Visiting Dublin in January isn’t for everyone. The days are short, the weather is wet and wintery, and the average temperature sits at just 5.3°C/41.5°F.
The weather in Dublin in January sees plenty of rainfall, with as many as 13 rain days during the month in recent years.
Throw in the fact that daylight hours are greatly reduced, and you quickly realise why this isn’t the best time of year to visit Dublin. However, it’s not all doom and gloom, as you’ll discover below!
Why trust this guide? I have lived in Dublin for 36 years. This guide contains reliable advice from a local!
What to know about Dublin in January
Photos © Diageo via Ireland’s Content Pool
So, the weather in Dublin in January can play a big part in the overall success of your trip, and it’s for this reason that some people dodge Dublin in January altogether. Here’s some handy info:
1. The weather is unpredictable
The weather in Dublin in January can be a very mixed bag. January is winter in Ireland and the days tend to be cold, wet, and windy.
2. Average temperatures
The LTA (Long Term Average) temperature in Dublin in January is 5.3°C/41.54°F with average rainfall of 62.6mm.
3. Limited daylight hours
One of the disadvantages of spending January in Ireland is the short days. The sun rises at around 08:29 and sets at around 16:38 each day. If you follow one of the itineraries from our Irish road trip library, make sure to keep the reduced daylight hours in mind.
4. Less crowds and better deals
As January is off-peak, you’ll meet a lot less people at many of the more popular attractions in Dublin in comparison to if you visited during the summer months. As demand is lower, you’ll often get good deals on accommodation, too.
5. Festivals and events
Very few events and festivals in Ireland run during January. One of the more notable to take place is TradFest Temple Bar, which runs at the end of the month. There’s plenty of other things to do in Dublin in January, as you’ll discover below.
The pros and cons of January in Dublin
One of the most common questions we get from people planning a trip to Ireland revolves around the pros and cons of visiting in X, Y or Z month. Although there is no one best time to visit Ireland, when you visit can play a huge part in the overall success in your trip.
Below, I’ll give you some pros and cons of visiting Dublin in January, having spent 36 Januarys here…
The advantages
- Prices: If you’re visiting Ireland on a budget, it’s likely that January will suit your pocket best
- Flights: Flights are cheaper than those in the shoulder season and during the peak months
- Hotels: Hotels in Dublin will be cheaper and you’ll often find deals running
- Crowds: Dublin’s usually busy attractions will be less crowded (note: the likes of the Guinness Storehouse is always busy)
The disadvantages
- Time: The days are shorter. At the start of January in Dublin, the sun won’t rise until 08:40 and it sets at 16:20
- Weather: The weather in Dublin in January will be wintery. While we may not get snow and ice, expect rain and wind at times
- Closed attractions: Some attractions in Dublin are seasonal, and may be closed during January
- Festivals + events: January is quiet event wise, however, TradFest, along with some other festivals in Ireland, are on
The weather in Dublin in January
The graphic above has been created to give you an insight into the average temperature in Dublin in January along with the different months of the year.
This data has been taken from the Irish Meteorological Service to ensure accuracy and it’ll hopefully give you a sense of the different seasons in Ireland.
Average temperature
| County | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dublin | 4.3°C/39.74°F | 5.0°C/41.00°F | 6.0°C/42.80°F |
| Galway | 6.5°C/43.70°F | 6.4°C/43.52°F | 7.2°C/44.96°F |
| Cork | 5.4°C/41.72°F | 4.8°C/40.64°F | 6.1°C/42.98°F |
| Kerry | 7.1°C/44.78°F | 6.3°C/43.34°F | 7.7°C/45.86°F |
The LT (Long Term) average temperature in Dublin in January is 5.3°C/41.54°F.
I thought it might be useful for you to see how some different parts of the country fair out in comparison to the Dublin January weather, so I’ve included Galway, Cork and Kerry, too.
Average rainfall
The number of rainy days in Dublin each January can swing quite a bit, from around 13 days in recent years to a long-term average of 21. Here’s som key info:
- Dublin Airport recorded 13 rain days in both January 2025 and January 2024
- January 2023 was wetter, with around 16 rain days before a 16-day dry spell mid-month
- Monthly rainfall totals swung from 41.4 mm in 2023 (66% of LTA) to over 100 mm in 2024
- The long-term average for January in Dublin is 21 rain days and 73.6 mm of rainfall
Things to do in Dublin in January
Photos via Shutterstock
Although it’s off-season, there are still LOADS of things to do in Dublin in January.
