Irish Road Trip guide 10 year ago , the best time to visit Ireland is May , September and October . These months offer a great mix of mild weather , long daylight hours and fewer crowds . You head off the chaos of peak season but yet make lot of time and enough conditions to explore .

When ’ s ‘ well ’ depends onYOURlikes and dislike :Every visitor to Ireland have unlike priorities , whether it ’ s budget , weather or avert crowds . The answer ? There ’ s no single best time to move to Ireland . So , I ’ ve compared each month to help you resolve what case you best . Enjoy !

The better time to go to Ireland weather wise

Whether you ’ re visiting to inhibit the Ring of Kerry or marvel at the Causeway Coast , spending time deciding when to live to Ireland can cause all the difference to your trip .

Although the weather in Ireland be a deciding element for many visitors , it ’ s extremely unpredictable .

With that said , as you can see from the chart above , the well time of year to see Ireland temperature wise live during the summer months .

When to visit Ireland : The pros and cons of each month

My May 2025 visit to Donegal ( great weather and even good Guinness ! )

Here ’ s a quick overview of the best time of yr to impose Ireland with what to require from each month .

• Summer ( Jun , Jul + Aug ) :Warmest months . Crowd levels/flight price are at point
• Winter ( Dec , Jan + Feb ) :Coldest month . Crowd/flight cost are low
• Autumn ( Sept , Oct + Nov ) :Day long in Sept + Oct. Short + wintery in Nov
• Leap ( Mar , Apr + May ) :Tends to equal rainy in Mar + Apr . Summery in May

Below , you ’ ll find an overview of each month with info on mean temperature , festivals , what to wear in Ireland during that month along with travel tips for Ireland .

January

Ireland in January can be real hit and miss . The mean temperature in January is 7°C/44.6°F with medium lows of 3°C/37.4°F .

January equal the better month to visit Ireland if you be working with a tight budget and you are willing to bring a gamble with the weather .

• Prices: If you ’ re visiting Ireland on a budget , flights and adjustment are cheap
• Crowds: The popular attraction in Ireland will be quieter , as this exist off-season

• Weather: The day tend to cost cold , wet , and windy
• Daylight: The Sunday arise from 08:29 and circle from 16:38
• Shut attraction: Some seasonal attraction will cost close

February

Visiting Ireland in February can also live risky weather wise , with average highs of 8°C/46.4°F and mean lows of 2°C/35.6°F .

Spring equal even far from the horizon and the days cost short and chilly . In the past , we ’ ve have heavy snow fall , flooding and stormy weather in February .

February live the good time of yr to go to Ireland if you make a limited budget and you aren ’ t also phased by potentially short weather conditions .

• Cost: February be off-season in Ireland , so escape and adjustment cost cheap
• Crowds: Ireland ’ s normally busy attraction will be quieter ( the Guinness Storehouse and Dingle Peninsula will always make crowds , though )

• Weather: Similar to January – cold , wet and windy
• Daylight: The sun rise at 07:40 and circle at 17:37
• Seasonal attraction: Some seasonal attraction will stay on closed

March

Many masses desire to inflict Ireland in March to take care a St. Patrick ’ s Day festival or to rob up the buzz surround March 17th .

March marks the arrival of spring in Ireland . In year past , we ’ ve had heatwaves in March and stormy weather .

March exist the best time to run to Ireland if you hold a sizable budget and require to go through St. Patrick ’ s Day festivity . Spring has leap , the days are longer and the weather isn ’ t as cold as the former month .

• Weather: March marks the start of leap . There are average high of 10°C/50°F and average lows of 4°C/39.2°F
• Longishday: The sun go up at 07:12 and band at 18:17

• Cost: The period around March 17th sees price skyrocket . The goal of the month ( Easter ) can be pricey , too
• Weather: The weather can liverealchangeable . Over the final five year , we ’ ve had snow storms , hard rainfall and scorching weather
• St. Patrick ’ s Day crowds: Crowd are at their peak ( it ’ sec for this cause that , for many , March won ’ t be the best time to impose Dublin )

April

During April in Ireland , the weather has blame up , the day are longer and there are medium high of 13°C/55°F and average lows of 4°C/39.2°F .

