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. Except in winter.
I work as a walking tour guide, surf and hike in the mountains on my days off so I'm out in the elements a lot.
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. But 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. I see them taking off layers on my walking tours ten minutes after telling me how cold Ireland is!
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Things To Consider When Packing For Ireland
Rainjacket
It must be waterproof, not water resistant. I found this out the hard way when I moved back to Ireland
Shoes
The natural beauty of Ireland is what draws people here and lot of it is on rough terrain, cliffs, stone paths, so be sure to you have good grips on your shoes. You don't want to be slipping.
Umbrellas
I don't own an umbrella. It's an Irish pride thing! When it's raining hard, it's usually windy so you need a good wind proof umbrella.
Jeans
Jeans aren't good in the rain. They get wet and stay wet.
Hats
We lose heat from our heads, so be sure to bring a good beanie if you are coming between October to April. The rest of the year, you'll be fine.
Scarf
Irish wind has a way of finding every exposed part of your body, so we all have scarves to wrap around us. But don't bring one with you, instead buy one here. We have fabulous and warm woolen scarves for sale. They make a beautiful and easy to pack souvenir.
Bags
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
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.
Between photos & directions, your phone will need charging in Ireland. This is my trusty INIU Portable charger that I've been using for years. Don't leave home without it.
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
