Things to Do in Ireland in April
April weather, activities, events & insider tips
Low Season · Budget Friendly
April Weather in Ireland
Temperature, rainfall and humidity at a glance
54°F (12°C)
High Temp
41°F (5°C)
Low Temp
0.1 inches (3 mm)
Rainfall
70%
Humidity
⚠ Atlantic gales can top 80km/h (50 mph) on exposed coasts. Check Met Éireann warnings before you lace up. Cliff walks become wind tunnels. Respect the gust.
⚠ April showers sometimes throw hail. Sudden temperature drops turn hikes into chills. Stow a beanie. Keep gloves handy. Weather flips fast.
Is April Right for You?
Weigh the advantages and considerations before booking
Advantages
- + Spring lambs everywhere. You'll spot new lambs wobbling after ewes across Connemara, the Wicklow Mountains, and right along the Wild Atlantic Way. Farmers tolerate photography from roadside gates.
- + Daffodils line empty paths, Killarney's Muckross House grounds and Glenveagh in Donegal are blissfully quiet. No crowds. Just you and the blooms. The Ring of Kerry drive takes 30% less time without tour coaches backing up at every viewpoint.
- + Jameson in Midleton and Bushmills open their active still rooms for spring tours, April only. Once summer hits, they lock the doors and funnel everyone into visitor centers. The malt smell? Sharper in cool air.
- + Real turf fires still burn. The Brazen Head in Dublin and McDermott's in Doolin keep them alive through April evenings, warm, smoky, stubbornly old-school. Locals drift in after work. Tourists spot't found the rhythm yet. That is when the music starts. Someone slides a pint your way without asking. You'll stay longer than planned.
Considerations
- − Sideways rain by lunch? In Dingle, that's just Tuesday. Atlantic storms charge in fast, a clear 9 a.m. sky can collapse into four-season chaos before you've finished your soup. April is the year's wildcard: sun, sleet, gale, calm, all before dessert.
- − Clifden and Westport are still half-asleep: 20-30% of their B&Bs and restaurants spot't reopened for the season. That is a hard squeeze on Connemara beds, book early or you'll sleep in the car.
- − Sunset slams the Wild Atlantic Way at 8:30 PM, 90 minutes earlier than June's 10 PM light, so you'll lose real sightseeing time if you're still behind the wheel.
Best Activities in April
Top things to do during your visit
Cliffs of Moher Coastal Walks
April's Atlantic tantrums empty the tour buses and send 80 km/h (50 mph) winds slamming the Cliffs, perfect. The 8 km (5 mile) coastal path from Doolin to the Cliffs turns boggy. But puffins punch in early, skimming the foam like tiny tuxedos. Mud up to your ankles? Worth it. Dress for a force-eight, not Instagram, no one looks good hypothermic.
Booking Tip: Book guided walks 7-10 days ahead through certified operators. April weather is brutal, 15% of tours reschedule. Check cancellation policies before you pay. See current cliff walk options in the booking section below.
Dublin Literary Pub Crawls
April evenings in Dublin demand warmth. Actors shepherd you through four historic pubs, performing Joyce, Beckett, and Behan scenes between pints. The route shifts nightly, depends which pubs have fires crackling. The Duke and The Palace Bar never drop off the circuit. You might share a table with Dublin writers who've haunted these stools for decades.
Booking Tip: Rain or shine, the crawl departs every single night. Book 2-3 days ahead if you want a weekend slot, they fill fast. April caps groups at 20 people. Summer pushes that to 40. All current pub crawl times and routes wait in the booking widget below.
Ring of Kerry Cycling Routes
April's empty roads make the 179 km (111 mile) Ring doable without summer traffic. No cars. Just you and the 15% gradients, plus snow-capped peaks inland. Sheep wander onto the road, local farmers expect you to stop and wait rather than try to cycle around them.
Booking Tip: Killarney's bike shops wake up mid-April. Book 48 hours ahead, no exceptions. When storms roll in, most outfits will swap you to a car tour the same day. Check the booking section for current cycling packages.
Galway Bay Seafood Tours
April kicks off oyster season, Galway Bay oysters hit peak plumpness right before spawning. Morning boats leave Galway City, glide past currachs hauling mussels. The bay's shallow water stays flat even when Atlantic storms pound the coast. That makes April trips dependable.
Booking Tip: Morning boats glide over glass. You'll want to book 3-5 days ahead, no exceptions. Weather cancellations are rare but possible. Current bay tour schedules are live in the booking widget below.
Wicklow Mountains Hiking
Snow still grips the ravines while purple heather ignites the hillsides. The 11 km (6.8 mile) Spinc trail loops Glendalough's upper lake on boardwalks that stay dry when the ground dissolves into bog. Expect sheep traffic, local farmers still drive flocks along these paths, so you'll meet more wool than walkers.
Booking Tip: Hiking is free, just show up. Guided tours from Dublin bundle transport, so reserve 2-3 days out. Scroll the booking section below for live Wicklow options that pair ride and guide.
Where to Stay in Ireland in April
Hand-picked hotels across price tiers for April travellers.
April Events & Festivals
What's happening during your visit
Late April
Dublin Bay Prawn Festival
Sunday morning, 08:00, Howth harbour is already loud with diesel engines and buskers. Prawn season means fishing boat tours, cooking demos by restaurant chefs, and street music that drowns out gulls. Fresh prawns are pulled straight from boats and grilled on the pier. The smell of garlic butter wrestles salt air to a draw. Arrive early Sunday morning when fishermen sell the night's catch directly from boats.
Packing Checklist
Bookmark this page — your progress is saved between visits
Need the full list with shopping links?
Climate-specific gear, brand recommendations, and what to leave at home.
View Ireland Packing List →Essential Tips
Insider knowledge and common pitfalls to avoid
Insider Knowledge
Call the B&B on a Tuesday. Mention you'll take the April room if they shave 10-15% off the online price, most owners will. While they've got you on the line, ask which restaurants are open; they'll tell you the ones that didn't shutter for the season.
Irish weather forecasts change hourly, download the Met Eireann app. It gives accurate 3-hour updates, not daily guesses.
Rural toll gates want coins, exact change. The M50 around Dublin and several regional routes take nothing else, unless you pay online, and rental cars don't come with tags.
Sheep don't lie. When they're pressed tight against stone walls, rain's on the way, within 60 minutes, guaranteed. Spread out and grazing? You'll stay dry for the afternoon.
Avoid These Mistakes
Americans grab the cheaper manual rate, then freeze. Ireland drives on the left, and 70% of rentals are manual. Renting a car without checking if it is manual or automatic? You'll discover you can't drive it.
Google Maps lies. The Ring of Kerry isn't 45 minutes, it's 90, minimum. April's narrow roads crawl with sheep. Add 50% to every rural estimate.
Forget the smaller town pubs, Dublin's famous ones draw the crowds. The Cobblestone packs tourists shoulder-to-shoulder, yet the trad music still soars. For better sessions with mostly locals, head straight to McGann's in Doolin or Tig Coili in Galway.
Ready to plan your trip to Ireland?
Now that you've got the research covered, here's where to go next.
Book Experiences in Ireland
Top-rated things to do in Ireland this April
Explore More Activities in Ireland
Didn't see anything interesting yet?
Browse Viator's full catalog of tours, day trips, food experiences, and private guides in Ireland.
See All Ireland Tours on Viator