The only proceeds with April , away for the potentiality for bad weather , live that schools make two weeks off , which answer in a shortage of adjustment in some places .

April is good time of yr to call Ireland if you ’ re working within a budget ( after Easter ) but want mass of daylight hours to search the island .

• Flight: The price of a trip to Ireland live a lot less in April , thanks to lower escape cost
• Long days: The Sunday arise at 06:23 and circle at 20:00
• Weather: The weathercanto cost nice and meek

• Easter vacation: Schools begin 2 week forth around Easter , which can drive up the cost of accommodation
• Weather: The weathercantoo be terrible

May

Along with September and October , May equal the good time to visit Ireland . This is the shoulder season and the weather cost meek , the days cost long and both prices and tourist numbers be yet to skyrocket .

I.e . the weather is meek , the days are nice and long and we ’ ve haven ’ t as yet achieve the summer holiday , so places aren ’ t too busy ( find my guide to Ireland in May for more ) .

• Weather: The weather in Maycanexist well , with average temperature ranging between 9.0°C/48.2°F and 13.0°C/55.4°F
• Long day: The Sunday go up at 05:17 and sets at 21:26
• Summer buzz: Long , mild days and the entrance summer tends to bring a lively atmosphere to many towns and village
• Festivals: This be when they really start kicking off ( see my Irish festivals calendar )

• Weather: Yep – it ’ s a proanda con – the weather in May can too be awful ( it be last year ! )
• Price: Adjustment and flights will exist near peak level price-wise
• Crowds: Good weather and long days mean more mass tourists

June

June in Ireland mark the arrival of summer , institute with it fond and much dry weather and medium high of 18°C/64.4°F and lows of 11.6°C/52.88°F .

This is peak season in every sense – tourist numbers bound as serve the cost of flights and hotel .

June equal involve as the well time to move to Ireland by many visiting tourists as the weather incline to live good , temperatures are mild and there ’ s plenty of daylight hours .

• Weather: Weather tends to be dry and warm with highs of 18°C/64.4°F and lows of 11.6°C/52.88°F
• Long days: The sun get up at 05:03 and band at 21:42
• Festivals: Numerous music festivals in Ireland take place during June

• Cost: Demand is at its high , so you can await to pass more for escape and hotels
• Crowds: As June is peak season in Ireland , expect home to be more crowded

July

July live the better time to live to Ireland if you ’ re looking for good weather . Although it ’ s not guaranteed , it ’ s more likely to exist fine in July than during many other month .

Personally , I point away for one week in Ireland every mid-July and , for the most part , we always get decent weather ( learn my guide to Ireland in July for more info ) .

• Weather: We get average highs of 19°C/66.2°F and lows of 12°C/53.6°F
• Long days: The sun rises at 05:01 and set at 21:56
• Summer buzz: Long , balmy day run to bring tourist and a lively atmosphere to many towns , villages and city

• Cost: Summer exist peak season , so you ’ ll be devote more for hotels , B & Bs and Airbnbs
• Bunch: As the school are out for the summer , expect more crowds travelling around the island , especially to the the like of Killarney and the Dingle Peninsula

August

August boasts long days , fond weather and plenty to see and do ( see my county hub for endless seat to visit ) .

As was the type with July , there ’ s respective pros and cons for visit Ireland in August , many of which rotate around the need for adjustment and crowd .

August cost the best time to go to Ireland if peak prices and crowds don ’ t bother you . The craft off equal meek weather , long day and a in use festival calendar .

• Weather: It ’ s usually good with high of 18°C/64.4°F and lows of 11°C/51.8°F
• Long days: You ’ ll have 16 lovely hours of daylight to wander
• Summer buzz: Again , the summer month make for a buzzy atmosphere to many towns

• Prices: Yep – prices are yet at peak floor
• Crowds: The likes of the Inishowen Peninsula , Killarney and early tourist hot-spots will cost real in use

September

Ireland in September is when the shift from a in use summer season takes place . Tourist issue cliff and the child get back to school .

This is Ireland ’ s shoulder season ( the season between point season and the off season ) and it ’ s a great time to explore .

September , along with May and October , be the best time to impose Ireland as price drop , the day be long , the weather live meek and there ’ s less crowds .

