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

The best time to visit Ireland depends on what you’re looking for. May, September and October strike a great balance of mild weather, long daylight hours and fewer crowds. The summer months (June to August) offer the warmest weather and the longest days, but expect peak visitor levels and prices.

Travelling on a budget? January, February and November are the cheapest months to visit Ireland. Expect fewer tourists and lower hotel and flight costs, but shorter days, some closed attractions 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 helping thousands plan their Irish road trip. Below, you’ll find the best time to visit Ireland based on weather, crowds, daylight and prices. No fluff. Just facts.

What is the best time to visit Ireland?

In my opinion, based on living here for 36 years and from speaking with thousands of tourists since starting The Irish Road Trip guide 10 years 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 avoid the chaos of peak season but still get plenty of time and decent conditions to explore.

When’s ‘best’ depends on YOUR likes and dislikes: Every visitor to Ireland has different priorities, whether it’s budget, weather or avoiding crowds. The result? There’s no single best time to travel to Ireland. So, I’ve compared each month to help you decide what suits you best. Enjoy!

The best time to go to Ireland weather wise

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

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

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

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

Here’s a quick overview of the best time of year to visit Ireland with what to expect from each month.

• Summer (Jun, Jul + Aug): Warmest months. Crowd levels/flight prices are at peak
• Winter (Dec, Jan + Feb): Coldest months. Crowd/flight prices are lower
• Autumn (Sept, Oct + Nov): Days long in Sept + Oct. Short + wintery in Nov
• Spring (Mar, Apr + May): Tends to be rainy in Mar + Apr. Summery in May

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

January

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

January is the best month to visit Ireland if you are working with a tight budget and you are willing to take a gamble with the weather.

Advantages

• Prices: If you’re visiting Ireland on a budget, flights and accommodation are cheaper
• Crowds: The popular attractions in Ireland will be quieter, as this is off-season

Disadvantages

• Weather: The days tend to be cold, wet, and windy
• Daylight: The sun rises from 08:29 and sets from 16:38
• Closed attractions: Some seasonal attractions will be closed

February

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

Spring is still far from the horizon and the days are short and chilly. In the past, we’ve had heavy snow fall, flooding and stormy weather in February.

February is the best time of year to go to Ireland if you have a limited budget and you aren’t too phased by potentially poor weather conditions.

Advantages

• Prices: February is off-season in Ireland, so flights and accommodation are cheaper
• Crowds: Ireland’s usually busy attractions will be quieter (the Guinness Storehouse and Dingle Peninsula will always draw crowds, though)

Disadvantages

• Weather: Similar to January – cold, wet and windy
• Daylight: The sun rises at 07:40 and sets at 17:37
• Seasonal attractions: Some seasonal attractions will remain closed

March

Many people want to visit Ireland in March to attend a St. Patrick’s Day festival or to soak up the buzz surrounding March 17th.

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

March is the best time to go to Ireland if you have a sizable budget and want to experience St. Patrick’s Day festivities. Spring has sprung, the days are longer and the weather isn’t as cold as the previous months.

Advantages

• Weather: March marks the start of spring. There are average highs of 10°C/50°F and average lows of 4°C/39.2°F
• Longish days: The sun rises at 07:12 and sets at 18:17

Disadvantages

• Prices: The period around March 17th sees prices skyrocket. The end of the month (Easter) can be pricey, also
• Weather: The weather can be very changeable. Over the last five years, we’ve had snow storms, heavy rainfall and scorching weather
• St. Patrick’s Day crowds: Crowds are at their peak (it’s for this reason that, for many, March won’t be the best time to visit Dublin)

April

During April in Ireland, the weather has picked up, the days are longer and there are average highs of 13°C/55°F and average lows of 4°C/39.2°F.

The only issue with April, aside for the potential for bad weather, is that schools get two weeks off, which results in a shortage of accommodation in some places.

April is best time of year to visit Ireland if you’re working within a budget (after Easter) but want plenty of daylight hours to explore the island.

Advantages

• Flights: The cost of a trip to Ireland is much less in April, thanks to lower flight prices
• Long days: The sun rises at 06:23 and sets at 20:00
• Weather: The weather can to be nice and mild

Disadvantages

• Easter holidays: Schools get 2 weeks off around Easter, which can drive up the cost of accommodation
• Weather: The weather can also be terrible

May

Along with September and October, May is the best time to visit Ireland. This is the shoulder season and the weather is mild, the days are long and both prices and tourist numbers are yet to skyrocket.

I.e. the weather is mild, the days are nice and long and we’ve haven’t yet reached the summer holidays, so places aren’t too busy (see my guide to Ireland in May for more).

