Updated October 2025–Ireland can be great at any time of year, but December may not be high on the list for most visitors, partly because it’s colder (average temperature is 45 degrees Fahrenheit/7 degrees Celsius) and the days are very short, which means you won’t see as much as you would during the summer months.
However, if you’re spending a few days in Dublin, there are free museums to visit.
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And across the country, there are greenways that you can walk or cycle on if the weather is dry, and let’s not forget the many cozy pubs you’ll find in cities, towns, and villages across the island that are even more inviting with a roaring turf fire.
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Here are 6 ways that you can enjoy December in Ireland.
1. Take a Winter Walk
Ireland’s mountains are small compared to ranges elsewhere around the world. But that doesn’t mean they’re any easier to climb.
In fact, during the winter months, they can be quite challenging.
With that said, I don’t encourage mountain hiking unless you are experienced given not only the mountain terrain that could very be snowy at higher elevations but also because of Ireland’s changing weather patterns — even over the course of a few hours.
However, you can still enjoy the beautiful Irish countryside in December by taking to the country’s many greenways which have been developed with moderate walking and cycling in mind.
If you’re visiting the West of Ireland, I’d recommend the Great Western Greenway, which starts about 500 meters (a quarter mile) outside the town of Westport (the route starts close to the Paddy and Nelly Bike Hire shop).
The 42-kilometer (26-mile) trek might be a bit long to attempt during the winter months but feel free to hop on the greenway at any entry point along the way.
The Mulranny to Newport section of the greenway is the most popular, with stunning views over Clew Bay and the hundreds of islands that are part of it.
You’ll see Croagh Patrick, Ireland’s Holy Mountain, also in the distance.
You can easily rent bikes at Clew Bay Bike Hire.
Greenways that are worth exploring in other parts of Ireland include the Waterford Greenway; the Old Rail Trail in County Westmeath; the Limerick Greenway; the Royal Canal Greenway, and the Suir Blueway/Greenway.
If you plan to use any of the greenways mentioned above, be sure to dress warmly and check the weather forecast beforehand.
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2. Attend a Christmas Market or a Christmas-Themed Walking Tour
While cities like Budapest, Dresden, and Vienna have been firm favorites for visitors looking to explore Christmas markets in Europe, there are several Christmas markets in Ireland that are worth visiting in December.
WATERFORD
Ireland’s oldest Viking city comes alive during the city’s annual Winterval Market, which is one of Ireland’s most successful Christmas markets.
This year’s event begins on Nov. 21st and runs through Dec. 23rd.
It includes the Continental Christmas Market Quarter located on John Roberts Square/Broad Street; the Elfstival Festival Family Quarter in Arundel Square; The Ever-Greenway Quarter at the city’s Apple Market; the Christmas Cultural Quarter at Great George’s Street/O’Connell Street, and the Winterval Wonder-Events Quarter located in The Viking Triangle.
Also in Waterford is the Parkswood Tree Centre Christmas Market in Passage East, about a 20 minute drive from Waterford City.
Choose from a variety of arts and crafts holiday items, including paintings, hand-crafted gifts, unique garden gifts, and handmade Christmas cards, to name a few.
Locals can choose their own Christmas tree here.
This family owned market will open Dec. 1st and run through Dec. 23rd on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Entry is free.
GALWAY
Galway City’s Christmas Market is also a very popular annual event and is in fact the long-running holiday market in the country.
This year’s market begins on Nov. 7th and ends on Dec. 31st.
A 32-meter high (104-foot) Big Wheel and traditional carousel, amusement rides, Santa’s Express train rides, live musical performances, and Santa’s Grotto are just some of the fun things you can expect to see at this popular family event.
In addition to the 50+ stalls selling Christmas ornaments and other holiday gift favorites, you can also expect to see plenty of food and drink at the Galway Christmas Market.
The market will be open from Monday to Wednesday, 12 noon – 8 p.m. (the Bier Keller tent/bar will remain open until 10pm); Thursday to Saturday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m., and Sunday, 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
DUBLIN
A new holiday celebration called Twinkletown will transform the city’s Smithfield Square into a magical, festive wonderland and include an ice skating rink, a Christmas market, a big wheel and the show, Santo Panto and the Magic Present Machine, described as “a heart-warming live show packed with music, laughter, magic and a healthy dose of mayhem.”
Twinkletown will be open from Friday, Nov. 28th through Sunday, Jan. 4th. It will be open Monday-Friday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on the weekends from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
While you’re visiting Dublin in December, I suggest you also check out Gifted: The Contemporary Craft & Design Fair at the RDS, which will run from Dec. 3rd through the 7th.
