Month guide · Dublin · Ireland
Dublin in May
What May is really like in Dublin: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: William Murphy, CC BY-SA 2.0
Quick answer
May is one of the best months to visit Dublin. Expect average highs of 15°C (59°F), lows of 7°C (45°F), about 10 rainy days and roughly 15.8 hours of daylight. Often one of the sunniest months, with long evenings and gardens in flower; a good time for coastal walks.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 15°C (59°F) / 7°C (45°F)
- Rainy days
- About 10
- Daylight
- About 15.8 hours
- Sea temperature
- 11°C (52°F)
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in May
May is the 5th-warmest month in Dublin: days average 15°C (59°F) against a yearly average high of 13°C (55°F), and nights fall to about 7°C (45°F). Rain falls on roughly 10 of its 31 days. Compared with April (13°C (55°F)), May is warmer; by June highs climb to around 18°C (64°F).
- Sunrise (15 May)
- About 05:25
- Sunset (15 May)
- About 21:17
- Daylight
- About 15.8 hours
- Sea
- 11°C (52°F)
Spring (March–May). Daffodils, St Patrick's Festival and lengthening days; showers are frequent, but May is often sunny.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, May rates 3 for crowds (the peak is July at 5) and 3 for hotel prices (highest in July). Prices sit in the middle of the year's range.
Events in May
- Dublin Dance Festival (usually May)
Dates move from year to year. Check the organiser’s site before booking travel around an event.
What to do in May
With frequent rain, plan around indoor sights and keep outdoor time flexible.
Museum · Trinity College
Trinity College and the Book of Kells
The cobbled campus itself is free to walk through; come early or late in the day, when Front Square is quiet.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- History
- Art
- Rainy day
Museum · The Liberties
Guinness Storehouse
A seven-storey former fermentation building at the St James's Gate brewery, shaped inside like a giant pint glass, tells the story of Guinness from Arthur Guinness's 9,000-year lease of 1759 to its famous advertising.
- Time needed
- 2–2.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Views
- Rainy day
- Food
Historic site · Kilmainham
Kilmainham Gaol
Combine it with the Irish Museum of Modern Art in the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, about a 10-minute walk away.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Iconic
- Rainy day
Museum · Kildare Street
National Museum of Ireland – Archaeology
Ireland's archaeology museum on Kildare Street displays Bronze Age gold, the Ardagh Chalice and the Tara Brooch, Viking finds from Dublin and the 'Kingship and Sacrifice' gallery of Iron Age bog bodies preserved in peat.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Rainy day
- Kids
What to pack
For highs near 15°C, lows near 7°C and 10 wet days: layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings; a packable rain jacket for showers; comfortable walking shoes.
Is May a good time to visit Dublin?
One of the best months to visit Dublin, with a notable event on the calendar. The other best months are June–September. Compare every month.
Dublin in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is May a good time to visit Dublin?
It is one of the best months to visit Dublin. Often one of the sunniest months, with long evenings and gardens in flower; a good time for coastal walks.
+How warm is Dublin in May?
Average highs are around 15°C (59°F) and lows around 7°C (45°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Dublin in May?
Expect rain on about 10 days of the month.