Why Visit Ireland in Summer?

Cyclists exploring the Great Western Greenway

So, let’s start with the easy one – school’s out for the summer! Ireland is the ideal family destination – wild and rugged, it is also a safe way to let your kids explore the Great Outdoors.

As any parent knows, the best time to travel with kids is during the summer, when you have multiple travel dates to choose from (instead of being consigned to one week at Christmas or Thanksgiving), and you don’t have to worry about homework or kids missing school. Let the family adventure begin!

And because of the increased travelling due to school being out, pretty much every attraction, accommodation, restaurant, castle and activity will be open, letting you make the best of your travel adventure in Ireland.

Hanging out with the locals in the Irish summer!

Well – sort of. Ireland is known as the Emerald Isle for good reason – and with all that greenery comes a bit of rain (though that’s not to say you won’t need a waterproof jacket, as you will get some rain while in Ireland – see what to wear while hiking in Ireland). But the months with the most sun (and the least amount of days with any precipitation – roughly half the days of the month) tend to be the summer months: May, June and July. August can be a bit rainy but at least the days are long. In fact, the longest day of the year is June 21, with nearly 20 hours of sunshine.

Exploring downtown Galway.

Whether you’re looking for international flights,  short haul local flights from the UK and Europe, or prefer a good old-fashioned ferry, you’ll have far more choice when it comes to travel. You’ll also have the choice of connecting to certain local airports, like Cork, Kerry or Knock (in northwest Ireland). Tip: Set up an alert to know when you can get the best deals to and from your local airport and favourite destinations!

Find out more about travelling to and from Ireland here.

Carrowkeel tombs on the summer solstice, built 5,000 years ago to align with the sunset.

June 21st is the longest day of the year – and long important to the ancient Celtic peoples who inhabited this island. The days are long, with up to 18-20 hours of sunshine around Midsummer, meaning you’ll get a lot of daylight to enjoy! Also, many of the ancient Neolithic monuments are actually aligned with the summer solstice, which is pretty neat. One such monument is the tombs of Carrowkeel in Co Sligo in Ireland’s northwest. And because they are little-known, you won’t be overwhelmed with other visitors!

• Bike through Sligo on a relaxing Biking & Yoga Escape – choose the option to Make it Private to align it with the summer solstice in Sligo!