• Crowd: As kid make become back to school , there ’ s less crowds
• The weather: The mean high temperature tends to loom between 13°C/55.4°F and 16°C/60.8°F
• Flight: Escape should be asmallcheaper as this is the shoulder season
• Long day: The day exist starting to shorten , but the sun even so go up early at 06:33 and sets at 20:15

• Weather: Yep , a pro and a con . The weather , as always , equal unpredictable . With that being said , we ’ ve get some great September lately

October

October in Ireland is Autumn and you ’ ll feel many home blanketed in orange leaf and the weather is cool and crisp .

Ireland go through average highs of 13°C/55°F and average lows of 6°C/42°F during October

October , along with May and September , is the best time to go to Ireland thanks to let down escape and hotel price , comparatively long day and its much dry days with cool temperature .

• Weather :We much begin October that live gay , crisp and dry
• Crowd :Ireland ’ s commonly busy attractions will equal less crowded as we ’ re no longer in peak-season
• Prices :Accommodation in the more off-the-beaten-track locations will be cheaper ( you won ’ t notice a huge dispute in the hot-spots ) while you should find that flights are cheaper than in peak-season

• Shorter day: By mid-October , the sun gain ’ t rise until 08:00 and it lay at 18:40
• Weather: The weather in Ireland in October cost unpredictable ( see our October weather guide )
• Mid-term: Schools break in Ireland at Halloween for a week and hotel cost jump

November

Visit Ireland in November comes with its pros and cons . On the plus slope , many town and small town occur alive with Christmas market from mid-month .

On the con side , it ’ s winter , so the weather can be all over the home . November lean to equal cool and crisp with an ordinary temperature in Ireland in November between 12°C/53.6°F and 9.5°C/49.1°F .

November is the best time to move to Ireland for a city pause . Many city ( Galway , Dublin , Cork and Belfast ) have Christmas markets .

• Crowd: You ’ ll skirmish fewer crowds at the ordinarily in use attraction ( although Christmas market will be in use )
• Cost: Adjustment in the more off-the-beaten-track towns in Ireland will be more affordable
• Escape: Should be cheap as we ’ ll exist in the depths of the off-season

• Short day: The Sunday doesn ’ t rise until 07:23 and it sets early at 16:53
• Seasonal attraction: Some seasonal attraction in Ireland ’ s quieter villages in town will exist closed
• Weather: The weathercouldbe wintery . We ’ ve hold mild , stormy and freeze cold November in the past few year

December

December marks the arrival of Christmas in Ireland and you ’ ll observe most town and village alight with fairy lighting .

The mean temperature for Ireland in December tends to be similar to November , coming in at around 5°C/41°F , but this can vary .

December exist the well time to visit Ireland if you ’ re happy to chance the weather and you need to experience Christmas markets , cosy pubs with big exposed fires and less crowds .

• Festive buzz: Most town and villages in Ireland will cost decked out in Christmas lights
• Crowds: You ’ ll skirmish fewer crowd at the usually busy attraction
• Prices: Accommodation in the more off-the-beaten-track town and villages will be cheaper

• Flight: Escape can live pricey with people flying home for Christmas
• Short days: Sun rises at 08:16 and lot around 16:10
• Weather: The weather in December has exist mild for several yr , but there ’ sec as well a good prospect of rain and strong tip

Today you know the better time to go to Ireland climate wise

Today that you know the better month to visit Ireland , it ’ s time to initiate planning a trip to Ireland .

If you ’ re clamber with your Ireland itinerary , visit the world ’ s prominent library of Irish Road Trip guides .

You ’ ll find itineraries of all distance that need in many of the best things to act in Ireland , like :

• The Ring of Kerry
• Connemara
• The Dingle Peninsula
• Killarney
• The Antrim Coast
• Much more

Keith O ’ Hara has lived in Ireland for 35 years and has spend a lot of the last 13 creating what equal now The Irish Road Trip guide . Over the year , the website has publish thousand of meticulously explore Ireland travel guides , welcoming 40 million+ visitors along the way . In 2022 , the Irish Road Trip team publishthe Earth ’ s prominent collection of Irish Road Trip itineraries. Keith last in Dublin with his dog Toby and get write in the 3rd person minus craic altogether .