Did the rain ruin your trip to Ireland?
 

I am planning a 2 week trip to Ireland in late-May, early June and am worried about the possibility of rain impacting our ability to view all of the beautiful sites.
Can anyone detail the frequency of rain during the time of year and describe how it may hurt all of the frantic sightseeing that I am planning?

Thanks

It ain't called the "Emerald Isle" for nothing. Plan for rain. And what are you going to do about it, anyway?

When I was a student at Glasgow University, the family I was staying with had planned a picnic for a Saturday morning. I awoke to the sound of a torrential downpour on the roof. When I got down to the kitchen, the lady of the house and her daughter were busy filling sandwiches and loading baskets.

"What are you DOING? It's raining anvils out there!"

The matriarch grinned at me and said, "Ach, lad. If we did nothing in Scotland when it rained, we'd do nothing at all!"

So we donned our macs and umbrellas and went out for a wonderful day on a brae near Paisley.

There's a couple of sayings that come to mind when folks talk about the weather in Ireland.

If you don't like the weather in Ireland, wait five minutes.

and

If you can see the mountains in Ireland it's going to rain and if you can't the mountains it IS raining!

You just don't get 40 shades of green without the rain. I've been to Ireland in mid May and in June and both times it rained some. The west is usually a bit drier in the summertime than the east in my experience and April/May are supposed to be less wet months. As Robespierre says, prepare for it.

But ruin my trip? Never! In fact, when you are there the temps are pretty mild and even the rain doesn't make it cold and miserable. I like to take clothes (espeically outter wear) that is quick drying and a good pair of hiking boots, saving a rain coat for only the worst downpours. Usually, though, you will get "A fine, soft day" which is more like a misting rain than an outright "pissings of rain".

Have a wonderful trip! ((R))

wendy

That's funny...they say that (if you don't like the weather) in Kansas and Scotland (if ye canna see Arran), too!

:)

Wic,
We spent May 2004 in Ireland....we came home with tans...very little rain!!
(can't guarantee that next May will be sunny)
Sunny photos?
www.pbase.com/baileyzim/irelanduk

In my experience,rain does not last all day in summer, at least in the west. As another poster said it usually does not inhibit touring through the countryside.

In my view Ireland is best enjoyed in a calm way allowing this beautiful country to come to you instead of "frantic" scooting about. If it rains in Dublin drop in at one of its great book stores or Kilmainham Jail for the story of Ireland's struggle for freedom.

If you are in the countrysided its raining heavily, head for a pub and take part in the superb conversation. If it is raining lightly go about seeing the sites. The sun will shine soon. It always does.

Follow the apparel advice another poster gave you. Relax. Have a great
trip.

Anthony

We expected and planned for rain... and that's what we got. 4 days of it out of our 8 day trip in March. We had waterproof jackets with hoods that sufficed. It was never really cold, just windy and wet. Not bad at all. We were still able to see everything we wanted. I have to add we also had 2 beautiful 70 degree days. Just be prepared for anything.

We went to Ireland in Nov. '03, known as the real rainy season (so we were told). It rained quite a bit, but when it didn't, it was absolutely beautiful & mild. Was a bit cool & damp, but didn't dampen our spirits one bit. My best friend and I were just talking last night about the wonderful time we had. My husband did all the driving, so naturally the rain didn't bother me there! ha Take rain ponchos (about 88 cents at Walmart) and a foldable umbrella. We also took light weight, water proof jackets w/hoods to wear over our regular jackets. We were able to take them off, throw them & the ponchos (if we wore them)in the trunk before getting in the car so as not to get the seats wet. The worst thing about the rain -- when we left Torc Falls & I took my jacket off, I shook the rain off and didn't realize my favorite gold bracelet (which was a little lose anyway) had come off in the sleeve & I shook it to who knows where. I always figured I made somebody's day when they found it shining in the sun on a nice bright day - it wasn't cheap!! Which was a good lesson - don't travel with expensive jewelry. The best thing about the rain -- gave me a good excuse for an already bad hair day!!! (which is about every day!) I wouldn't trade our wonderful trip for anything, not even a whole 12 days of perfect weather. Of the 28 rolls of film I took, there were only a few that were dark because of the weather and the on-line photo service, Snapfish, were able to lighten them good enough to see what was in them. Like Robespierre said, rain shouldn't change your plans, it won't last long. Seems like everytime we got to where we wanted to stop & tour something it quit -- the Lord is good!!!

