Weather in Ireland in May (Locals Guide)

As summer is just around the corner, the weather in Ireland in May is usually quite good.

But, as we try and hammer home in every guide that mentions the weather in Ireland… it can be very unpredictable.

The average temperature in Ireland in May 15°C/59°F and average lows of 9°C/48°F.

Below, you’ll discover everything you know, from rainfall in May in Ireland to lots more.

Some quick need-to-knows about the weather in Ireland in May

OK, let’s get you up-to-speed nice and quickly. The points below will give you a quick insight into the weather in Ireland in May:

1. The season

March, April and May are spring in Ireland. It’s entering peak tourist season and both flights and accommodation will be nearly at their highest.

2. The weather in general

Although May is one of the best months to visit Ireland, the weather can be unpredictable. In years past, we’ve seen heatwaves in May and stormy weather, too. More info below.

3. Average temperatures

The average temperature in Ireland in May 15°C/59°F and average lows of 9°C/48°F.

4. Plenty of daylight

Although May is still spring in Ireland, the days are nice and long with the sun rising at 05:17 and setting at 21:26 (mid-May). This makes planning your Ireland itinerary much easier.

5. Lots to do

We go into the various things to see and do in our guide to May in Ireland, but at a glance there are heaps of festivals in Ireland running in this month and there’s endless things to do in Ireland to choose from.

The average temperature in Ireland in May

The average temperature in Ireland in May is pretty good, as you can see from the graphic above, 15°C/59°F and average lows of 9°C/48°F.

Now, this can vary quite a bit year to year, so I’ll pop in a chart comparing recent years from different weather stations.

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

A comparison of May weather in Ireland in recent years

County	2022	2021	2020
Dublin	11.9°C/53.42°F	9.2°C/48.56°F	10.9°C/51.62°F
Galway	12.2°C/53.96°F	9.5°C/49.1°F	12.0°C/53.6°F
Cork	12.4°C/54.32°F	10.2°C/50.36°F	11.7°C/53.06°F
Kerry	12.5°C/54.5°F	10.0°C/50°F	12.4°C/54.32°F

The table above will give you a sense of the average temperature in Dublin in May along with Galway, Cork and Kerry over the last number of years.

As you can see, the average temperature in Ireland in May is fairly steady across the different years and in the various counties.

Rain in Ireland in May

County	2022	2021	2020
Dublin	48.4	83.5	9.3
Galway	78.9	95.7	49.6
Cork	35.9	151.8	53.5
Kerry	52.6	174.0	74.4

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

However, it rains considerably less during May than it does in the other months of the year.

Now, it’s also worth noting that certain parts of Ireland, usually the west coast, get more rainfall than the east coast. This can be seen in the figures in the table above.

Weather in Dublin in May

The weather in Dublin in May tends to be fairly similar to the weather in many other parts of the country (flick back up to the tables above to compare).

For example, last year, in 2022, the average temperature in Dublin in May was 11.9°C/53.42°F

When we look at the rainy weather in Dublin in May last year, the capital recorded 48.4mm.

Learn more about visiting the capital during this month in our guide to Dublin in May.

FAQs about the weather in Ireland in May

We’ve had a lot of questions over the years asking about everything from ‘Is May rainy season in Ireland?’ to ‘How hot is Ireland in May?’.

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.