Ireland in December

Much as we’d like to, we don’t hold a crystal ball here at Emerald Heritage so predicating the weather Decembers to come might prove a little tricky…

However, we can tell you that Irish weather is relatively predictable and most Decembers are characterised by dropping temperatures, shorter days with less light and the odd appearance of frost or snow.

Despite December being the traditional “winter” month in everyone’s minds, January and February are actually the coldest months of the calendar year in Ireland.

Good news for anyone considering a visit over the holidays.

Temperatures generally hover around 46F inland but you can expect colder weather along the coasts.

Whilst that might sound like bad news, don’t worry! We’ve learned to adapt and still have plenty of craic over the winter months…

Bus Tours

Despite being a small island, it can be difficult to travel around Ireland without a car…especially during the darker winter months!

So, if you’d still like to get out and about, and see as many sights as possible, then a bus tour might be your best bet!

There are countless variations, from Game of Thrones tours, to east and west coast sightseeing, and more, but if you’re stuck just send us a message and we’ll try our best to help.

Trad Music Sessions

Traditional music sessions are a staple of the Irish pub and music scene and December is no different in that respect.

In fact, as locals get closer to taking holiday breaks, the amount of music sessions generally increases so you’re in luck if you happen to visit during December.

Finding a good trad session can be difficult to the untrained eye. With that in mind, we would recommend asking the staff at your hotel/B&B as well as local staff in restaurants and bars. Someone will point you in the right direction…

Drinks Tasting

Bushmills Distillery, Jameson, Tullamore, Dingle…Guinness!

It’s fair to say there are plenty of opportunities to try a dram or pint of proper Irish taste and the dark, cosy nights of December are the perfect setting for a few tasting sessions.

City Life

Ireland might be considered a rural country by and large, but we have a few gems of cities to explore and there’s no better time than during the winter when you can quickly hope into the nearest pub, café or restaurant to warm up again.

While Dublin and Belfast might steal most of the headlines, we would also highly recommend Galway and Cork, as well as others dotted around the island. 

A Walk in Nature

If you’re happy to brave the elements then you can experience Ireland’s beautiful countryside in the twilight of the year.

From Phoenix Park to the mountains of Mourne and Wicklow, and the Causeway Coastal Route to the Wild Atlantic Way, there is plenty out there. 

All you need is a good coat, hat and scarf combination, alongside some proper walking shoes and you’re all set! 

You can’t talk about visiting Ireland in December without thinking about the Christmas and New Years celebrations at the end of the month.

From Christmas trees to traditional Nativity plays, and from Christmas dinners to New Years celebrations, Ireland follows a similar path each and every December. You can check out our Irish Christmas traditions here. 

As a small thank you for reading our blog, and celebrating our Irish culture, use the code BLOG10 to get 10% off any Irish plot of land available on our store by clicking here.