Wic,
One more thing. My motto: "A bad day on vacation is better than a good day at home ANYTIME." Don't even think about rain spoiling your trip!

If you click on my name, you will see that I have a trip report titled, "Ireland Sept '04 or How The West Was Wet". :) We experienced heavier rain than normal but we still did all the sightseeing we wanted to do. All my photos show us in the same green rainjackets but they also show big smiles on our faces.

It rained everyday except one while we were in Ireland. However, it did not rain but parts of everyday. We had taken raincoats and umbella's so were prepared. It did not ruin our trip as we were expecting it. Sure would have prefered that it was sunny but had a great and wonderful time!

We went for a three week trip in May armed with raincoats, umbrellas, rain hats, waterproof shoes, etc. And guess what? Not even a brief shower for at least the first two weeks -- glorious sunshine. Then we got to Bushmills in Northern Ireland where it poured for 24 hours solid. We HAD to spend most of the day inside the Bushmills distillery sampling. There are worse things that could happen on a vacation.

I had to read that twice to realize that it wasn't Bushmill's that was pouring for 24 hours.

That would be a record even for an Irishman.

Surprised no one has mentioned: It's never "rain" in Ireland, it's just "a bit of mist."

As excited as I am over our London/cruise trip that begins on Sunday as we head out of here for some pre-fun/journeying, I feel a special excitement building over the propsect of being back in Ireland - if only for a day - after 20 years! But it will be our first time in Cork and after the reading I've been doing, I'm looking forward to exploring an interesting, lively city in the few off-ship hours we will have!

I really like Irealnd in May. It's rained on us, never really heavy yet, except once. A light rain for 30 minutes, then some sun. On another day drizzle for a longer period and grey. You never really know. We've always just got on with things and never failed to dry out. One of the best days I can recall was a light rain and fog as we took a boat up the lakes of Killarney. Sort of seemed like the right mood for the occasion, wet or not. Another time, I recall a swirling wet mist on a walk in Connemara. A plus is that a lot of flora blooms out in May and the more foresty areas are alive with color.

Here's to a good trip.

Honestly, yes; it did ruined a friend's 2-week trip to Ireland. It rained every day; even with unbrellas he said it was a pain. May is a rainy month; it says so in every guidebook. If you are concerned about rain, don't go in May.

There is far more rain on the west than the east side of Ireland. It rains for 9% of the time on the westcoast and 6% on the east on average.See full details of Irish weather in www.met.ie

OK I have been living here for 10 years and it does not rain half as much as I thought it would when I came over. I have seen heavier rains for days on end in NJ and nothing so bad over here. Its temds to be a lighter rain and usually clears in a fe hours may stay cloudy but it rarely downpours. If it rained all the time I would have left ages ago!

I've visited Ireland nearly a dozen times and only have seen significant rain once. That week it rained off and on nearly every day (this was in late September/early October). But you make the most of it. Clifden, Connemara and Kylemore Abbey were never more beautiful to me than covered in a light shroud of mist and the landscape was hauntingly beautiful. In Galway it went from light showers to bright sun so many times that we saw a dozen gorgeous rainbows in one day. Going in late May/June you're there probably during the best time of year, weather-wise!

We went to Wales and Ireland for two weeks during the same time of year in 2004. We were expecting rain but nary a drop until the night before we left!
I would recommend going at this time; the flowers were absolutely beautiful. It's worth the risk!