It will include Ireland’s largest selection of unique gifts under one roof, including the “Spectacular Christmas Food Emporium.”
Farmleigh House & Estate in The Phoenix Park will hold its annual food and craft market over three weekends in December.
Over three weekends in December, visitors can enjoy horse and carriage rides, magic/puppet shows, storytelling, carol singing in the ballroom, barbershop carol singers, a festive food and craft market, Victorian dress-up, and the estate’s beautiful crib and Christmas tree, including the opportunity to purchase handmade items that might serve as cute souvenirs or Christmas gifts.
Events will take place on Saturdays and Sundays: Dec. 6th and 7th, Dec. 13th & 14th, and Dec. 20th & 21st. More details will be released soon.
A brand new evening tour for the festive season has just been launched by Dublin Heritage Tours.
If you’re looking for something fun to do in Dublin around Christmas-time, this is the tour for you. It includes plenty of insight on Irish Christmas traditions old and new, plus some twinkling lights and merriment, all ending at a very festive city-center pub.
BELFAST
The Belfast Christmas Market, in its 13th year, will run from Nov. 15th through Dec. 22nd. Hours include Monday to Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Thursday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
As is customary each year, Belfast City Hall will be transformed into a traditional German-style holiday market with at least 90 wooden chalets.
Expect to find lots of holiday gift items at this fun market, which also includes a food court with cuisines from 32 or more nations.
Lots of activities for the kiddos too, including a Santa Train and more.
CORK
What used to be Glow Cork is now known as “Corkmas,” Cork City’s celebration of the Christmas holiday with lights and Christmas trees shining bright in the city center.
The Corkmas holiday celebration will take place between Nov. 14th and December 31st.
According to the Cork City Council website, “planning is currently underway for Corkmas 2025, which will see the return of the Corkmas Parade, Christmas Market, iconic Ferris Wheel and much, much more.”
3. Experience The Northern Lights and Star Gazing
While September and March are typically the best months to see the Northern Lights in Ireland, you can, if you’re lucky, see them in December too.
Under the right conditions (dark, clear skies with no cloud cover), they are best seen in Malin Head, County Donegal, Ireland’s most northerly point, and the beginning of the Wild Atlantic Way if you are traveling north-south.
Other spots in County Donegal worth visiting if a Northern Lights sighting is on your agenda include Dunree Head, Fanad Head, and Glencolmcille, all on the Inishowen Peninsula.
If you are interested in receiving Northern Lights alerts, be sure to follow the Aurora Alerts Ireland Facebook page or the Donegal Weather Channel website.
December is also a great time to do some star gazing, and there are three dark sky parks that are perfect for this winter activity.
They include County Kerry’s Dark Sky Reserve, County Tyrone’s Om Dark Sky Park, which includes the popular Stars and Stones experience combining aspects of astronomy and archaeology, in addition to the Mayo International Dark Sky Park located in the Wild Nephin National Park in North Mayo.
Read More: Ireland’s Weather and What to Expect on Your Visit
4. Attend a Festival or Other Special Event in December
There are numerous festivals happening across Ireland throughout the year and December is no different.
Here are some that you might want to add to your list of things to do.
Dublin Winter Lights Festival
In early December, Dublin will officially launch its annual Winter Lights Festival that promises to transform the city center into a winter wonderland of colorful lights through the Christmas holiday.
The spectacle will illuminate the city’s iconic landmarks, such as Merrion Square Park, the Spire on O’Connell Street, the Ha’ Penny Bridge, the GPO, Dublin Castle, Wolfe Tone Square, Meeting House Square, and all along the River Liffey.
There will be one ticketed event at Merrion Square Park, where visitors will be able to explore the many projection installations and LED lights shining through the trees and across the park, as well as the games, photo opportunities, light sculptures and other surprises that await.
Tickets are now available, with a €2 charge per adult. Two children will be admitted free.
There will also be a relaxed viewing times slot available every evening from 5-5:30 p.m., offering those who are neurodiverse the opportunity the park during a more quieted period when no music is played and there is more space to move about.
In addition, there will be a designated mobile sensory unit away from the lights and sounds in the park for use during the entirety of the event.
Wonderlights – Dublin & Cork
Ireland’s largest-ever light show can be experienced in the Dublin area again this holiday season.
Ireland’s largest and most mesmerizing immersive light show experience will once again take place at Malahide Castle and Gardens from Nov. 14th through early January.
The castle, located in one of Dublin’s popular seaside towns, is easily accessible on the DART train from Dublin city center, or you can also take Dublin Bus routes 47 or H2.
