IE - Ireland

Ireland or Republic of Ireland (in Irish Gaelic: Éire) is a western European nation (Do not confuse the Isle of Ireland with Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom) which borders to the north east with Northern Ireland, to the east with the Irish sea, to the west with the Atlantic Ocean and to the south with the Celtic sea.

To know:
Ireland, also known as the Emerald Isle, has been a politically divided island since 1920. The Republic of Ireland, also known simply as “Ireland”, is a sovereign and independent republic within the British archipelago . It occupies the main portion, approximately 5/6, of the island and is bordered to the north east by Northern Ireland (Gaelic: Tuaisceart na hÉireann), which is instead part of the United Kingdom. Appreciated for its numerous and wonderful natural landscapes, including the suggestive and wild coastal stretches and the green hinterland dotted with lakes and rivers, as well as for its strong cultural and folkloric identity, Ireland has gone through a long period of poverty and decline until a massive economic boom, which has led it to be a small, highly advanced economic and social democracy nowadays.

When to go:
For those who live, travel or visit Ireland, the climate, characterized by mild winters, cool summers and frequent heavy rains, is a very important and delicate aspect.

The Irish climate is moderately temperate, but much warmer than many other places located at similar latitudes, such as Poland (on the European continent) or Newfoundland (on the other side of the Atlantic), due to the influence of the Gulf Stream. Winds blow mainly from south-west to north-east, and are the main authors of the characteristic western mountains and the impervious coastal territory. Precipitation is widespread, especially in the west where it is now part of daily life: Valentia Island, off the coast of Kerry, receives almost double the Dublin rainfall (located to the east) (1,400 mm compared to 762 mm). Considering the whole Irish nation, about 60% of the annual rains fall between August and January.

If you have decided to go to Ireland, consider finding rain seven days a week, as well as never finding it (even if it is rarer). Ireland has the reputation, not entirely wrong, of being a wet and rainy land, characterized by constant changes of weather. However, the amount of rainfall and duration also depends on the Atlantic periods, places and currents. The best months to visit Ireland are certainly May and June, because the sunniest and statistically least rainy, even if you always run the risk. The Italians usually storm Ireland in August (in the west many B&B managers call it the italians’ month): it is generally a good period, but more rainy than the two late spring months, although the the last decade is decidedly rainier than the first two. It must be considered however that in the summer period rain is likely per day, but of a rather modest amount (sometimes you don’t even need an umbrella).

Different story for the winter: visiting Ireland in the winter is a special experience. Get used to the idea of ​​often finding bad weather, but if the only problem that arises is the cold, you will have no difficulty. Ireland is not a cold country, snow is rare and the average minimum winter temperatures do not drop below 3-4 °, at least on the coasts. The hinterland is generally colder, having average lows of 1 ° and is often the scene of some night frosts, but nothing particularly different from northern regions such as Veneto, Piedmont or Friuli. The essential problem of winter is instead basically light: for the Irish latitude, while in summer there is light until about 11pm, in winter the days are very short and after 3pm it starts to be difficult to see something, even if the typical winter lights especially at sunset offer very suggestive colors of the landscapes.

As many Irish people claim, in Ireland it does not always rain, it rains often and a lot, given that the rainfall is more massive and frequent in the west, but at a phenomenological level it is present uniformly throughout the island. The best way to deal with the Irish climate is to dress “onion”, that is, with various combinations of clothes, especially in the summer, in order to be able to cope with the sudden changes in time and temperature: in this sense it is highly recommended to always have a K way. Beware of the mists, especially if you are hiking in the mountains or traveling early on the road.