Geographical location
According to COUNTRYAAH, the island state of Ireland is located on the island of the same name and is part of Western Europe. Around 83 percent of the island make up the national territory of Ireland, the remaining area belongs to the independent neighboring state of Northern Ireland. The capital and metropolitan area of Ireland is Dublin, which is home to around a third of the 4.8 million inhabitants.
The national territory of Ireland also includes some smaller, offshore islands. While Northern Ireland is politically part of the United Kingdom, Ireland is an independent state and full EU member. The official currency and means of payment is the euro. Ireland has the second highest gross domestic product per capita in Europe, and the island nation ranks fifth worldwide.
This also shows the meteoric rise of Ireland, which once had a rather poor existence as a place of emigration with high unemployment. Today it is a modern industrial state with a large service sector. The green island is also booming in terms of tourism. More than 10 million visitors come to Ireland annually.
The River Shannon runs from north to south with a length of 370 kilometers. Many regions are characterized by lake landscapes such as Lough Corrib in the west of the country. The Carrantuohill is the highest mountain in the country at 1041 meters. Dublin is around 1080 kilometers from Frankfurt and can be reached in around two hours by plane.
- Abbreviation Finder: Check to see national geography, brief history, society description, domestic politics, economy overview, and a list of widely used acronyms about Ireland.
What is the climate like in Ireland?
The northern location in the Atlantic has a decisive influence on the climate in Ireland. The Gulf Stream brings warm ocean currents from the Gulf of Mexico and mostly causes mild temperatures all year round. The maritime weather manifests itself in mild winters and very humid summers. The temperature differences between daytime and nighttime values are usually 7 to 8 degrees (on average) and are quite small for a European country.
In winter, the daytime temperatures drop to an average of 8 degrees, in summer they only exceed the limit of 20 degrees in rare exceptions. On the other hand, there is rarely frost in large parts of Ireland, even from December to February, and temperatures usually stay above freezing point.
In the south of the country, rainfall can be a little more intense than in central Dublin, for example. In Cork, for example, up to 138 millimeters of rain can fall in January ; in Dublin, no more than 70 millimeters of precipitation can be expected. Snow only occurs in the eastern mountains of Ireland. The summer months can get pleasantly warm, but rainfall is a regular companion on a trip across the green island.
When is the best time to visit Ireland?
The constant weather with irregular rain showers and the temperatures that do not get icy even in winter make it possible to travel to the green island all year round. The best time to travel to Ireland, however, is the summer months of June to September. During this time you will find the most pleasant temperatures and very little rainfall.
In general, it can be said that the months of November to May are the rainiest. The spring months are sometimes still a bit fresh, but can already score with long days and declining precipitation values. The Irish summer starts in June. The July is known for many dry days, travelers can bring a good time.
If you want to travel to Ireland in autumn, you should focus on the east coast. The western areas are hit by storms during these months, which bring a lot of rain. The classic winter months often have “dirty weather” on the agenda, but the cities can be very Christmassy.
Optimal travel time for the regions
In the following overview you can see the best travel time depending on the region (Ireland).
| Place | Best travel time |
| Dublin | June, July, August and September |
| Cork | June, July, August and September |
| Shannon | June, July, August and September |
Temperatures, precipitation, sunshine in Dublin (Ireland)
| Jan | Feb | March | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| Daytime temperature | 8 ° C | 8 ° C | 10 ° C | 11 ° C | 14 ° C | 17 ° C | 19 ° C | 19 ° C | 17 ° C | 14 ° C | 10 ° C | 8 ° C |
| Night temperature | 3 ° C | 3 ° C | 3 ° C | 4 ° C | 7 ° C | 10 ° C | 11 ° C | 11 ° C | 10 ° C | 8 ° C | 4 ° C | 3 ° C |
| Water temperature | 9 ° C | 8 ° C | 7 ° C | 8 ° C | 9 ° C | 11 ° C | 13 ° C | 14 ° C | 14 ° C | 13 ° C | 12 ° C | 10 ° C |
| Precipitation in mm | 69 | 50 | 53 | 51 | 55 | 56 | 50 | 71 | 66 | 70 | 64 | 76 |
| Rainy days | 12 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 13 |
| Hours of sunshine | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| Sunrise | 8:30 | 7:45 | 6:40 | 6:25 | 5:25 | 4:55 | 5:15 | 6:05 | 7:00 | 7:50 | 7:50 | 8:35 |
| Sunset | 16:40 | 17:35 | 18:25 | 20:25 | 21:15 | 21:55 | 21:45 | 20:55 | 19:45 | 18:30 | 16:30 | 16:05 |
Temperatures
The annual average temperature in Dublin is 9.5 ° C. For comparison: Munich reaches an average of 8.6 ° C, in Berlin it is 9.6 ° C. The warmest month is July (15 ° C), coldest month of February with mean values of 5 ° C. The maximum water temperature in Dublin is 14 ° C. That is hardly suitable for swimming.
Precipitation
The annual precipitation is 731 mm on 130 days with precipitation. For comparison: In Munich, 967 mm, in Berlin 570 mm, precipitation is measured annually. There is no rainy season, i.e. months with more than 175 mm of precipitation. In the months of January, February, March, April, November and December snowfall is possible.
Sunshine
As our climate table shows, May is the sunniest month with an average of 6.5 hours of sunshine per day. On average over the year, the sun shines 4 hours a day. For comparison: In Munich and Berlin, the sun shines an average of 4.7 hours per day throughout the year.
Highlights and attractions
The Cliffs of Moher can be found in the Country Clare area in the west of the country. The natural cliffs are very impressive and should definitely be considered when traveling to Ireland. Killarney National Park in the south west of the country offers travelers wonderfully rugged Irish landscapes.
This can be combined with a visit to the Muckross House and Gardens in the immediate vicinity. Many highlights can also be found in the capital Dublin. From Kilmainham Gaol, a former prison, to Glasnevin Cemetery, to the Muesum Chester Beatty Library, Dublin has a lot to offer.
