Ireland Summer Packing List: What to Wear in June, July, and August (+ Free Printable List)
Summer in Ireland is chef’s kiss, the temperature is mild, everything is super green, and daylight stretches past 10 PM. However, you have to remember that “summer” in Ireland means something different than what you are probably used to. During your summer trip to Ireland, you’ll likely get sunshine, wind, and sideways rain in the same afternoon. So if you’re planning your dream trip, here’s exactly what to pack for Ireland in the summer.
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Table of Contents
Ireland Weather in Summer
Summer in Ireland runs June through August, and “summer” is doing some heavy lifting in that sentence. Expect temperatures roughly between 50–66°F (10–19°C), with the occasional glorious day that climbs higher and sends the entire country to the beach.
The real thing to understand isn’t the temperature; it’s the variability. We visited in early June and had rain on quite a few days (okay, every single day for a least a little bit). We also hiked Diamond Hill in Connemara starting in full sunshine and finishing in zero visibility and sleet. In June. So…be prepared.
The upside? The daylight is incredible. In June the sun is up around 5 AM and doesn’t set until nearly 10 PM (even later up in Northern Ireland), which meant we could squeeze in extra stops and spontaneous detours without ever feeling rushed.
| Location | Summer Weather |
|---|---|
| Dublin (East Coast) | The driest part of the country. Highs around 61–66°F (16–19°C), lows near 51°F (11°C). Showers happen, but you’ll get plenty of sun. |
| Belfast (Northern Ireland) | Very similar to Dublin, slightly cooler. Long evenings — the latest sunsets in the whole country. |
| Galway & Connemara (West) | Mild but noticeably wetter and windier. Highs around 64°F (18°C). This is where “four seasons in one day” earns its reputation. |
| Killarney & Kerry (Southwest) | Highs near 64°F (18°C), lows dipping to 48–50°F (9–10°C) at night. High rainfall — it’s beautiful because it’s wet. |
| Dingle Peninsula & the Coast | Same temps, but add wind. Constant, cliff-top, hold-onto-your-hat wind. Feels 10 degrees cooler than the forecast. |
| Causeway Coast (N. Ireland) | Exposed and breezy. Attractions occasionally close for high winds — it happened to us at Carrick-a-Rede. |
Month by Month
- June: The longest days of the year and one of the sunniest months. Average highs around 64°F (18°C), lows near 52°F (11°C). This is when we went, and I’d pick it again.
- July: The warmest month, with highs around 66°F (19°C). Also peak season — biggest crowds, highest prices, most festivals.
- August: Temperatures hold steady with July, but it’s historically wetter, and you lose roughly an hour of evening daylight over the course of the month. Still gorgeous. Just pack the rain gear with a little more conviction.
My best advice: Don’t let the rain wreck your trip. It’s going to happen. Bring the waterproof gear, accept that your hair has other plans (my fellow curly girls can definitely relate), and let it add to the Irish charm.
What Clothes Should I Pack for Summer in Ireland?
Because Irish summer weather can swing from actually warm to actually sleeting in a single hike, packing here is entirely about layers and versatility. You want pieces that work for a cliff walk, a castle tour, and a pub at 11 PM … often on the same day (as we did in this 10-day road trip!)
Here’s the breakdown:
Layering Basics
- Lightweight, breathable tops for the warm afternoons. Yes, they do sometimes exist. We had several days sunny enough that I wished for more short sleeves.
- A fleece or cozy sweater for mornings, evenings, and every single coastal viewpoint.
- Merino base layers if you’re hiking. They’re lightweight, pack down to nothing, and are worth it the one day you desperately need them.
- A wool sweater (or, hear me out, buy one in Galway). The Latin Quarter is full of shops selling authentic Irish wool sweaters, and it doubles as your souvenir. Zero suitcase space required on the way over.
Jacket
If you know me, you know it rains on every trip I take, and Ireland was not about to break my streak.