While the museums in Dublin are handy rainy-day options, there’s loads of lovely walks in Dublin for those dry days.
1. Have a good itinerary planned
The worst thing you can do if you’re spending January in Dublin is to arrive with no clear itinerary.
If you do, the chances are you’ll just waste time while you’re here and (hopefully not) whittle away all of your time in Temple Bar.
We’ve several ready-made options for those of you looking for things to do in Dublin in January, with itineraries ranging from 1 to 5 days:
2. The key attractions
Although we have the ‘main’ things to do in Dublin in January in the itineraries above, here are a few suggestions.
For some of these attractions, like the Storehouse, it’s worth having your ticket booked in advance:
- The Guinness Storehouse
- Trinity College
- Christ Church Cathedral
- St. Patrick’s Cathedral
- The GPO
- Dublin Castle
3. Walks and hikes
One of the more popular things to do in Dublin in January is to walk/hike (many of us are on the back of an indulgent Christmas, after all…).
There are plenty of walks in Dublin, with something to suit every level of fitness. Here are some of the most popular ones:
- The Howth Cliff Walk
- The Poolbeg Lighthouse Walk
- The Killiney Hill Walk
- The Hellfire Club Walk
- The Ticknock Walk
4. Cosy pubs
There are some mighty pubs in Dublin that you can tuck yourself away in on a cold winters evening.
If you’re looking to see some of the oldest pubs in Dublin, head to the likes of the Brazen Head or the Stag’s Head.
If you want to dodge the touristy pubs in Temple Bar, there’s some great pubs with live music in Dublin, like the Cobblestone.
Or, if you’re looking for a fine pint of the black stuff, see our guide to the best Guinness in Dublin.
What to wear in Dublin in January
Packing for Dublin in January is all about staying warm and dry. The weather is cold, damp, and unpredictable, so the trick is to bring layers you can peel off or pile on as needed.
Two golden rules: pack smart and pack layers. You don’t need a bulky ski jacket, but you will want a warm coat that can handle rain and wind. The days are short, so you’ll likely be outside in chilly conditions if you’re sightseeing or walking.
Here’s a practical packing list for the weather in Dublin in January:
- Warm layers: sweaters, hoodies, and thermal tops
- A solid winter coat: ideally waterproof and windproof
- Bottoms: jeans, fleece-lined leggings, or other warm trousers
- Footwear: waterproof walking boots or sturdy runners
- Cold-weather extras: gloves, woolly hats, scarves, and thick socks
Are you considering visiting during a different month?
Deciding when to visit Dublin is tough – and anyone that tells you otherwise is talking out of their hole (Irish slang for they’re full of sh…)!
It’s worth taking a bit of time to compare what it’s like here during the other months, as when you visit affects everything from your experience to the cost of a trip to Ireland:
- Dublin in February
- Dublin in March
- Dublin in April
- Dublin in May
- Dublin in June
- Dublin in July
- Dublin in August
- Dublin in September
- Dublin in October
- Dublin in November
- Dublin in December
FAQs about spending January in Dublin
We’ve had a lot of questions over the years asking about everything from ‘What are the best things to do in Dublin in January?’ to ‘Is the weather really that unpredictable?’.
In the section below, we’ve popped in the most FAQs that we’ve received. If you have a question that we haven’t tackled, ask away in the comments section below.
What can you expect from the weather in Dublin in January?
Are there many things to do in Dublin in January?
What is the average temperature in Dublin in January?
Keith O’Hara has lived in Ireland for 35 years and has spent much of the last 13 creating what is now The Irish Road Trip guide. Over the years, the website has published thousands of meticulously researched Ireland travel guides, welcoming 40 million+ visitors along the way. In 2022, the Irish Road Trip team published the world’s largest collection of Irish Road Trip itineraries. Keith lives in Dublin with his dog Toby and finds writing in the 3rd person minus craic altogether.