Guide to Packing For Ireland
When packing for Ireland, you must keep in mind the weather of the season. But in short, there are two rules to packing for Ireland: 1.) pack with layers in mind as temperatures change daily, and 2.) prepare to get wet as it rains daily. No matter the season, these two rules are essential.
June - September is Summer in Ireland. The Irish summer isn’t too hot. Depending on your reaction to heat, and if you’re always cold like me, you might even be able to pull off wearing a long sleeve with temperatures averaging 63-69°F. Or, you might be sweating your buns off, like Jade.
September - November is Autumn in Ireland. Temperature can range from 55-69°F. As we learned, temperature drops quickly beginning in September. As autumn progresses, keep in mind that rainfall will also increase.
December - February is Winter in Ireland. Temperature will likely range from 30s-40s°F and some parts of Ireland, specifically in the West, may see snowfall. Pack a parka, some warm boots and perhaps a scarf because the damp cold of Ireland can get a little nipply.
March - May is Spring in Ireland. The temperature is quite temperamental during this season; ranging from 39°F in March to 60°F in May. With that large of a range, it’s best to dress in layers and pack a variety of clothing. From sweaters to short sleeve t-shirts, it’s best to prepare for anything.
General Rule (as outlined above): When in Ireland, always dress in layers! Temperature can shift 10°F in a day. Doesn’t matter the season, rain can come and go in a blip. Always have an umbrella and rain jacket or learn to dance in the rain!
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Remaining cognizant of the weight limit that our airline offered was quite the task! We had 2 full suitcases, 2 full duffel bags and backpacks. Everything was overweight but luckily, we didn’t get charged! Thank you, travel gods!
We traveled to Ireland from the beginning of September to the end of November. It rained more in these three months than we have ever seen in our lives. Even the locals were saying it was raining a lot more than normal! It rained a ton but it also had it’s way of bringing out the sun and showing what the rain was doing to the beautiful green gem of Ireland. We wore a combination of jeans, long sleeves, flannels, sweatshirts, and jackets every single day. We did bring a few t-shirts and shorts but we only wore them in the very beginning of our trip!
When we traveled to Ireland, we didn’t use packing cubes but instead used vacuum sealed bags. In these bags, we put our winter jackets, and bulky sweatshirts. This helped a ton when trying to fit everything we needed, but did not affect our weight limit! We had to pack some business casual attire as Jade was doing an internship in Dublin, so that took up quite a bit of space.
For shoes, it’s best to assume that you’ll step in a puddle daily; waterproof is the way to go. We bought our rain boots for 25 dollars each and Devin wore them almost everyday! So stylish with a pair of jeans and a sweater - at least she thought so!
We definitely recommend bringing warm clothes, a durable rain jacket & waterproof boots, and good walking shoes! Jade kept her rain jacket in her backpack 24/7 and Devin wore her windbreaker almost everyday, just in case it rained. Some days it was 40 degrees with rain and two hours later the sun was shining and it felt like it was a beautiful summer day!
When going into pubs and restaurants, note that you will not be able to wear any type of sweatpants. You will need to be dressed in jeans or nice pants! We encountered a disgruntled bouncer reluctant to let us in with our joggers on.
If you do end up forgetting one of these essential items (rain jacket, waterproof boots, umbrella, jeans), there are plenty of stores that where you can purchase them. Remember, though the weather might be unpredictable, have a little fun with it! When in Ireland, dance in the rain like the Irish do!