Last year’s Wonderlights theme included two new impressive tunnels of lights, including the Cathedral Tunnel at 5 meters/16 feet tall and stretching 30 meters/ 98 feet long, as well as the Portal of Light Tunnel, which stood at 5 meters high, 10 meters/32 feet wide and 20 meters/65 feet in length.
The attractions also includes the Alpine Food and Drink Village.
Wonderlights can also be enjoyed at Marlay Park in Rathfarnham from Nov. 20th and at Fota House in Cork from Nov. 6th.
Yulefest Kilkenny
This festival is a combination of food and craft events, special Christmas concerts, and other entertainment, making it a top festival destination if you are in the Kilkenny area in December.
Popular festival favorites include the Elf Village in Castlecomer Discovery Park, a crafts market at the popular Rothe House, and the Yulefest Christmas Market, which will take place every weekend beginning Saturday, Nov. 29th and ending on Sunday, Dec. 23rd, which are the official dates of the festival.
If you’re in Kilkenny with kids during the holiday season, why not take the self-guided Yulefest Christmas Trail?
The interactive activity involves taking in the city’s Christmas lights, Christmas trees and historical areas as well as “reindeer spotting,” answering questions and solving puzzles.
Portmagee Old Year Festival
For close to 200 years, the residents of Portmagee in County Kerry have welcomed the New Year in the most unusual of ways.
The event is centered around a street parade led by a piper with blazing turf torches in his hand and a local resident dressed as the “Old Year.”
As it gets closer to midnight on Dec. 31st, the Old Year man becomes increasingly bent and aged in appearance until, on the stroke of midnight, a shot rings out and he collapses, apparently dead.
A vibrant young man depicting the “New Year” appears and takes over the parade, greeting the locals as he passes.
The free festival harks back to a tradition that first began in 1727 when a French ship arrived at the local port on New Year’s Eve parading through the town in the same way.
If your December in Ireland winter break involves delving into history and heritage, there is a wealth of castles, manors, museums, and exhibitions to explore across the island.
Christmas Artisan Market at Castle Ward
Experience Georgian Christmastide at Castle Ward in County Down.
Atmospheric lighting promises to accentuate the interior of this beautiful house, and the halls, decked out in colorful historical garlands, will surely add to the festive atmosphere.
This year’s special holiday events will include a Christmas Artisan Market from Dec. 6-7 featuring handmade gifts, seasonal treats and possible souvenirs of your trip, all made by local craftspeople. The market will be held in the estate’s theater space and stable yard.
While at Castle Ward, be sure to take a tour of the mansion decorated in a traditional 18th-century Christmas style, complete with garlands decorating the halls and dining room and a table piled high with festive foods and wine. Downstairs in the kitchen, actors dressed as servants are preparing for Christmas Day.
Regular admission charges to the house apply.
Dublin’s New Year Festival
Not to be confined to a New Year’s Eve celebration, this 3-day event includes an open-air countdown concert in College Green, a procession of light through the streets of Dublin, complete with street performers and dancers.
The event will take place between Dec. 30th through Jan. 1.
5. Enjoy an Indoor Attraction
Given the cool, damp weather at this time of year, along with much shorter days, indoor attractions are always a good idea to include on your itinerary if you are planning to spend December in Ireland.
Below are some that you should consider.
Marsh’s Library, Dublin
If you find yourself in Dublin, you simply must visit Marsh’s Library, the oldest library in Ireland.
Founded in 1707, the library holds about 25,000 books from the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries along with 300 manuscripts and 80 additional books written before 1501.
The collection covers medicine, law, science, travel, navigation, mathematics, music, surveying, theology, and classical literature.
Admission is €7 for adults and €4 for students/seniors. Children under 18 are admitted free.
A discounted joint ticket is also available that will get you into the library and St. Patrick’s Cathedral next door.
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The Books of Kells, Trinity College, Dublin
No visit to Ireland is complete without visiting the Old Library Building at Trinity College where the famous Book of Kells is housed.
The 9th-century manuscript features a beautiful combination of Latin text and intricate illuminations.
An ongoing restoration project in the college’s Old Library means that many of the precious books that were housed there have temporarily been removed.
Cobh Heritage Centre, Cobh
If your ancestors traveled from Ireland to North America between 1815 and 1970, they likely left from Cobh on Ireland’s southern coast.
At the Cobh Heritage Centre, you’ll learn about the maritime, naval, and military history of the area and hear the stories of early emigrants who left from Cobh for the Virginias, the Carolinas, and Canada, as well as those who were forcefully shipped to the West Indies during the 1600s.
Outside the center, you’ll see a statue of Annie Moore and her brothers, who were the first Irish emigrants to be processed at New York’s Ellis Island.
