This is my first trip to Ireland and I'll be there mid September. After two nights in Dublin, we'll spend 5 days traveling by bus to destinations south with a final stop at the Cliffs of Moher. I'm bringing casual leather shoes, but for extended walking tours I'd like to wear my walking/ running shoes that are most comfortable, but not waterproof. Will I regret that? How much rain are we talking about this time of year? Thank you for your input. Packing really causes me stress.
Posted by
the great P-NW, USA
665 posts
AI says Ireland gets about 4" of rain in September, spread across roughly 10-20 days.
I'm not sure how much wet feet bother you, but for me, I was very glad to have comfortable waterproof shoes with good treads. (Altra trail runner shoes from REI for me.) They've lasted a long time too.
Posted by
Maryland, USA
177 posts
Take both pairs and don't stress about it. You can make the call daily based on the latest weather report, rather than guessing what it MIGHT be doing 10 days or 2 weeks from now. The weather stats that RS shows for Ireland (on their tour info) says ON AVERAGE there are 18 days without rain in September, but that doesn't mean you won't get rain every day of your trip -- or no rain the whole time.
One tip that is often given on these forums is to wear merino wool socks, which will be warmer and more comfortable even if your shoes do get wet.
Posted by
Colorado Mountains, USA
9228 posts
Check out shoe/boot waterproofing spray. Some are for leather or suede, and others for fabrics. Some can change the color of leather somewhat, so get all details for a particular item.
There’s also Sno-Seal, more for winter footwear or gloves, which might or might not be of interest.
Posted by
Bellingham, WA
2172 posts
Are you going next week or next year? If next week, go with what you have (although I don't know what "casual leather shoes" means). If next year, you could consider waterproof shoes because you would have time to find some you like and break them in. It's impossible to predict the weather in Ireland. It sounds like you'll be on an organized tour, so you'll be stuck with whatever weather happens (vs touring on your own, which allows you to move things around to accommodate changes in weather).