Christmas in Ireland builds from mid-November, when the markets and city lights open, to Nollaig na mBan on 6 January. Expect free markets, sea swims and racing from St Stephen’s Day. Christmas Day itself is very quiet: no public transport, Dublin Airport closed and pubs shut by law in the Republic. Book flights, rooms and Christmas lunch early, and expect sunset around 4pm.
An Irish Christmas isn’t one day. It’s a slow build over about six weeks, then a sudden full stop on the 25th, then a long, lazy week of leftovers, racing and visiting.
If you’re coming home for it, or visiting for the first time, the timing matters. Some markets close before Christmas, and the racing doesn’t start until St Stephen’s Day. The Republic and Northern Ireland also play by different rules, from pub hours to bank holidays.
I’ve checked the 2026 dates on the organisers’ own websites where they’re published. Where a date isn’t out yet, I say so and give the usual timing.
Jump to:
- What is Christmas in Ireland like?
- Christmas in Ireland week by week
- Christmas markets in Ireland, with 2026 dates
- Christmas lights in Dublin, Galway and Belfast
- What’s open on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and St Stephen’s Day
- Getting around at Christmas
- The Christmas Day swim
- Racing at Leopardstown and Limerick
- Weather and daylight in December
- Best places to spend Christmas in Ireland
- Practical tips for a Christmas trip
- Christmas in Ireland FAQ
- More Irish Christmas reading
What is Christmas in Ireland like?
It’s a family Christmas first and a tourist Christmas second. Markets and lights open from mid-November, and the towns are lively all December. Then Christmas Day goes quiet in a way that surprises visitors.
I’ve covered the old customs in my guide to Irish Christmas traditions, food and dinner, so here I’ll stick to what a visitor needs to know.
Christmas in Ireland week by week
The Late Late Toy Show
This is a special edition of the Late Late Show, a long-running chat show on RTÉ, Ireland’s national broadcaster. Children review the year’s toys, and it’s a huge night in Irish homes. It usually airs on the last Friday of November or the first Friday of December.
In 2026 that points to 27 November or 4 December, so watch rte.ie.
8 December: the old start of Christmas
The 8th of December is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. Traditionally, it was the day country families went up to Dublin or the nearest big town to start the Christmas shopping. It’s not a public holiday, though.
The week before Christmas: everyone comes home
This is when the emigrants land. In 2025, Dublin Airport expected about 110,000 passengers on Sunday 21 December and 115,000 on Sunday 28 December. Expect queues and packed arrivals halls.
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve is busy in the pubs, then an early night for public transport, with last services between about 6pm and 9pm.
Midnight Mass is often not at midnight any more. Many parishes now hold it earlier in the evening, so check the parish website. I was taken to Mass every Christmas, willingly or otherwise.
Some homes still put a lit candle in the front window, an old sign of welcome. It’s one tradition I never did myself, though I’ve said I’d start.
Christmas Day
Christmas Day is for family, turkey and ham, and very little else. I don’t like Christmas pudding, partly because I’ve usually had two portions of dinner first.
St Stephen’s Day, 26 December
St Stephen’s Day is what Northern Ireland and Britain call Boxing Day. It’s the day for racing, visiting and the Wren Boys, who go door to door in costume with music. I’ve covered the custom in my guide to Wren Day.
It also explains my name. My birthday is the 27th, so you can guess where my Irish mother got “Stephen”.
New Year’s Eve and 6 January
The week after Christmas is for walks, racing and the sales. For New Year’s Eve plans, check your city council’s site nearer the time.
The season ends on 6 January with Nollaig na mBan, or Women’s Christmas, when the women of the house traditionally get a day off. Read more in my piece on Nollaig na mBan.
Christmas markets in Ireland, with 2026 dates
Most markets are free to enter, with wooden chalets and mulled wine. Every 2026 date below was on the organiser’s own site on 2 October 2026.
