Weather in Ireland in May
May in Ireland is cool outdoor weather: usable if you dress for it, not a beach brief.
A country pin in May is a warning: one region of Ireland will not match another. Use a city page if you already know where you are going. Compared with July and January, May sits in the middle of Ireland's year.
- Average temp
- 11°C
7–16°C
- Rainfall
- 56 mm
Showers likely
- Sunshine
- 5.6 h
hours per day
- Wind
- 18 km/h
What to expect
Daytime
Cool days in Ireland: a jumper you can take off, a shell in the bag. Walking is fine. Lingering outside without a layer is optimism.
Mornings and evenings are colder than the postcard. Pack for both, especially if you leave the built-up centre.
Rain
May is on the drier side of the year in Ireland. Showers are possible. They do not define the month.
A shell that lives in the bag is enough. This is not November, and it should not be packed as if it were.
Evening
Evenings are cooler. A layer helps after sunset.
What to pack
Rain jacket
A layer for cooler evenings
Where to stay in Ireland
Featured stays on trip1. Dates are a starting point for May.
Travel guides for Ireland
What to read before you book.
Average weather in Ireland
TemperatureRainfall
Similar weather in May
Other destinations whose May averages sit close to this one.
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FAQs about Ireland
Climate averages for Ireland, 1991–2020.
The best time to visit Ireland is between May and October, the most comfortable stretch of the year on these averages.
July is the hottest month, with an average around 15°C.
October is the wettest month, with about 96 mm of rain.
No. These are 1991–2020 climate normals from Meteostat, not a live forecast. Actual weather in any given week can differ.
