Europe

Ireland in February

Quiet and cheap. Lambs appear in the fields late month and the light starts coming back.

Quiet valueStill wintry, highs near 47F (8C), days lengthening

Cliffs of Moher, Ireland — IrelandPhoto: Berthold Werner, CC BY-SA 4.0

The straight answer

February is a quiet, good-value month to visit Ireland. Quiet and cheap. Lambs appear in the fields late month and the light starts coming back.

Weather: Still wintry, highs near 47F (8C), days lengthening
Crowds: 1 of 5
Prices: 1 of 5

What February is like in Ireland

February is still wintry, with highs near 47F (8C), but the days lengthen noticeably and the light starts to come back. Crowds are thin and prices stay low. Late in the month lambs appear in the fields. Rural heritage sites are still on reduced winter hours and many west coast B&Bs have not reopened yet.

It suits couples, city breaks and travelers who like quiet roads and cozy pubs. Scenic drives are possible on the brighter days, but plan them around daylight. If you want everything open and longer days, wait for April or May.

Make the most of February

What is especially good about Ireland this month.

Lambing season begins

Late February brings the first lambs to the fields, a sweet sight on a country drive, especially for kids.

Glendalough in winter

The monastic ruins and lakes south of Dublin feel peaceful and misty with almost nobody around.

Cheap Dublin base

Hotel rates are still near their low, so a central Dublin stay with day trips to Newgrange is good value.

What to pack for February

A warm waterproof jacket
Waterproof boots for muddy paths
A fleece or wool mid layer
Gloves and a warm hat

Our timing tip

Book the Newgrange guided tour from the visitor centre ahead of time, since winter has fewer tour slots.

Book Ireland for February.

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Hotels. Expedia
Hotels in Ireland
Opens a hotel search for Ireland in February, dates filled in. Book early for the best months: the good rooms go first.
Hotels for February
Vacation rentals. Vrbo
Vacation rentals in Ireland
Whole homes, condos and villas. Usually the better deal for families and groups, with a kitchen and room to spread out.
Rentals on Vrbo
Tours and tickets. Expedia
Tours and tickets in Ireland
Timed-entry tickets, day trips and guided tours in Ireland for February. Popular slots sell out in the best months.
Tours and tickets

Things to do in Ireland

Full guide

Cliffs of Moher

Arrive before 10am or after 5pm in season; midday belongs to the coach tours. The cliff walk toward Hags Head escapes most of the crowd.

Tickets and tours →

Ring of Kerry

Drive it counterclockwise like the buses do to avoid meeting them head-on on narrow roads, and start early. Killarney National Park anchors the loop.

Tickets and tours →

Dublin's museum quarter

The National Museum's gold and bog bodies, Trinity's Book of Kells, and the National Gallery, all walkable. Book Kells tickets ahead in summer.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

Galway and Connemara

Galway is the base; Connemara's bog-and-mountain emptiness is the point. Kylemore Abbey is the postcard stop.

Tickets and tours →

Newgrange (Bru na Boinne)

A 5,000-year-old passage tomb north of Dublin. Access is by guided tour from the visitor centre and slots cap out in summer, so book ahead.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

Dingle Peninsula

Many travelers' favorite corner of Ireland: the Slea Head loop, beehive huts, and a working fishing town full of music.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

Beat the crowds

Do the Cliffs of Moher and the Ring of Kerry before 10am; the coach-tour wave runs roughly 10:30am to 4pm and then vanishes.
Base yourself in Dingle or Kenmare instead of Killarney in summer: same scenery, calmer evenings, better tables without a booking.
Book Newgrange, Kilmainham Gaol, and the Book of Kells online well ahead in June through August; all three cap daily numbers and sell out.
Take the Ring of Beara or the Sky Road in Connemara when the Ring of Kerry is heaving; they are just as good and carry a fraction of the traffic.

Know before you go

Skellig Michael landings run only from roughly mid May to late September, and even in season boats cancel frequently for swell. Book early and build in a spare day.
Many rural and heritage attractions run reduced winter hours from roughly November through mid March, and some smaller sites close entirely; city museums and castles stay open year-round.
Good Friday and Christmas (December 24 to 26) close most attractions, and almost everything shuts on Christmas Day itself, including most pubs.
St. Patrick's Day is a national holiday: the party is on but banks, shops, and some sights close, and Dublin accommodation sells out months out.