Winter
Dec → Feb6 to 7°
nights 2 to 3°
- 22 rainy days · 186 mm
- 3.5 h of sun
- sea 8°
When is the best time to visit Ireland?
- Jan6°not recommended
- Feb7°not recommended
- Mar8°not recommended
- Apr11°fair
- May13°recommended
- Jun15°recommended
- Jul16°recommended
- Aug16°recommended
- Sep15°recommended
- Oct12°fair
- Nov9°not recommended
- Dec6°not recommended
RecommendedFairNot recommended· afternoon temperature
The weather in Ireland, month by month
The table of records, month by month
| Month | High | Low | Sunshine | Rainfall | Rainy days | Sea | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6° | 2° | 3.1 h | 161 mm | 21 d | 7° | |
| February | 7° | 3° | 4.8 h | 207 mm | 22 d | 8° | |
| March | 8° | 2° | 6.3 h | 141 mm | 19 d | 8° | |
| April | 11° | 4° | 8.5 h | 103 mm | 17 d | 10° | |
| May | 13° | 7° | 9.8 h | 121 mm | 18 d | 14° | ✓ |
| June | 15° | 9° | 9.4 h | 149 mm | 20 d | 17° | ✓ |
| July | 16° | 10° | 8.3 h | 186 mm | 24 d | 16° | ✓ |
| August | 16° | 11° | 8.3 h | 188 mm | 23 d | 16° | ✓ |
| September | 15° | 10° | 6.8 h | 149 mm | 20 d | 16° | ✓ |
| October | 12° | 7° | 5.1 h | 203 mm | 22 d | 13° | |
| November | 9° | 5° | 3.5 h | 158 mm | 20 d | 10° | |
| December | 6° | 3° | 2.5 h | 190 mm | 22 d | 8° |
The four seasons in Ireland, in figures
What the 2015-2024 records (County Donegal) show, season by season, to compare at a glance instead of reading twelve rows of a table.
Spring
Mar → May8 to 13°
nights 2 to 7°
- 18 rainy days · 122 mm
- 8.2 h of sun
- sea 11°
Summer
Jun → Aug15 to 16°
nights 9 to 11°
- 22 rainy days · 174 mm
- 8.7 h of sun
- sea 16°
Autumn
Sep → Nov9 to 15°
nights 5 to 10°
- 21 rainy days · 170 mm
- 5.1 h of sun
- sea 13°
Book early for May to September
The timing is right, so it is right for everyone: in these months the best places to stay and the small-group tours go first. Here is where to start.
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Daylight in Ireland, month by month
The time between sunrise and sunset, from shortest to longest. Not to be confused with the sunshine hours in the table above, which count clear skies. In June there are 17h19 of daylight, in December 7h13, a difference of 10h06.
7h46Jan
9h36Feb
11h39Mar
14h01Apr
16h06May
17h19Jun
16h48Jul
14h56Aug
12h37Sep
10h21Oct
8h17Nov
7h13Dec
Calculated for the latitude of the reference point "County Donegal" (54.90°). Values on the 15th of each month, local solar time.
What to do in Ireland, month by month
| Activity | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hiking | ||||||||||||
| Beach & swimming | ||||||||||||
| Towns & culture | ||||||||||||
| Long days | ||||||||||||
| Events | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
EventsSt Patrick's DayMarchBloomsdayJuneGalway International Arts FestivalJulyPuck FairAugustDetails ↓
favourablewith compromisesunfavourable
- Long days: April, May, June, July, August
Grid derived from the records (temperature, rainfall, sea), not from an opinion.
What's on in Ireland, month by month?
What comes back every year, and when. These events fill the hotels and push prices up: something to aim for or to avoid, depending on what you want.
- MarchSt Patrick's Day big crowds
In mid-March, every town parades with bands and floats; in Dublin the celebrations stretch over several days and the pubs overflow.
- JuneBloomsday
In mid-June, Joyce's readers retrace the route of Ulysses through Dublin in boater hats, with public readings and breakfasts.
- JulyGalway International Arts Festival big crowds
For two weeks in July, theatre, street arts and concerts fill Galway's squares and venues.
- AugustPuck Fair
Killorglin, in County Kerry, crowns a wild goat king of the town for three days in August, with a horse fair and pubs open late.
Travelling off-peak
When to visit Ireland, region by region
A country's best time is an average, and it hides big differences. Here is what the records say for each area, month by month: ✓ for a recommended month, ~ for a fair one, a dot for a month to avoid. Hover over a cell for the temperature.