Yulefest Kilkenny runs its main events from 28 November to 23 December 2026. Most towns also have a lights switch-on and a smaller market, so ask locally.
| Market or festival | Where | 2026 dates |
|---|---|---|
| Belfast Christmas Market | City Hall, Belfast | 14 November to 22 December |
| Waterford Winterval | Waterford city centre | Weekends, 13 November to 23 December |
| Christmas in Cork | Cork city centre | 15 November to 31 December |
| TwinkleTown | Smithfield Square, Dublin | 20 November to 31 December |
| TwinkleTown | St Patrick’s Park, Dublin | 27 November to 23 December |
| Christmas in Killarney | Killarney, Co. Kerry | Festival from 27 November; markets weekends 4 to 20 December |
| Kilkenny Yulefest | Kilkenny city | 28 November to 23 December |
| Wonderlights | Malahide Castle, Co. Dublin | 12 November to 29 December (select dates) |
| Wonderlights | Fota House, Co. Cork | 5 November to 29 December (select dates) |
| Galway Christmas Market | Eyre Square, Galway | Not out yet; usually early November to 31 December |
Belfast Christmas Market
Belfast City Council lists the market at City Hall from Saturday 14 November to Tuesday 22 December 2026. It opens Monday to Wednesday 10am to 8pm, Thursday to Saturday 10am to 10pm, and Sunday 12 noon to 6pm. The bars stay open an hour later from Monday to Saturday.
Entry is free. Belfast is in Northern Ireland, so you’ll pay in pounds sterling, not euro. Details are on belfastcity.gov.uk.
Galway Christmas Market
Galway’s market fills Eyre Square with more than 50 wooden chalets. Discover Ireland listed it from 7 November to 31 December in 2025, closed on Christmas Day.
The organisers’ site, christmasmarketgalway.com, still showed last year’s dates when I checked. Expect early November to New Year’s Eve.
Dublin at Christmas: TwinkleTown, Wonderlights and no Castle market
Dublin City Council’s TwinkleTown has two sites, at Smithfield Square and St Patrick’s Park. Its site, twinkletown.ie, lists free entry, ice skating, a panto (a family Christmas pantomime show) and a Big Wheel (Ferris wheel). Skating and the panto are ticketed.
There’s no Christmas at the Castle market in 2026. Dublin Castle is closed to the public until January 2027 while Ireland holds the Presidency of the Council of the EU.
Wonderlights is a lights trail at Malahide Castle, north of the city. It runs on select dates from 12 November to 29 December 2026, and there’s a second trail at Fota House in Cork from 5 November. It’s ticketed, so book on wonderlights.ie.
Christmas in Cork
Cork City Council’s Christmas in Cork runs from 15 November to 31 December 2026. It opens with a Christmas Parade on Sunday 15 November. There’s a Christmas market in Bishop Lucey Park and the Ferris wheel returns.
Full details are on corkcity.ie. While you’re in my home county, my list of things to do in Cork will fill the daylight hours.
Waterford Winterval
The official site, winterval.ie, says Winterval “runs on weekends from November 13th, until December 23rd 2026”. There’s a market at John Roberts Square and an ice rink on The Quay. The High Kings play on 18 December and The Boomtown Rats on the 19th.
Christmas in Killarney
The festival site, christmasinkillarney.com, lists Magic Parades at 6pm on Saturdays 28 November and 5, 12 and 19 December. Santa is at Golden Gate Cottage in Killarney National Park from 27 November to 23 December. There are weekend markets in Old Market Lane from 4 to 20 December, and Killarney on Ice runs to 10 January 2027.
My Killarney guide covers the rest of the town.
Christmas lights in Dublin, Galway and Belfast
In Dublin, the city-centre business group DublinTown lights Grafton Street, Henry Street and the streets around them. The lights usually go on in mid-November and stay up until about 7 January. The 2026 switch-on isn’t announced yet, so check dublintown.ie.
Galway City Council’s Light Up Galway usually runs from mid-November into early January. Check galwaycity.ie for 2026.
