These Are the Best and Worst Times to Visit Ireland

Millions of tourists flock to Ireland each year, seeking its quaint villages, lush green landscapes, stunning coastline, historic castles, and pub culture.

When to go to Ireland depends on what you most want to see and do. Winter is quiet but cold and rainy; summer is generally sunny but also crowded and expensive. As in many places, spring and fall in Ireland strike the balance between good weather and lower prices.

• High Season: June to August, plus March
• Shoulder Seasons: April to May and September to November
• Low Season: December to February

Ready to plan your trip? Read on for the best times to go to Ireland for good weather, to avoid peak season, and for festivals and events.

Best Times to Visit Ireland for Smaller Crowds

Since Ireland’s rainy climate can be a deterrent for some travelers, the country is most crowded with tourists in summer, when the odds of a warm, sunny day are at their highest. If you value smaller crowds over perfect weather, you’ll want to visit outside this peak season.

Winter is the least crowded time of year in Ireland because it’s fairly wet and cold. That said, it offers a great chance to enjoy indoor attractions, lower prices, and far fewer crowds. You can warm up in the historic Trinity College Library, museums big and small, and in thousands of pubs and cozy tearooms scattered across the island. Spring and fall are also less busy than the summer months, but the crowd-averse should avoid March when St. Patrick’s Day draws hundreds of thousands of tourists.

Visitors may also want to keep an eye on the Gaelic sports schedule. Many Irish people who don’t live in Dublin stream into the city for major tournaments, so game days can be crowded in the capital but peaceful in the emptied-out countryside.

Best Times to Visit Ireland for Good Weather

Ireland’s weather is irregular, but it’s not extreme. The temperature rarely falls below freezing in the winter or rises above 70 degrees Fahrenheit during the summer. It’s not uncommon to see bright sun and cloudy skies in quick succession, regardless of the time of year.

You can be sure it will rain at some point, so pack your bags accordingly. The sunniest months in Ireland are May and June. Still, all summer long you have a good chance of seeing the sun, and daylight stretches long into the evening, especially in late June and July. Between November and February, meanwhile, the country is dark, cold, and wet. December and January are the rainiest months in Ireland. But winter can also feel quieter and cozier. Your trip is unlikely to be a total rain-out no matter when you visit. Drizzling or short, isolated showers are more common here than full-day downpours.

If you want to hike through the countryside, play on one of Ireland’s famous golf courses, or take in the country’s natural beauty with a scenic road trip like the Wild Atlantic Way, visit between April and September. That way, you can take advantage of longer daylight hours and more pleasant weather.

Best Times to Visit Ireland for Festivals and Events

Ireland celebrates a lot more than just St. Patrick’s Day (a holiday that, before its more raucous iteration, was historically a religious celebration). On June 16, for example, Dublin’s streets swell with James Joyce devotees observing Bloomsday — the anniversary of the date when the writer’s groundbreaking novel, “Ulysses,” takes place.

Summer is busy with events across the countryside like the SeaSessions music and surfing festival held each June in County Donegal. Each August, the County Kerry town of Killorglin organizes Ireland’s oldest festival, the Puck Fair, where a wild goat is crowned “King Puck” for the duration of the event. And September draws legions of oyster lovers to Galway for the Galway International Oyster and Seafood Festival,

But you don’t have to wait for a festival to enjoy live music in Ireland. Tons of pubs all across the country offer live tunes throughout the year, so you can sing along to classic Irish songs and enjoy the festive atmosphere whenever you visit.

Most Affordable Times to Visit Ireland

The drizzly and dark winter is the least expensive time to visit Ireland, as long as you avoid the weeks around Christmas and St. Patrick’s Day. Some high-end hotels, like County Limerick’s Adare Manor, offer enticing off-season rates in the winter months. If you’re planning to visit any small towns in Ireland, double-check that accommodation is available; even in tourist hot spots like the Dingle peninsula, some smaller bed-and-breakfasts take time off in winter.

Flight prices also tend to be at their lowest in the winter. Spring and fall, though, can also be affordable times to fly, especially if you catch one of the frequent shoulder-season sales from the Irish national airline, Aer Lingus.

The best overall tip for budget-conscious travelers is simply to avoid the summer. Flight and hotel costs in Ireland are at their highest in June, July, and August, so those busy months are the toughest time of year to snag a discount.

Worst Times to Visit Ireland

Summer’s peak popularity corresponds with a rise in airfare and accommodation prices, making it a less-than-ideal time for visitors in search of good deals or small crowds. That said, summer does have the nicest weather and offers the best chance that even the smallest B&Bs and rural attractions will be open, so it’s not without its perks.

St. Patrick’s Day follows closely behind summer concerning both crowds and costs. Unless you are determined to spend the holiday in Dublin’s Temple Bar district, it’s best to avoid traveling to or from the country around March 17.

While winter is the least busy time to visit Ireland, it’s also when the weather is at its worst. For a nice compromise between weather and crowds, visit in the shoulder seasons of either spring or fall.