by 
How to pack for Ireland
A popular question for first time visitors to Ireland is “What should I bring?” often accompanied by “What is the weather like?”. Well, the weather is unpredictable. I have heard it said, “If you don’t like the weather, wait an hour.” and that is true. For most North Americans, the simple answer to both questions is that summer in Ireland is like spring in most of the U.S. It does rain a lot in Ireland, but not like it rains here (in the southern U.S. anyway). While I have seen some heavy downpours like the rain we have during the summer in Virginia, that has been the exception. Usually the rain is light enough that it doesn’t stop people from going about their business. It might take an adjustment to your thinking (it did mine), but my advice is to accept that is it okay to sight see in a light rain. Then you dress appropriately.
A nice sunny summer day in Ireland (the Burren in County Clare)
As a wise man once sad “There is no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothes.” So let’s look at what to pack!
My first recommendation is to divide things between crucial items and non-crucial items. For me, “Crucial” means something that I will need before I reach my first night’s accommodation. I then put these things in my carry-on. You don’t want to have your luggage delayed and be without the necessities for your first day. What does Kevin put in his carry-on?
Crucial Items– Pack In Carry On
| ___ | Passports |
| ___ | Boarding Passes |
| ___ | Wallet (with Euro and $) |
| ___ | Rental Car confirmation |
| ___ | Accomodation confirmation and contact info |
| ___ | Camera |
| ___ | Change of clothes (I usually only pack a t-shirt and one pair of underpants in my carry-on) |
| ___ | Toothbrushes and toothpaste |
| ___ | Disinfecting Wipes (for wiping down the airplane seat and remote/doorknobs, etc in your room) |
| ___ |
iPod/iPhone, and car charger — make sure it is fully charged when you leave home too |
| ___ | Phone numbers and emails: Friends, Airline, Rental Car, Accomodation |
| ___ | Advil, first aid kit, and any medicine you take |
| ___ | Batteries |
| ___ | Eyeglasses/Contact lenses or any other items you use for daily maintenance |
| ___ | Rain Jacket and Sweater/Fleece – I usually wear the sweater on the plane and pack a foldable rain jacket in my carry-on. It has frequently been raining when I stepped out of the airport in Ireland. |
Important Items- Pack in Suitcase or Wear
| ___ | Waterproof shoes – I like to wear these on the plane as they are heavy and take up a lot of space. |
| ___ | Comfortable shoes for walking (tennis shoes/sneakers) |
| ___ | Socks – I pack one pair for each day minus the pair in my carry-on |
| ___ | Short sleeve shirts – I like most of my shirts to be short-sleeved. You can wear them under jackets/sweaters and also if it’s warm. Ireland is a place where layers are a good approach to dressing. |
| ___ | Long sleeve shirts – I take a couple of these usually, but you certainly could go an entire trip without. |
| ___ | Shorts/Bathing suit if you want to go to the beach (and go into the water) – I only do this with my children. |
| ___ | Long pants (trousers) – I wear these everyday. I like to plan to wear them about three days each pair. |
| ___ | Underpants – One pair per day |
| ___ | Floss, mini tooth paste, deodorant, other toileteries |
| ___ | Books – any travel guide you might like to bring |
| ___ | Books – Leisure reading |
| ___ | Road Map – I like the maps by Collins or the OS maps. It’s nice to be able to look at where you are going the night before you make the drive. The roads are well marked if you know the names of the towns you will be passing through. |
Don’t forget you can buy things in Ireland
| ___ | Laundry detergent |
| ___ | Toiletries (big toothpaste, shampoo, etc) |
| ___ | Food |
| ___ | Diapers and wipes if you have small children – I only pack enough for the plane plus a few extras for an emergency. Then on our first day go to the store and buy some for our time in Ireland. |
| ___ | Books – I often like to purchase my leisure reading book in Ireland. |
| ___ | Maps – You can usually get a nice road map in the first Tourist Information Office you visit. |
The main key when packing for Ireland is, don’t pack too much. The most pleasant way to drive around Ireland is in the smallest car you can manage. The roads are smaller than is the U.S. (and England for that matter), so a smaller car makes them more manageable. If you have unnecessary items in your luggage you will need a bigger car. I also highly recommend purchasing eBags as they made packing for our last trip to Ireland much easier. A family of four can probably pack everything in two suitcases if you try to and this will likely fit in the truck (boot) of a mid-size sedan in Ireland.
These are our eBags packed and ready to be placed in our suitcase.
Have fun packing and planning!
If I left anything out, please leave a comment below.
by
