What To Wear In Ireland
I just read (yet) another what to wear in Ireland question. I think people over complicate it. Our weather is not as drastic as it can be made out.
The beauty of Irish weather is that it never gets too hot or too cold. Think Seattle except Dublin gets 30% less rain than Seattle. You walk a lot more than usual in Ireland as you sightsee, so that builds up heat as you walk.
And yes, I see the "we live in Texas, anything below 95 and we'll freeze" comments. I lived in a very hot climate for a long time, so I'm familiar with how heat works too.
I work as a walking tour guide and a hike in the mountains on my days off so I'm out in the elements a lot.
Ireland is humid and that catches people off guard. It may only be 70F/21C but it feels a lot hotter, even for folks from the Southern states. How do I know? Because I walk with them all the time in Dublin.
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My Wardrobe
I'm a very minimalist guy, so bear that in mind. The simple key is layers. Get your bases right with t-shirts, light tops and then the bigger items below.
This is my wardrobe that I can live in year round in Ireland.
- Brooks running shoes for the 20,000 step days
- Columbia waterproof shoes for wet days
- Shorts. I wear them most of the summer
- North Face walking pants for city tours
- Water repellent pants for wetter days
- Eddie Bauer Zip up fleece top.
- Patagonia Torrentshell Rain Jacket
- Patagonia Downsweater hoodie
- Cap for sun protection because UV rays still penetrate our grey clouds.
- Beanie for winter
I don't own an umbrella. When it's raining hard, it's usually windy.
That is it. I can happily survive all that Ireland can throw at me with that.
Dress Up or Down
Ireland is casual and unless you're going to a high end restaurant or event, you'll be fine in street casual clothing.
Go for function over style. You're staying in hotel rooms that are smaller than your laundry room at home. Fast drying fabrics are key.
Laundry in Ireland
There are sporadic laundry facilities in towns. But it's Ireland, things move slower here, so if you're changing hotels every night, don't count on same day service.
Some of our petrol/gas stations have laundry machines. I used them when my house was being renovated and they were fine. https://www.revolutionlaundry.ie
Packing Advice
Pack light. We're a first world country. If you're short of anything, you can buy it here. And if it's over €75, you can probably get the VAT back too.
Our Seasons
Spring
Temp Range: 4-15C / 39-59F
If you're coming for St Patrick's Day or around then, bring your rain jacket, it seems to always rain then but April is one of the driest months though.
Why am I even trying to make sense of our weather!
Summer
Temp Range: 13-20C / 56-69F
During the Summer, I'm usually in t-shirt and shorts. Pants and a long sleeve t-shirt if it's cooler. If there's some rain forecast, I'll bring my light rain jacket but I usually end up carrying it because our Summer showers are light drizzle.
Once the sun goes down or you're in the shade in Ireland, you'll feel the chill though so that's where my Eddie fleece comes in handy.
Autumn
Temp Range: 6-18C / 43-64F
You start to feel the chill in September, so layer up. October is one of our wettest months and the hour changes so it gets dark early which makes everything feel colder.
Winter
Temp Range: 4-9C / 39-48F
The winter is miserable. No getting away from it. Not so much for the cold as more the short days, long nights, grey & damp. It's ok to overpack then. Or go to the pub. It's doesn't rain there.
Summary
Don't stress it. Pack with the essentials, be ready to layer up or down and you'll be fine.
Ireland by Locals