Cobh is also where the Titanic made the last stop on its fateful journey to New York and off the coast, the Lusitania was shot down in 1915.
Dublin to Cork, Blarney Castle, Cobh Cathedral by Train and Coach
The National Famine Museum
If you want to get an accurate account of the harrowing period in Irish history called The Great Irish Famine, you’ll want to visit the National Famine Museum in Strokestown, County Roscommon.
The newly revamped museum is the perfect place to spend a few hours on a cold December day in Ireland.
The interactive museum is part of Strokestown Park House, a Palladian-style mansion that was once the property of landlord Major Denis Mahon.
During your visit, you’ll find out more about the lives of luxury that Mahon and his family lived compared to that of his starving tenants.
6. Spend a few hours in an Irish Pub
If relaxing by an open fire seems like a good idea on a cold winter’s evening, you’re in the perfect country for it.
Ireland has more than 10,000 pubs by some estimates, which are popular with locals and visitors alike.
If you’re traveling from Dublin to Galway, be sure to stop at Sean’s Bar in Athlone for a warm toddy (the pub has its own brand of whiskey) or a pint of Guinness.
Sean’s Bar is reputed to be the oldest pub in Ireland, with evidence showing that it was established as far back as 900 A.D.
The pub is as authentic as it gets, with an old-style bar, open fireplace, floors covered in sawdust, and walls that display the many artifacts found in the building and its surroundings over the years, as well as other memorabilia.
Dublin is full of authentic pubs.
If you want one with a real turf fire, you’ll find it at Arthur’s Pub in the heart of the Liberties.
A fire is lit every day at the 200-year-old establishment, which is located beside St. Catherine’s Church where Irish patriot Robert Emmet was hung, drawn, and quartered in 1803.
You can enjoy an eclectic mix of Irish traditional music, as well as blues and jazz at this popular Dublin watering hole, where food is also served.
There is no TV in Arthur’s Pub, so you can be sure to fully soak in the old-world atmosphere without the distractions of the modern world.
Other pubs in Dublin noted for their excellent trad sessions — and a great way to spend a December afternoon — include the Cobblestone in Dublin’s Smithfield neighborhood; Devitt’s of Camden Street; and O’Donoghues Bar on Merrion Row.
If you’re in Sligo for a couple of days, you must visit the old-style Hargadon Bros pub established in 1868.
This Sligo landmark is the perfect place to hide away for a few hours in front of a cozy turf fire.
There are several intimate booths located throughout this rather long pub that is perfect for a chat and a pint of Guinness or a glass of the restaurant’s own wine from its vineyard in the South of France.
And of course, there’s an open fire too if you can get a seat close to it.
Hargadon’s also serves up an array of delicious food, so be sure to grab a bite while you’re there.
The pub was Sligo’s only entry in the Michelin Guide “Eating Out in Pubs 2021.”
7. Attend a Christmas Show
If you’re in Ireland prior to the Christmas holidays, you should consider attending a Christmas show, a panto (pantomime) or an Irish dance and music show with a Christmas twist. Most are in Dublin but there are some in other parts of Ireland, too.
Beauty and the Beast – The Gaiety Panto
The Gaiety Theatre, Dublin, Nov. 25-Jan. 4. See the Disney classic in true panto style at this legendary Dublin theatre that has been hosting the annual Christmas Panto since 1873.
A Christmas Carol
The Gate Theatre, Nov. 15-Jan. 18. Enjoy the Charles Dickens classic in another one of Dublin’s great theaters, which was founded in 1928 to highlight innovative and experimental productions from around the world.
Vladimir’s Family Christmas
3 Arena, Dublin, Dec. 6-7. This year’s Christmas spectacular with the musically gifted family, The Jablokovs, features the legendary Aled Jones and the internationally acclaimed soprano Claudia Boyle, accompanied by a full orchestra and the Kerry Concert Choir.
The Great Christmas Concert
National Concert Hall, Dec. 16. Includes a program of festive Christmas favorites, including O Holy Night and Jingle Bells, among others, as well as choruses by Handel, Beethoven, Handel’s Hallelujah and more.
BCGC Christmas Concert 2025
Waterfront Hall, Belfast, Dec. 14. Hear the Belfast Community Gospel Choir perform soul-stirring harmonies and festive gospel tunes in an uplifting show suitable for all.
Step into Christmas
Ulster Hall, Belfast, Dec. 11. Enjoy a spectacular Christmas concert Irish-style in the historic Ulster Hall built in 1859 and open to the public in 1862.
Are you planning to spend December in Ireland? Let me know in the comments below.
