Ireland In December 2023/24: Advice From A Local (Weather, What To Pack + More)

Visiting Ireland in December comes with its pros and cons.

On the plus side, Ireland at Christmas is hard to beat – there’s a number of Christmas markets in Ireland and many towns and villages have a lovely festive buzz to them.

On the minus, the days are short, the weather can be terrible and flights can be pricey with people flying home for Christmas and New Years.

In the guide below, you’ll find everything from average temperatures and what to expect to things to do in Ireland in December. Dive on in!

Some quick need-to-knows before visiting Ireland in December

Photos by stenic56 (Shutterstock)

Although a visiting Ireland in December is fairly straightforward, there’s a few nuggets of info that’ll get you up-to-speed quickly.

Below, you’ll find info on the weather in Ireland during this month along with some handy info.

1. The weather

The weather in Ireland in December is, unsurprisingly enough, unpredictable (December is winter in Ireland). The average temperature tends to hover at 8°C, with average highs of 10°C and average lows of 3°C.

2. Short days

At the beginning of the month, the sun rises at 08:22 and it sets at 16:19. This means you’ve a limited time each day to explore, which can make planning your Ireland itinerary a bit trickier.

3. It’s Christmas (pros and cons)

Christmas in Ireland is hard to beat. Festive markets and fairy lights bring a buzz to many towns and villages, making them a delight to ramble around. However, flight prices sky-rocket with people returning home for the celebrations, so keep that in mind if you’re visiting Ireland on a budget.

4. Festive activities

There’s lots of Christmassy things to do in Ireland in December. Markets aside, you’ll find carol services, Christmas shows and more festive events taking place in many towns and villages.

5. Make an informed decision

Deciding when to visit Ireland isn’t easy, and it can get overwhelming, especially if it’s your first visit. If you’re unsure, we’ve written easy-to-follow guides to each month:

• Ireland in January
• Ireland in February
• Ireland in March
• Ireland in April
• Ireland in May
• Ireland in June
• Ireland in July
• Ireland in August
• Ireland in September
• Ireland in October
• Ireland in November

The pros and cons of spending December in Ireland

Photo left: Rihardzz. Right: mark_gusev (Shutterstock)

So, there are some advantages and disadvantages to visiting Ireland in December, and I touched on a couple of them above.

I’ve lived in Ireland (Dublin, specifically) for 32 years, so the below are based on my own experience (note: you’ll find detailed info on the weather in the next section).

The pros 

• Festive buzz: Christmas in Ireland brings a lovely, festive buzz to many towns and villages in Ireland
• Christmas markets: Many of the bigger towns and cities host markets from mid-November
• Accommodation prices: Accommodation in the more off-the-beaten-track towns and villages will be cheaper
• It’s quieter: As this is the off-season, many of the more notable towns, villages and attractions will be much quieter

The cons

• The weather: The weather in Ireland in December can be very unpredictable (see below)
• Short days: At the start of the month the sun rises 08:22 and it sets at 16:19, giving you less time to play with
• Flights: With people flying home to spent NYE and Christmas in Ireland, flight prices sky-rocket

What to expect from the weather in Ireland in December

Photos via shutterstock.com

The weather in Ireland in December is unpredictable. In recent years, we’ve had Decembers that were dry and mild and ones that were wet and cold.

Here’s what the weathers been like during previous years. Note: this data comes from MET Eireann, Ireland’s Meteorological Service

December 2021

• The weather in Ireland in December 2021 was mild, changeable and windy at times
• The number of days where rain fell ranged from 15 days (Casement Aerodrome in Dublin) to 26 (Cork Airport)
• The average temperature for the month ranged between 7.0 °C and 7.2 °C

December 2020

• The weather in Ireland in December 2020 was cool, wet and windy at times
• The number of days when rain fell ranged from 20 days (Dublin Airport) to 31 days at several stations
• The average temperature for the month ranged from 4.9 °C to 5.8 °C 

Average temperature in Ireland in December

Photos via Yulefest Kilkenny

The average temperature in Ireland in December tends to hover at 8°C. There are average temperature highs of 10°C and average lows of 3°C.

Those from colder temperate climates will find the temperature in Ireland in December cool but manageable, while those who come from more tropical climates should find December in Ireland to be cool.

The average temperature in previous years

• 2021: 7.1 °C
• 2020: 5 °C
• 2019: 6.1 °C

Things to do in Ireland in December

Photo by Paddy Finn/shutterstock.com

There’s some obvious things to do in Ireland at Christmas and some not-so-obvious activities, as you’ll discover below.

If you’re on the hunt for things to do in Ireland in December, dive into our counties in Ireland section – it’s packed with the best places to visit in every county! Here are a handful of suggestions to get you started:

1. Christmas markets

Photos via Shutterstock

One of the most obvious things to do in Ireland in December is to plan your visit around one of the many Christmas markets in Ireland.

These tend to kick-off from mid-November and run until late December. Here are some of our favourites:

• Galway Christmas market
• Dublin Christmas markets
• Glow Cork
• Belfast Christmas market
• Waterford Winterval

2. Take a well planned road trip

Photo left: Leo Pinheiro. Right: shawnwil23 (shutterstock)

If you’re planning a trip to Ireland during this month, you’ll need to plan with precision, as you’ve limited daylight hours to play with.

If you’re struggling, we’ve an easy-to-follow guide to mapping out an Ireland itinerary. We also have ready-made guides to spending 5 days in Ireland and 7 days in Ireland.

3. Cosy pubs

Photos via McNeill’s on Facebook

One of my favourite things to do in Ireland in December is to spend a morning and afternoon tackling one of the many walks in Ireland.

And an evening tucked away in one of the many pubs in Ireland. If you can, opt for one of the traditional-style pubs, as they tend to have more charm and character.

4. Have indoor activities at the ready

Photos by The Irish Road Trip

The weather in Ireland in December can be terrible, so it’s worth having some back-up plans for those wet and wild days.

If you hop into our counties hub, click the place you’re visiting and you’ll find plenty of museums and indoor tours.

5. Visiting Dublin in December

Photos via Shutterstock

There’s endless things to do in Dublin in December. If the weather’s good, try one of the walks in Dublin.

If the weathers bad, there’s plenty of things to do in Dublin in December when it’s raining! See our 2 days in Dublin and 24 hours in Dublin guides for an easy-to-follow itinerary.

What to pack / what to wear in Ireland in December

Photo left: Irish Road Trip. Right: Joseph Molloy (shutterstock)

December is winter in Ireland so packing is fairly straightforward – prepare for the worst… i.e. rain, wind and snow… and more rain.

A good warm jacket (waterproof if possible), plenty of warm layers and a good pair of walking shoes will come in handy. Here’s some more suggestions:

The essentials

• A good jacket (ideally waterproof)
• Walking shoes (ideally waterproof if you’re planning hikes and walks)
• Warm layers like long-sleeved t-shirts and jumpers/hoodies
• Hats, scarves and gloves
• Causal clothes for the evening (smart wear is required in the fancier restaurants)

FAQs about visiting Ireland at Christmas

We’ve had a lot of questions over the years asking about everything from ‘Is Ireland Green in December?’ (it is) to ‘Does it snow?’ (on the mountains, yes, but rarely on lower ground).

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.

Keith O'Hara

Thanks for visiting the Irish road trip! This site exists to inspire and guide you on an Irish adventure that’ll give birth to a lifetime of memories!