What To Wear in Ireland in March

What To Wear in Ireland in March

ByTinyboots

What To Wear in Ireland in March

Are you visiting Ireland for St Patrick’s Day or maybe you’re just here for a trip. Either way, I’m sure you’ve found yourself googling “What To Wear Ireland March” and I don’t blame you. The Irish weather can be as unpredictable as ….. and it’s best to be prepared. As someone with great experience with the Irish weather (Hi I’m Sarah, I was born here and unlike half the country who emigrate, I’ve been here my whole life!). So I think I’m a prime source to help you out.  So let’s explore What to wear in Ireland in March, because it’s tricky!

Ireland Weather in March – What does Ireland look like in March?

How cold is Ireland in March?

To give you an idea though the average temperatures in Dublin for March would be  9°C (48°F) at the beginning of March to 11°C (51°F) by the end of the month. Now that’s not the coldest, but it’s certainly not warm. And, due to the humidity levels and wind, it can feel even colder! It is also noted as a wet month.

Is it worth going to Ireland in March?

So yeah, cold, windy and wet, not too inviting is it!? That said, sometimes Ireland can look magical even in the gloomy weather. And it feels magical ALWAYS! All you need to do is wrap up and be ready for it! It’s absolutely worth visiting Ireland in March as we have lots happening. Of course, we have St Patrick’s Day celebrations. I’m sure you know but the holiday originates from Ireland after St Patrick drove the snakes *cough* pagans (weird that we celebrate this) from the land of Ireland.
St Patrick’s Day is one of the country’s biggest celebrations. Now while America does most things bigger – I can only imagine that experiencing it in Ireland for a non-Irish person would be really fun.

Here are some other festivals and happenings in March in Ireland:

Cultural & Arts Festivals

  • Dublin International Film Festival (DIFF) – Usually late February to early March, showcasing Irish and intranational films.
  • Ennis Book Club Festival (Clare) – A literary festival featuring author talks, readings, and workshops.
  • Cork St. Patrick’s Festival – While linked to St. Patrick’s, this festival includes a wider celebration of arts, music, and theatre.

Music & Traditional Events

  • Kilkenny Tradfest – A traditional Irish music festival with live performances in pubs and venues across the city.
  • Seachtain na Gaeilge – A two-week-long celebration of the Irish language, with cultural events, music, and storytelling across the country.

Food & Drink Festivals

  • Alltech Craft Brews & Food Fair (Dublin) – A large gathering of craft beer and food enthusiasts.
  • Boyne Valley Food Series – Seasonal food events and tastings celebrating local produce in Meath and Louth.

What To Wear Ireland march – What do you wear in Ireland in March?

So, what do you wear in Ireland in March? I’d say – like with all months in Ireland – you need to be prepared for a few different conditions.  Prepare for wind, rain and cool/mild temperatures. Unfortunately for you, I don’t think you will need to prepare for “warm conditions”. The warmest March on record in Ireland was in 1957, and even at that the temperature didn’t go above 13.4°C (56.1°F).
What To Wear in Ireland in March

Here are the clothing essentials I’d recommend:

  • Waterproof Jacket/outer layer – A good waterproof jacket (with a hood!) and a warm option
  • Layers, Layers, Layers! – Ireland’s weather changes quickly, so dressing in layers is key:
  • Base layer: Long-sleeve shirts, thermals, or light sweaters.
  • Mid-layer: A fleece, warm sweater/jumper, or light down jacket for insulation.
  • Comfortable Pants – Jeans or warm leggings are fine, but it’s good to bring something quick-drying (denim stays wet for ages if it rains).
  • Accessories for the Chill – A scarf, gloves, and a beanie or hat can be useful, especially if it gets windy.

What To Wear in Ireland in March

Now of course you might not need all of these, but it’s good to be prepared. You might be able to go without the thermal base layers. Or maybe you won’t need a big warm jacket or gloves. But in Ireland there’s a famous phrase “four seasons in one day” so regardless of the weather forecast, you would want to be prepared!

Waterproof Jacket for Ireland

Lightweight waterproof jacket

Waterproof Jacket – you could go with something lightweight. I use a lightweight jacket so that I can pack it in a backpack easily if it’s not needed. Focus on warmer layers underneath and a lighter jacket I would say.

My go-to jacket is a Dare2B jacket as their waterproof technology is fantastic. I have a lighter option and a heavier one that I alternate between depending on the weather. IE link. UK Link.

Warmer Jacket

I have a heavy insulated jacket which I use for colder spells. Now ideally this wouldn’t be needed but it might be a good idea to pack a heavier jacket just in case frost or – god forbid – snow makes an appearance!

My insulated jacket is also a Dare2b option – Click for IE , Click for UK

Mid Layer

My go-to mid-layer is either an Irish Aran Jumper (they are so unbelievably warm – and a great souvenir option), a warm fleece or at times I will wear a lightweight Patagonia down jacket under my outer layer if it’s really chilly.

Base Layer

It’s good to have a thermal layer (top and leggings) to wear as a base. Mine are also Dare2b (I could be an ambassador at this stage!!) but you can also pick some up in your local stores.

My Dare2b base layers IE , UK .

What to wear Ireland march ladies and men

So I’m a woman funnily enough, and what I’m wearing in March depends on two things:
  • What I’m doing
  • The weather forecast

A day exploring (mild weather forecast):

And what I wear would absolutely apply to men as well. If it’s mild I’d skip my base layers and just wear a t-shirt and jeans with a nice warm jumper and my waterproof jacket. My runners/sneakers are also waterproof so I’d go with them if I want to be really comfy.  I think this applies to both men and women.

What to wear Ireland March Ladies

Now if I was exploring the city and wanted to look a bit dressier, I might choose a nice skirt or casual dress and wear tights, warm socks and comfy boots for walking around (waterproof material). The rest would be the same: tights, skirt, jumper, jacket.

A day exploring (cold weather forecast):

If we’re experiencing colder weather I’d go in with thermals underneath the above. And I’d wear a hat and have gloves with me too.

 

Other

I would say avoid umbrellas at all costs. The wind is generally too strong to use them so it is a waste of space in your bag.

Hope this post helped! Check out Tinyboots_travels for more Ireland-related content!

 

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