Weather
Ireland is not a large enough country to have distinct regional weather patterns. Generally, May is up there with the best months of the year weather-wise: average daily high temperatures are up to 59°F (15°C), the month sees the highest daily average amounts of sunshine and the monthly rainfall is as low as it gets in the year.
Killarney & Southwest Ireland
May continues to show off this region in its true loveliness, as spring blooms vibrantly color the landscape from city parks to mountain slopes. The sun helps: there is more of it than any other time of year save April and June. Average rainfall and average numbers of rainy days are way down, too, with May's mere 20 days with some form of precipitation the lowest of any time of year here. Average daily highs, as in other regions this month, top 59°F (15°C).
Dublin & Eastern Ireland
May in Dublin, and along the eastern seaboard, ties for the driest period of the whole year, with just 1.96 inches (50 mm) of average monthly rainfall in Dublin (very low, for Ireland!). Daily hours of sunshine (6) have now peaked at their maximum for the year, which will hold until August. However, water temperatures remain quite low, on a par with January and lower than any other subsequent month in the calendar year: water simply has not had a chance to warm up yet.
Belfast & Northern Ireland
This region makes more big changes weather-wise this month. The average daily temperatures have shot up to match other regions at 59°F (15°C), although average lows are still a mighty cool 43°F (6°C). Meanwhile, rainfall of 1.96 inches (50 mm) on average for the month, is at its annual low.
Crowds & Costs
Ireland's fair weather in May is not much of a secret: many other people are arriving for holidays with the same idea of getting good weather without any of the crowds in mind. But while visitor numbers are visibly up on other months, they are nothing like the summer rush when most families take their holidays and so prices for accommodation and some tours and activities are still down from high season levels. You may find in more popular areas that it is still necessary to book everything well in advance to guarantee your first-choice accommodations and activities.
Where to Go
Killarney & Southwest Ireland
In short: anywhere in the region! Ireland's dry, sunny weather this month entices you to explore the Great Outdoors: what Ireland does best. And in this part of Ireland, the country's most remote, there is more on the agenda than ever. Co. Kerry is a good starting point, with fabulous mountain and coastal hiking on its legendary southwest peninsulas, such as the Kerry Way (Iveragh Peninsula), Dingle Way (Dingle Peninsula), or Beara Way (Beara Peninsula, shared with Co. Cork).
Take a boat trip across to the rocky Skellig Islands near Dingle or, better yet, to the otherworldly and traditional Aran Islands near Galway. Afterward, stop off in Galway itself, buzzing with a couple of festivals this month. Up in Donegal, take to the cliffs at Slieve League, some of the country's highest and most dramatic.
See here for more on the Beara Peninsula.
Dublin & Eastern Ireland
Spend less time in Dublin this month and head out into the countryside, where the most obvious choice south of Dublin is the Wicklow Way for some of the most delightful hiking in the whole region and a top drawer selection of the very best things to do: think chocolate box villages like Enniskerry, crashing waterfalls like Powerscourt Waterfall on the enchanting Powerscourt Estate, wooded hills and monastic ruins like Glendalough Abbey.
Gorgeous sandy beaches line the coast here; some, like Loughshinney, are located within Co. Dublin and are within an easy drive of the city. And consider a trip inland for some memorable festivals this month: to historic Kilkenny if you like roots music or to Co. Westmeath if you like electronic music.
Belfast & Northern Ireland
In May, it's time to focus on outdoor activities. Start with the Causeway Coast, where the UNESCO-listed Giant's Causeway, a swathe of thousands of interconnecting basalt columns, makes for one of the most spectacular coastal attractions you could ever hope to see.
Otherwise, try an exploration of mythical Rathlin Island, where exiled Scottish leader Robert the Bruce once took refuge, or experience the country's northernmost point with a hike to Malin Head. For a longer hike, there is nothing more epic than the Ulster Way, a 636-mile (1,024-km) loop passing through almost all of Northern Ireland and one of the UK's longest and loveliest hiking routes. See here for an itinerary taking in Belfast and Northern Ireland.
