I have visited Ireland in the past, ones in Mid April and another in early June. We are figure out a date for our next trip there, we were hoping for August or September but the availability of myself and those who I'll be traveling with doesn't make that look promising...I'm now thinking the 3rd week of October may be the plan.
Has anybody ever visited Ireland in mid-late October? I know it may be a bit rainier and less day light, closer to my visit one April. Any other concerns or thoughts I should take into consideration?
Posted by
Tunbridge Wells
6113 posts
October is one of Ireland’s wettest months. School holidays are usually the last week of October.
Posted by
Mid-Atlantic area
7100 posts
Was there 6-16 October 2010. Looking at my photos we had a combination of rain, sun, and cloudy, and some warmer and cooler days. We thoroughly enjoyed that trip.
Posted by
Colorado Springs
2976 posts
I think you'll find the weather in October to be pretty similar to what you experienced in April so you already know the drill: bring your waterproofs, be prepared for all 4 seasons in one day, and get an early start to maximize your daylight time.
Posted by
Chicago
549 posts
I visited Ireland in October 1997 and November 2002. Though it is cool, it was nothing a Chicagoan or New Yorker couldn't handle. There early zero tourists. Outside Dublin, some sites were closed early or weren't even open, but it was great to be in Dublin that time of year. None of the tourist hordes were there.
Posted by
Kihei, Hawaii
475 posts
We visited in October 2016 and it was lovely ~ you get a bit of rain each day but it was light rain.
We are headed there again this October. Just be prepared for rain!
Posted by
Austria
24 posts
Just retuning from a week there, wear layers, prepare for rain and then sunbreaks and anything in between. Will be chilly, regardless. Had some beautiful autumn days, and rain doesn’t bother anyone. Have fun!
Posted by
Lincolnshire, UK
2235 posts
With luck you should get some good autumn colours too.
Posted by
Sacramento, California U.S.A.
10580 posts
We have been there the last week of April one year, and were just there in August/early September for 2 weeks. Our B&B host in Dingle mentioned that they close down for the off season at the end of September. I mention this because in smaller places you may have more difficulty finding lodging.
Posted by
Kihei, Hawaii
475 posts
We were just there from the 11th-24th and it was lovely, fall weather. We actually had 3-4 days of total sunshine. The rest of the days were temperate with a mix of sun and light rain showers. The only day it really rained was the day we left. I love October ~ it's beautiful and not as crowded.
Posted by
OP
20 posts
I"m happy to reply that we DID end up going in October and it was wonderful! We were there from 10/20/22- 10/28/22. We packed hats and gloves as a precaution but never needed them, most days a light fleece was sufficient. Not everything was open, but we also had no trouble booking a few bnb's on the fly. We also didn't need a single reservation for restaurants, (except Fishy Fish in Kinsale, but we only made it the same day). Of course a rain jacket is a necessity, as sunshine, rainbows and sideways rain showers could all be experienced in the same hour. The most noticeable thing for our October visit vs. prior years was the sunsets hours sooner than our April or June visit. I'd certainly recommend as a nice time to visit!
Posted by
Silver Spring, MD
90 posts
We were just there, Oct 9-19. We were very lucky as far as weather, high 50s and rain in the mornings. We had a glorious day on Inishmore - about 58°, and sunny the entire day, which was a miracle. We did have rain and wind which kept us from walking the Cliffs of Moher, and we had rain early in the morning in Carrick-on-Shannon, County Leitrim. A real Nor'easter, but it cleared up for our drive back to Dublin. Don't let the weather deter you from what is a wonder country.