- A waterproof, windproof rain shell with a hood. This is the single most important item on this entire list. Not water-resistant. Waterproof. And skip the umbrella as your main defense — Irish coastal wind will turn it inside out in about eleven seconds. We both brought an umbrella and used it once for about 10 minutes in Galway.
- A packable puffer for chilly mornings, castle grounds, and boat rides.
Note! Look for a shell that packs down small enough to live in your day bag permanently. You will not want to run back to the car, and on the Causeway Coast there often isn’t one nearby.
Bottoms
- Comfortable jeans or lightweight pants for towns and pubs. Killarney on a Saturday night is so much fun and you’ll want something that isn’t hiking gear.
- Leggings or hiking pants for trail days. The more waterproof the better.
- One pair of shorts, optimistically. You might get two warm days. You might get none. They weigh nothing.
- A dress or one nicer outfit if you’re doing afternoon tea or a castle hotel dinner. We did both, and while nowhere was strictly formal, I was glad not to be in trail pants at Ballynahinch.
Tip! Some upscale castle hotels and restaurants do have evening dress codes. Check before you go so you’re not scrambling.
Shoes
This is where I have OPINIONS, because Irish trails are wet, muddy, and frequently just… a field.
- Waterproof everyday shoes. My Vessi boots were the MVP of the entire trip. My feet were completely dry all week. (Cannot say the same about the rest of my gear.)
- Waterproof hiking boots with actual ankle support and grip. Between Tollymore Forest, Diamond Hill, Fair Head, and Dunmore Head, we were on trails almost every day. I’m wearing Merrells now but have also liked Keens.
- Casual sneakers or flats for cities and evenings out. Dublin and Galway are extremely walkable, and you’ll do miles without noticing.
Skip: Anything suede, anything white, anything you’d be sad to see caked in mud.
Accessories
- A beanie. In June. I’m serious — Fair Head and Dunmore Head were cold.
- A hat for sun, because the days you do get sun, you’re outside for fourteen hours of it.
- Sunglasses. The light stretches so late into the evening that you’ll want them at 9 PM.
- A scarf that works as a layer, a wind block, and a blanket on long drives.
- A swimsuit if your hotel has a spa or sauna. We booked a morning sauna slot at Ballynahinch Castle and it was one of my favorite hours of the trip.
- Gloves if you’re hiking exposed coastline. Overkill until suddenly it isn’t.
Hiking & Outdoor Gear Packing List
Ireland’s best moments happen on trails — cliff paths, forest loops, castle ruins you have to walk to. Here’s the gear that made those days better.
Daypack
- A lightweight pack for water, snacks, and the layers you’ll be taking on and off constantly. Mine is a $40 Amazon situation I’ve used for five years, so don’t feel pressure to go fancy. Psst: here are the best-rated day packs under $100!
- Make sure it has a rain cover or bring a dry bag for your camera and phone.
Reusable Water Bottle
- Tap water is safe to drink throughout Ireland and Northern Ireland, so a refillable bottle saves you money and plastic all week.
- I’m a hydration pack person, my husband is decidedly not. Either works — just bring something.
Hiking Socks + Blister Prevention
- Merino wool socks — they keep working when damp, which cotton absolutely does not.
- Pack blister pads and anti-blister balm. Wet feet plus miles equals hot spots, and there’s no pharmacy at the top of Diamond Hill.
Trekking Poles
- Trekking poles are worth it if you’re doing the steeper hikes. My knees have opinions about descents and they are rarely positive ones.
Small First Aid Kit
- Bandages, antiseptic wipes, pain relievers, blister care. Better safe than sorry, especially on the trails where we were legitimately the only people out there.
Quick-Dry Towel
- For rain, for a swim, for wiping down a picnic bench at Ballintoy Harbour. Packs flat and earns its space.
Travel Essentials for Ireland in Summer
Here’s where Ireland has a few quirks that other destinations don’t — especially if your trip crosses between the Republic and Northern Ireland like ours did.
