Yes, you can see the Northern Lights in Ireland. In the guide below, we’ll tell you everything you need to know to see them for yourself.

You won’t find the greatest show in the world on Broadway.

And you won’t find it in London’s West End.

It’s not airing at 9 p.m. on HBO and you don’t have to board a plane to check it out.

The Northern Lights aka Aurora Borealis are visible from Ireland. So, the chances are, you can soak up the greatest show on earth a stone’s throw from your house!

The Northern Lights in Ireland

So, you don’t have to travel to Iceland to see the lights in all their glory (although you can, if you fancy).

Over recent years, thanks to strong solar wind activity, explorers have been able to gaze open-mouthed at the magnificent Northern Lights in Ireland.

If you’ve been dreaming of seeing this natural wonder then the guide below will take you through everything you need to know.

The Northern Lights in Ireland 2021 – Photos to get you Dreaming

Here’s a little taste of what you can expect if you are lucky enough the catch the Northern Lights in all their glory.

Each of the below photos was taken in the magnificent County of Donegal.

If you’re thinking about visiting Donegal, check out our 3-day Donegal road trip guide that’s packed with the best things to do in the county.

1 – Aurora Borealis over Lagg Church, Malin Head on the Wild Atlantic Way

2 – The Skies Smiling above Tra na Rossan Beach in Co. Donegal

3 – A Splatter of starts above Fanad Head Lighthouse

4 – The Northern Lights shining over Malin Head

5 – Shrove Lighthouse on the Stunning Inishowen Peninsula

6 – A Front Row Seat on Dooey Beach

7 – Aurora Borealis over Linsfort Church at Malin Head

Where to see the Northern Lights in Ireland

So, the photos above will give you a fair indication of where exactly you’ll have to go to see the Northern Lights, but here’s a full breakdown.

The most consistent places in Ireland to check them out is in Donegal.

The best places to see the Northern Lights in Donegal

• Malin Head
• Dunree Head
• Fanad Head
• The Rosguil Peninsula
• Glencolmcille
• Sliabh Liag

Naturally enough you’ll need to wait until after dark. You’ll also want to be as far from light pollution as possible.

How to know when Aurora Borealis is visible in Ireland

So, here’s where it gets interesting…

And a little confusing.

• Step 1 – Head on over to this website
• Step 2 – Flick down to the section of the page shown in the image above
• Step 3 – look at the Kp value – this will tell you how likely it is that the Aurora Borealis will be visible.

Ah here, what’s this Kp craic all about?

The Kp is a number from 0 to 9 which refers to geomagnetic activity (don’t ask me what this means…).

If the number is 4 or above, then that’s a good sign – hop in the car and head North after dark, but make sure the skies are clear in advance.

If the Kp is less than 4 then it’s unlikely that the Northern Lights will be lighting up the sky.

Northern Lights Alerts

If you’re really keen on seeing them and want to take your monitoring a step further, download this monitoring app.

What it does

• Find the current KP index and how likely you are to see the Northern Lights in Ireland or the rest of the world.
• View a list of the best locations to view from right now.
• Map showing how strong the aurora is around the world, based on the SWPC ovation auroral forecast.
• Free push notifications when auroral activity is expected to be high.

The best part of all is it’s completely free of charge for all functionality and there are no in-app purchases.

Frequently Asked Questions about seeing the northern lights from Ireland

We originally published this article back in 2017.

Since then, we’ve been getting emails each week from people looking to see Norther Lights during their visit to Ireland.

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions that we’ve received:

Can you see the Northern Lights in Ireland?

Yes, you can. But the conditions need to be just right in order for them to be visible. If you follow the steps in the guide above you’ll be well on your way to seeing Aurora Borealis in Ireland.

Where can I see the northern lights in Ireland?

There’s a number of different places in Ireland to see the Northern Lights. According to Tourism Ireland, the best place to see them is from County Donegal.

Have you managed to have a gander at the Northern Lights? Or are they on the bucket list? Let me know in the comments below!