The Best Time to Visit Ireland
The best time to visit Ireland depends on what you are looking for. Each season brings its own unique pleasures.
Ireland is green for a reason: It rains here a lot. This is why weather is a major topic of conversation among the locals. When a clear and sunny day does occur, people just can’t help remarking on it to everyone they meet!
On the other hand, the weather is almost constantly changing. One moment it rains, the next moment the sun breaks through and a gorgeous rainbow arcs across the entire sky. (There is a good reason that rainbows are often associated with Ireland. You see them a lot!)
It’s amazing how warm it can feel when the sun does break out–even if the thermometer says it is only 58 degrees (14 c) or so. For this reason, people always dress in layers and a rain jacket and waterproof shoes are standard equipment.
One great thing (to me) is that Ireland seldom gets very hot in the summer or very cold in the winter. Summer temperatures seldom rise much above 75 degrees, and that doesn’t happen very often. (However, on 18 July 2022, Ireland experienced one of its hottest days ever: 91.4 F /33.0 C.)
Winters, although quite windy and wet, are generally mild–at least in comparison to Europe or the US. Here on the Dingle Peninsula, we may get a scattering of snow occasionally, but it never gets very deep or lasts very long. Further north, however–like in Donegal–snow can definitely get deeper and last longer.
Even if we don’t have much snow, the winds are strong and cold, the days are dark, and roaring fires, cuddly blankets, and warm bowls of soup are definitely a requirement!
In the end, the best time to visit Ireland depends on you.
Spring
Spring is lovely in Ireland, with all kinds of wildflowers bursting into bloom. In my opinion, May and June are two of the best times to visit Ireland. May in particular can have dry spells, the restaurants and hotels that have closed for the winter are open again, and the crowds of tourists have not yet arrived.
Fall
Fall is a lovely time to visit Ireland–especially in September and October. The crowds of visitors have thinned down by then, and the restaurants are still open. You can still hear live music in most of the pubs, and the weather is often dry and sunny.
Summer
Summer is the major time for visitors to Ireland. Although there is no guarantee about the weather(!), this is when all facilities are fully open and the most fun events are taking place. If you like to be among crowds of lively people doing fun things with friends and children, then July and August are the months for you!
Winter
Winter in Ireland brings cold, wet days, short periods of light, and a series of named storms blowing in from the sea. Many shops, restaurants and hotels close during this time, so life becomes interior and quiet. If this calls to you, by all means come!