Advantages

• Weather: The weather in May can be good, with mean temperatures ranging between 9.0°C/48.2°F and 13.0°C/55.4°F
• Long days: The sun rises at 05:17 and sets at 21:26
• Summer buzz: Long, mild days and the incoming summer tends to bring a lively atmosphere to many towns and villages
• Festivals: This is when they really start kicking off (see my Irish festivals calendar)

Disadvantages

• Weather: Yep – it’s a pro and a con – the weather in May can also be awful (it was last year!)
• Prices: Accommodation and flights will be near peak level price-wise
• Crowds: Better weather and long days means more people tourists

June

June in Ireland marks the arrival of summer, bringing with it warm and often dry weather and average highs of 18°C/64.4°F and lows of 11.6°C/52.88°F.

This is peak season in every sense – tourist numbers jump as do the price of flights and hotels.

June is regarded as the best time to travel to Ireland by many visiting tourists as the weather tends to be good, temperatures are mild and there’s plenty of daylight hours.

Advantages

• 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 rises at 05:03 and sets at 21:42
• Festivals: Numerous music festivals in Ireland take place during June

Disadvantages

• Prices: Demand is at its highest, so you can expect to spend more for flights and hotels
• Crowds: As June is peak season in Ireland, expect places to be more crowded

July

July is the best time to go to Ireland if you’re looking for good weather. Although it’s not guaranteed, it’s more likely to be fine in July than during many other months.

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

Advantages

• 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 sets at 21:56
• Summer buzz: Long, balmy days tend to bring tourists and a lively atmosphere to many towns, villages and cities

Disadvantages

• Prices: Summer is peak season, so you’ll be paying more for hotels, B&Bs and Airbnbs
• Crowds: As the schools are out for the summer, expect more crowds travelling around the island, especially to the likes of Killarney and the Dingle Peninsula

August

August boasts long days, warm weather and plenty to see and do (see my counties hub for endless places to visit).

As was the case with July, there’s several pros and cons for visiting Ireland in August, many of which revolve around the demand for accommodation and crowds.

August is the best time to go to Ireland if peak prices and crowds don’t bother you. The trade off is mild weather, long days and a busy festival calendar.

Advantages

• Weather: It’s usually good with highs 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 months bring a buzzy atmosphere to many towns

Disadvantages

• Prices: Yep – prices are still at peak levels
• Crowds: The likes of the Inishowen Peninsula, Killarney and other tourist hot-spots will be very busy

September

Ireland in September is when the shift from a busy summer season takes place. Tourist numbers drop and the kids go back to school.

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

September, along with May and October, is the best time to visit Ireland as prices drop, the days are long, the weather is mild and there’s less crowds.

Advantages

• Crowds: As kids have gone back to school, there’s less crowds
• The weather: The average high temperature tends to hover between 13°C/55.4°F and 16°C/60.8°F
• Flights: Flights should be a little cheaper as this is the shoulder season
• Long days: The days are starting to shorten, but the sun still rises early at 06:33 and sets at 20:15

Disadvantages

• Weather: Yep, a pro and a con. The weather, as always, is unpredictable. With that being said, we’ve had some great Septembers recently

October

October in Ireland is Autumn and you’ll find many places blanketed in orange leaves and the weather is cool and crisp.

Ireland experiences 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 lower flight and hotel prices, relatively long days and its often dry days with cool temperatures.

Advantages

• Weather: We often get Octobers that are sunny, crisp and dry
• Crowds: Ireland’s usually busy attractions will be 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 difference in the hot-spots) while you should find that flights are cheaper than in peak-season

Disadvantages

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

November

Visiting Ireland in November comes with its pros and cons. On the plus side, many towns and villages come alive with Christmas markets from mid-month.

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

November is the best time to travel to Ireland for a city break. Many cities (Galway, Dublin, Cork and Belfast) holding Christmas markets.

Advantages

• Crowds: You’ll encounter fewer crowds at the usually busy attractions (although Christmas markets will be busy)
• Prices: Accommodation in the more off-the-beaten-track towns in Ireland will be more affordable
• Flights: Should be cheaper as we’ll be in the depths of the off-season

Disadvantages

• Short days: The sun doesn’t rise until 07:23 and it sets early at 16:53
• Seasonal attractions: Some seasonal attractions in Ireland’s quieter villages in towns will be closed
• Weather: The weather could be wintery. We’ve had mild, stormy and freezing cold Novembers in the past few years

December

December marks the arrival of Christmas in Ireland and you’ll find most towns and villages alight with fairy lights.

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

December is the best time to visit Ireland if you’re happy to chance the weather and you want to experience Christmas markets, cosy pubs with big open fires and less crowds.

Advantages

• Festive buzz: Most towns and villages in Ireland will be decked out in Christmas lights
• Crowds: You’ll encounter fewer crowds at the usually busy attractions
• Prices: Accommodation in the more off-the-beaten-track towns and villages will be cheaper

Disadvantages

• Flights: Flights can be pricey with people flying home for Christmas
• Short days: Sun rises at 08:16 and sets around 16:10
• Weather: The weather in December has been mild for several years, but there’s also a good chance of rain and strong winds

Now you know the best time to go to Ireland climate wise

Now that you know the best months to visit Ireland, it’s time to start planning a trip to Ireland.

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

You’ll find itineraries of all lengths that take in many of the best things to do in Ireland, like:

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