Chat with a local specialist who can help organize your trip.
What to Do
Killarney & Southwestern Ireland
Hiking should dominate any May itinerary. Try the hikes such as the Dingle Way mentioned above or just explore the Wild Atlantic Way and stop off in whatever remote part of it you wish. Cycling is particularly fun in May before the roads get too busy. Or see here for a self-guided cycling tour around the Ring of Kerry.
Further north in this region, the snaking lake and surrounding emerald-green hills by Lough Gill inspired WB Yeats and will likely entrance you, too. You can hike here, or go kayaking on the lake. Waves and swells are still perfect for surfing in May too, although this is the last month until the autumn that this is the case: the Sligo and Donegal areas are especially renowned for surfing.
Sligo also has the highest concentration of megalithic monuments in Ireland and a walk to see some of these, such as Carrowkeel and Carrowmore, is special: these monuments are older than the Pyramids at Giza!
Dublin & Eastern Ireland
Lace your hiking boots for some wonderful walking on the Wicklow Way which showcases the very best of Eastern Ireland and kicks off from Dublin's southerly suburbs. Or try exploring some of the region's stunning sandy beaches, lacing all of the eastern coasts, and never better than in the improved, sunnier weather.
Remember that this region is known as 'Ireland's Ancient East' and so, for a great insight into Ireland's prodigious history without spending too much time indoors, visit the Irish National Heritage Park near Wicklow. This walks you through 9,000 years of the country's past in a magical open-air setting. Or explore spectacular ancient sites such as the huge circular megalithic tomb of Newgrange, in Co. Meath.
Belfast & Northern Ireland
Hiking is the activity this month that showcases just how incredible Northern Ireland is. The Causeway Coast is dramatic, but for all the publicity given to the Giant's Causeway, the hike that reveals this region's fantastic scenery better than any other is the 636-mile (1,024-km) Ulster Way, taking the walker to high mountains, wild forests, and lonely lakes as well as the breathtaking coastline.
For a shorter but nevertheless heart-in-mouth walk, brave the vertiginous Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge connecting the wild island of Carrickarede to the mainland. Or you might try spotting locations from the blockbuster TV series "Game of Thrones," which did wonders for Northern Ireland's travel industry. Sights to check out in summer include the Downhill Strand in Co. Derry, and Tollymore Forest Park, in Co. Down.
Events in May
Uisneach Bealtaine Fire Celebration. Held at the beginning of May at the Hill of Uisneach in Co. Westmeath. On this hill, the meeting point of the five ancient counties of Ireland and a very important sacred place to this day, a fire is lit to mark the oncoming of summer.
Kilkenny Roots Festival. In early May, around 30 venues in the historic town of Kilkenny host one of Ireland's major roots and Americana music festivals, with a track record of getting big names.
Life Festival. Ireland's biggest electronic music festival, happening in Co. Westmeath in late May.
Fever Pitch Music Festival. Alternative rock and dance music fest held on Galway's old airport in late May/early June.
Vantastival. Festival-goers can arrive in their camper vans (or tents) to listen to a great selection of Irish music acts in a splendid setting at Beaulieu House in Co. Louth, in late May/early June.
Traveling in Ireland in May? Check out these great itineraries
Dingle Peninsula Walking Tour: Ventry Beach & Slieve Mish Mountains - 5 Days. This 5-day walking tour takes you through the scenic Dingle Peninsula, filled with craggy mountains, sandy beaches, and historic pathways.
Burren, Aran Islands & Connemara Walk - 8 Days. Traverse the spectrum of the Irish landscape with this 8-day walking excursion. You'll go from the lunar rocks of the Burren to the coastal routes of Connemara and the Cliffs of Moher out to the remote wildlife of the Aran Islands.
More Information
Ireland in April
Ireland in June
Best Time to Visit Ireland
Getting Around Ireland