- Passport & copies. Sorry to state the obvious.
- UK ETA (if visiting Northern Ireland). This one surprises a lot of first-timers! Northern Ireland is part of the UK, so you’ll need a separate travel authorization. It’s simple to do online and links to your passport. (Ours was never checked, but I’d rather have it.)
- Type G power adapter. Good news: the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland use the same three-pin plug, so you only need one kind. Most phone and laptop chargers are dual voltage — but check anything with a heating element, like a curling iron.
- Power bank. Long days of navigating, photos, and maps drain a phone fast.
- Cash in BOTH currencies. Ireland uses euros (€), Northern Ireland uses British pounds (£). Cards work almost everywhere, but we needed cash for the honor-system parking lot at Fair Head (£3) and for lunch at Lord Brandon’s Cottage during our Gap of Dunloe tour. Small amounts, but genuinely necessary.
- Packing cubes. We switched hotels constantly on this road trip and basically lived out of the car. Cubes were the only reason it wasn’t chaos.
- Compact travel umbrella for cities. Useless in coastal wind, great in Dublin.
- Travel pillow for the overnight flight.
Note! If you’re renting a car, look into your credit card’s rental insurance before you go. We usually rely on our Capital One Venture X — and found out at the counter that Ireland is an exception. It cost us a PRETTY PENNY. Not a packing item, I know, but it belongs in the “wish I’d known” pile.
Toiletries & Health Items
- Sunscreen. People underestimate this constantly. The sun is out for sixteen hours in June and it will get you.
- Lip balm and lotion. Irish wind is genuinely drying — this isn’t optional for me anymore.
- Insect repellent. Midges are real on the west coast, particularly around lakes and forests on still summer evenings. Connemara and Kerry, I’m looking at you.
- Motion sickness tablets. Between narrow winding roads, a boat ride through the Lakes of Killarney, and the coastal drives, somebody in your group will want these.
- Refillable toiletry bottles if you’re a carry-on-only person like me.
- Prescriptions plus a copy, enough for the full trip.
- Travel toothbrush, painkillers, deodorant, razor.
Extras to Make Your Trip to Ireland Easier
These aren’t strictly necessary, but they made things nicer:
- Noise-canceling headphones for the overnight flight. I slept a grand total of 2 hours and 41 minutes on ours, so learn from me.
- A dry bag or waterproof phone pouch. You will be taking photos in the rain. Repeatedly.
- Offline maps downloaded. Cell service drops out in Connemara and along parts of the Wild Atlantic Way.
- Kindle for rainy afternoons and long flights.
- Travel laundry bag — critical if you’re road-tripping and using the car as your closet.
- Snacks for the car. Stops between attractions can be farther apart than you’d think.
- A small daypack that folds flat so you’re not hauling your big bag into every castle.
What NOT to Pack for Ireland in Summer
Let’s save you some suitcase space:
- A giant winter coat. Layers beat bulk here, always.
- A full-size umbrella. The wind will win.
- Lots of sundresses. I know they’re cute. You’ll wear one, maybe two.
- Heels. Cobblestones, wet stone, and castle stairs say no.
- A wool sweater from home. Buy it in Galway. It’s better and it’s a souvenir.
Ireland Summer Packing List FREE Printable
I hope this Ireland summer packing list is helpful! If you’re anything like me, packing stresses you out to the MAX, and seeing what someone else actually brought (and what they wished they’d brought) makes it so much easier.
Here’s a FREE PRINTABLE packing list in case you’re a paper-and-pencil type of human (I 1000 percent am). Plus it’s cute, and checking things off is deeply satisfying.
Keep reading! Ready to plan the whole thing? Here’s my exact 10 Day Ireland Road Trip Itinerary — and if you’re a Game of Thrones fan, don’t miss 3 Days in Northern Ireland for Game of Thrones Fans.
Questions about planning your Ireland trip? I’m always happy to help over on Instagram, or check out my trip planning services.
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