Dublin In March: Weather, Tips + Things To Do

Visiting Dublin in March has plenty of pros and cons (and I’m basing this on living here for 33 years!).

The weather in Dublin in March can be very hit and miss and we’ve had everything from heatwaves to frequent torrential rain in recent years.

The LTA (Long Term Average) temperature in Dublin in March is 6.7°C/44.06°F with rainfall of 52.6mm.

However, there’s plenty of things to do in Dublin in March, especially if you’re spending St. Patrick’s Day in Dublin. 

Below, you’ll find the pros and cons of spending March in Dublin. Dive on in!

Some quick need-to-knows about visiting Dublin in March

Although it’s not the best time to visit Dublin, March has an awful lot going for it. Get up-to-speed nice and fast with the points below:

1. The weather

The weather in Dublin in March can be very unpredictable – in the past, we’ve had heavy snowfall, balmy weather and intense rainfall. However, pack and plan your trip accordingly and you’ll be ready for anything.

2. Average temperatures

The LTA (Long Term Average) temperature in Dublin in March is 6.7°C/44.06°F with rainfall of 52.6mm.

3. Longer days

March marks the beginning of spring in Ireland. The sun rises between 07:12 (start of month) and 06:13 (end of month) and sets at 18:17 (start of month) and 18:49 (end of month). This makes mapping out your Ireland itinerary a little easier, as you’ve a nice bit of daylight to play with.

4. It’s the ‘Shoulder-Season’

March in Dublin is the beginning of the ‘Shoulder-Season’, which is the period of time between the off-peak and peak seasons. With the exception of the days in and around St. Patrick’s Day, hotels in Dublin will be cheaper than peak season.

5. St Patrick’s Day + events

While there’s an almost endless number of things to do in Dublin in March, it’s St. Patrick’s Day that tends to draw the crowds (note: Temple Bar on St. Patrick’s Day should be avoided). You’ll find various festivals in Ireland on and in the lead up to ‘Paddy’s Day’ in many towns and villages in Dublin.

The pros and cons of spending March in Dublin

The most common query that we get from people planning a trip to Ireland revolves around the pros and cons of visiting in X, Y or Z month.

For many, the weather in Ireland can play a big part in the overall success of their trip. Below, you’ll find a handful pros and cons of visiting Dublin in March:

The advantages

• Prices: If you’re visiting Ireland on a budget, March tends to be the last month of reduced prices (around St. Patrick’s Day is the exception)
• Weather: March brings with it the start of spring which, for the most part (not always…), results in better weather
• Longer days: The sun rises between 07:12 (start of month) and 06:13 (end of month) and sets at 18:17 (start of month) and 18:49 (end of month)
• Crowds: Dublin’s usually busy attractions will less crowded (the likes of the Jameson Distillery and Trinity College will always be busy, though)

The disadvantages

• Weather: Yep, the weather is an advantage and a disadvantage, as you’ll see in our weather section below
• Flights: Flight prices in March tend to be pricer than the previous two months

The weather in Dublin in March

The average temperature in Dublin in March is generally cool, as you’ll notice in the graphic above. 

It is important to note that these temperature ranges can vary considerably from year to year.

Below, you’ll find a comparative analysis of recent years that uses data from various weather stations.

Please note that all of the Dublin in March weather data is via Met Eireann – the Irish Meteorological Service.

A comparison of March weather in Dublin in recent years

County	2022	2021	2020
Dublin	6.7°C/44.06°F	6.2°C/43.16°F	5.8°C/42.44°F
Galway	7.0°C/44.6°F	6.2°C/43.16°F	5.8°C/43.25°F
Cork	8.2°C/46.76°F	6.9°C/44.42°F	7.2°C/44.96°F
Kerry	8.6°C/47.48°F	7.7°C/45.86°F	7.6°C/45.68°F

The table above offers a look into the average temperature in Dublin in March along with Galway, Cork, and Kerry over the past few years.

As you can see, the average temperature in Dublin in March remains relatively consistent across different years and in various counties.

Rain in Dublin in March

County	2022	2021	2020
Dublin	88.5	55.0	130.4
Galway	143.1	113.4	248.5
Cork	90.0	157.6	143.5
Kerry	145.6	228.2	237.6

We get asked ‘Does in rain in Dublin in March?’ quite a bit. The answer is yes, yes it does (see our guide on what to wear in Dublin in March).

If you look at the table above, you’ll see that the counties on the west coast get an awful lot more rain than those on the east coast.

Things to do in Dublin in March

Although it’s still off-season, there’s still endless things to do in Dublin in March, from the many great restaurants in Dublin to hikes, walks, castles and more.

Below, you’ll find the likes of the Jameson Distillery, itineraries you can use and pub recommendations.

1. Have a good itinerary mapped out

The worst thing you can do if you’re spending March 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 March, with itineraries ranging from 1 to 5 days:

• 1 day in Dublin
• 2 days in Dublin
• 3 days in Dublin
• 4 days in Dublin
• 5 days in Dublin

2. The key attractions

Although we have the ‘main’ things to do in Dublin in March 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 March is to walk/hike (especially if you’re looking to escape the city around Paddy’s Day).

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 March

So, we’ve a handy guide on what to wear in Dublin in March, but we’ll give you the quick need-to-knows below.

If you’re visiting Dublin in March, there’s two key bits of advice when it comes to packing – you need to pack smartly and layers are your friend.

The beauty with packing layers is that if you get too hot, happy days – you can strip off a layer. Too cold – bang it back on.

Now, keep in mind that what you bring will depend on the kind of activities that you plan on doing while you’re here. If you’re an avid hiker, you’ll be bringing a different set of gear altogether

Here’s a rough guide of what to pack for the weather in Dublin in March:

• Sweaters
• A good jacket that’ll keep you warm
• Jeans, fleece-lined leggings and hoodies, plus a good coat (waterproof if possible).
• Lots of socks
• Gloves, woolly hats, and some comfortable walking boots/runners

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 January
• Dublin in February
• 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

We’ve had a lot of questions over the years asking about everything from ‘What are the best things to do in Dublin in March?’ to ‘Does it snow in Dublin in March?’.

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.