| Area | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇮🇪 Donegal | · | · | · | ~ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | · | · |
| 🇮🇪 The Ring of Kerry | · | · | · | ~ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | · | · |
| 🇬🇧 Northern Ireland | · | · | · | ~ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | · | · |
| 🇮🇪 West Cork | · | · | · | ~ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | · | · |
| 🇮🇪 Dublin | · | · | · | ~ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | · | · |
| 🇮🇪 Galway and Connemara | · | · | · | ~ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | · | · |
| 🇮🇪 Cork | · | · | · | ~ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | · | · |
| 🇬🇧 Belfast | · | · | · | ~ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | · | · |
The Ring of KerryBest time: May to SeptemberWhen to visit the Ring of Kerry →The Ring of Kerry guide
Northern IrelandBest time: May to SeptemberWhen to visit Northern Ireland →The Northern Ireland guide
Month by month, in detail
January
Not recommended6°2° at night
- 161 mm · 21 d
- 3.1 h
- sea 7°
Low season, lower prices
February
Not recommended7°3° at night
- 207 mm · 22 d
- 4.8 h
- sea 8°
Low season, lower prices
March
Not recommended8°2° at night
- 141 mm · 19 d
- 6.3 h
- sea 8°
Busy, without the crush
April
Fair11°4° at night
- 103 mm · 17 d
- 8.5 h
- sea 10°
Low season, lower prices
May
Recommended13°7° at night
- 121 mm · 18 d
- 9.8 h
- sea 14°
Busy, without the crush
June
Recommended15°9° at night
- 149 mm · 20 d
- 9.4 h
- sea 17°
Busy, without the crush
July
Recommended16°10° at night
- 186 mm · 24 d
- 8.3 h
- sea 16°
High season, book early
August
Recommended16°11° at night
- 188 mm · 23 d
- 8.3 h
- sea 16°
High season, book early
September
Recommended15°10° at night
- 149 mm · 20 d
- 6.8 h
- sea 16°
Busy, without the crush
October
Fair12°7° at night
- 203 mm · 22 d
- 5.1 h
- sea 13°
Low season, lower prices
November
Not recommended9°5° at night
- 158 mm · 20 d
- 3.5 h
- sea 10°
Low season, lower prices
December
Not recommended6°3° at night
- 190 mm · 22 d
- 2.5 h
- sea 8°
Quiet, then the holidays
Read the twelve months in detail
January. Deep winter: 6 °C at the warmest of the day, 2 °C at night. A very wet month, 161 mm of rain over 21 days. Sunshine gets scarcer (3.1 h a day). Sea at 7 °C, too cold to swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
February. Deep winter: 7 °C at the warmest of the day, 3 °C at night. A very wet month, 207 mm of rain over 22 days. Sunshine gets scarcer (4.8 h a day). Sea at 8 °C, too cold to swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
March. Cool: 8 °C at best, 2 °C at night. A very wet month, 141 mm of rain over 19 days. Expect 6.3 h of sunshine a day. Sea at 8 °C, too cold to swim. Busy season, without the crush.
April. Cool: 11 °C at best, 4 °C at night. Frequent rain: 103 mm over 17 days. Expect 8.5 h of sunshine a day. Sea at 10 °C, too cold to swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
May. Cool: 13 °C at best, 7 °C at night. Frequent rain: 121 mm over 18 days. Plenty of sunshine: 9.8 h a day on average. Sea at 14 °C, too cold to swim. Busy season, without the crush.
June. Cool: 15 °C at best, 9 °C at night. Frequent rain: 149 mm over 20 days. Plenty of sunshine: 9.4 h a day on average. Sea at 17 °C, too cold to swim. Busy season, without the crush.
July. Cool: 16 °C at best, 10 °C at night. Frequent rain: 186 mm over 24 days. Expect 8.3 h of sunshine a day. Sea at 16 °C, too cold to swim. High season: book early.
August. Cool: 16 °C at best, 11 °C at night. Frequent rain: 188 mm over 23 days. Expect 8.3 h of sunshine a day. Sea at 16 °C, too cold to swim. High season: book early.
September. Cool: 15 °C at best, 10 °C at night. Frequent rain: 149 mm over 20 days. Expect 6.8 h of sunshine a day. Sea at 16 °C, too cold to swim. Busy season, without the crush.
October. Cool: 12 °C at best, 7 °C at night. Frequent rain: 203 mm over 22 days. Sunshine gets scarcer (5.1 h a day). Sea at 13 °C, too cold to swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
November. Cool: 9 °C at best, 5 °C at night. A very wet month, 158 mm of rain over 20 days. Sunshine gets scarcer (3.5 h a day). Sea at 10 °C, too cold to swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
December. Deep winter: 6 °C at the warmest of the day, 3 °C at night. A very wet month, 190 mm of rain over 22 days. Very little sun: 2.5 h a day on average. Sea at 8 °C, too cold to swim. Quiet at the start of the month, then busier as the holidays approach.
Same season, other ideas
Their best time overlaps with this one: worth comparing before you book.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit Ireland?
May to September: over these months, recorded highs range from 13 to 16 °C, with 21 days of rain a month on average (2015-2024 records, County Donegal).
Which month should you avoid in Ireland?
February: it is the wettest of the months to avoid, with 207 mm over 22 days of rain on average, according to 2015-2024 records at the reference point (County Donegal).
What is the hottest month in Ireland?
July, with 16 °C on average in the afternoon and 10 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (County Donegal).
What is the coldest month in Ireland?
January, with 6 °C at best during the day and 2 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (County Donegal).
What is the driest month in Ireland?
April: 103 mm over 17 days of rain, against 207 mm in February, the wettest month.
Which month has the most sunshine in Ireland?
May, with 9.8 h of sunshine a day on average. Note that this counts clear skies, not the length of the day.
When can you swim in Ireland?
The water stays cool all year (warmest 17 °C in June, measured in 2023-2024 on the nearest coast, County Donegal): swimming is for the brave.
Plan this trip
📒 The free printable Ireland guide: itinerary, map, where to sleep→
🗓️ Best time to visit: all our destinations→
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Photos: Thibaut Hardy / Pexels · Alina Gheordunescu / Pexels · Vision plug / Pexels · Lucas Mosesson / Pexels