is June a bad time to go to Ireland?

Why in the world would he think Ireland is crowded in June? It could be rainy, yes, but not likely particularly crowded.

June is the beginning of the peak tourist season, and things will be a bit more crowded than earlier in the year, but not as bad as July and August. Historically, flights have been more expensive in the summer than earlier in the year, but there's no telling now. Watch the flight deals to see how they fluctuate now. That way you'll get an idea of what is "normal" and then you will be better able to recognize a good deal when you see one.

We just went last month and didn't think it was crowded at all. The only place that was crowded was the Guinness museum. Most schools in Europe don't get out until July. And also, it's still considered their shoulder season, so accomodations are usually cheaper. We saved about 100 euro on the weekly rental of our cottage by going in June instead of July.

As far as the flights go, get on the fare watcher sites like Kayak. My sister got tickets for under $600 each, including taxes.

Outside of about 20 major tourist attractions and certain coastal areas of Italy and Spain, Europe doesn't really get "crowded" like an amusement park. It just sees an uptick in visitors in summer, but it's not as if the continent is wall-to-wall people, like a crowded day at Disney World. Consider that the biggest attraction for most visitors to Ireland is exploring the countryside, not individual sites, like museums, with controlled access. Yes, you won't be the only visitors, but it won't be "crowded" either.

We have made several trips to Ireland, UK, and France always leaving about June 15 (the weekend that school gets out here in Monterey). It has never been particularly crowded---I think it is ahead of the main rush. The countryside is greener and often cooler. Also, most European schools aren't out before mid-July, so local families aren't traveling yet.

thanks so much. you have all be a huge help

Wondering would you have to make b&b reservations ahead of time? Or do you think you could find places to stay one night at a time. We went in Oct. a couple of years ago and we did that. but wondering about june (2010).....thanks

We are planning a drive yourself trip and vouchers for B&B's are included in with it. Lots of B&Bs are included in the lists we can choose from. I will research them and pick the ones I want before I go though.

Maggi -

Having bicycled all around Ireland on numerous occasions between July-October, I have never run into what one would call "crowds," except for one occasion when we pulled into Westport (the "commercial mecca" of County Mayo (and the home of Matt Molloy's pub) on a Saturday afternoon without B&B reservations. About 20 phone calls later, however, we did secure accommodations in a very nice place (in my experience, all the B&Bs we've stayed in have been exceptionally friendly and nice). This was indeed quite the anomaly, as it generally takes only 1-3 calls to get B&B rooms the same day - no matter the month.

As for "crowds" in Ireland during the summer, the places you're most likely to find them - minor that they are - are where the tour buses and groups tend to ply: Dublin; Killarney & the Ring of Kerry (Co. Kerry); Galway City; the Blarney Stone area (Co. Cork); and probably the city of Cork itself. Otherwise, as popular as it is, Ireland remains a relatively un-traveled country, especially in the NW and far NW counties of Galway, Mayo, Sligo and Donegal. Even County Antrim in Northern Ireland - home to the Giant's Causeway, the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge and Bushmill's Distillery - is lightly visited.

Of course, during the "high season" of mid-June to mid-September, you'd expect more travelers and higher airfares than other times of the year. This year, however, has been a boon for budget travelers because of worldwide financial conditions. I've seen July-August fares on Orbitz to Shannon as low as the $400s. Take advantage of it.

Go for it.......and slainte!

i was just in ireland for 10 days in early june...nothing out of the ordinary in terms of crowd...in the past i have been in october, december and may...dublin is always crowded/lively as is galway but everywhere else i went kilkenny, kinsale, dingle were typically comfortable...and as usual many times when you are out and about you rarely see a car or run into anyone...

Thanks so much for your help.