Belfast’s lights switch-on is at City Hall on Saturday 14 November 2026, from 6.30pm to 7.30pm. It’s free.
What’s open on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and St Stephen’s Day
In 2026, Christmas Day is a Friday and St Stephen’s Day a Saturday. The table uses the 2025 timetables, as the 2026 ones usually appear in December.
| Service | Christmas Eve (24th) | Christmas Day (25th) | St Stephen’s Day (26th) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pubs, Republic | 10.30am to 11.30pm | Closed by law | Open |
| Hotel and restaurant bars, Republic | Open | With a substantial meal, 12 noon to 10pm | Open |
| Pubs, Northern Ireland | 11.30am to 11pm, some later | 12.30pm to 10pm | Open |
| Off-licences (liquor stores) | Open | Closed, north and south | Open |
| Dublin Airport | Open, flights wind down late | Closed | Open from early morning |
| Irish Rail trains and DART (Dublin’s coastal commuter train) | Last trains about 6pm to 8.30pm | None | None in 2025 |
| Dublin Bus | Saturday service, last buses about 9pm | None | Sunday service, no Nitelink (late-night buses) |
| Luas (Dublin trams) | 5.30am to 8pm | None | Reduced service from 9am |
| Bus Éireann | Normal until about 9pm | None | Sunday service from 9am |
| Translink, Northern Ireland | Running | Usually none | Limited, check translink.co.uk |
| Taxis, Republic | Special rate from 8pm | Special rate | Special rate until 8am |
Sources: Transport for Ireland, Dublin Airport, the Courts Service, NI Business Info, the Licensing (NI) Order 1996 and TFI taxi fares.
The Christmas Day pub ban, explained
The Courts Service says alcohol “is not allowed to be served on Christmas day”, bar a narrow exception for clubs. Some websites say the ban is history. It isn’t.
The Good Friday ban was lifted in 2018, but Christmas Day stayed. A proposed Sale of Alcohol Bill hadn’t become law as of October 2026.
Under the Intoxicating Liquor Act 2000, a licensed hotel or restaurant can serve a drink with “a substantial meal” between 12 noon and 10pm. So if you want a pint with your turkey, book Christmas dinner in a hotel.
Shops, restaurants and attractions
Plan as if every shop will be shut on Christmas Day. Many restaurants close too, and hotel Christmas lunches sell out weeks ahead. Attractions often shut as well, so check hours for the 24th to the 27th.
Public holidays in 2026
In Northern Ireland, the Boxing Day bank holiday moves to Monday 28 December 2026, according to gov.uk. The Republic doesn’t work that way. Citizens Information says there’s no automatic right to the next working day off when a public holiday falls on a weekend.
Getting around at Christmas
Flights and airports
Dublin Airport closes on Christmas Day, the only day of the year it shuts. Flights usually stop late on Christmas Eve and restart early on the 26th. Flying into Cork or Shannon? Check their Christmas hours with your airline.
The airport advises arriving two hours before short-haul flights and three hours before long-haul, especially on the Sundays either side of Christmas.
Trains and buses
Irish Rail advises booking InterCity trains in advance at busy times, so book your trip home early.
In Northern Ireland, Translink services, including the Enterprise train between Dublin and Belfast, usually stop on Christmas Day. Check translink.co.uk for 2026.
Taxis and driving
Taxis do run on Christmas Day, at a higher rate, so book ahead. With no public transport on the 25th, a hire car (rental car) makes Christmas far easier outside the cities. Check the desk’s Christmas hours. You’ll be driving on the left, often in the dark by 4.30pm.
The Christmas Day swim
Crowds start Christmas Day with a dip in the sea, often for charity. The water is cold, so take it seriously.
Where people swim
The Forty Foot at Sandycove, in south Dublin, is the best known. It gets very crowded. It’s informal, so don’t count on lifeguards. If it’s your first time, an organised swim with lifeguards is the safer choice.
The COPE Galway Christmas Swim is held at the Blackrock diving tower in Salthill, with lifeguards and first aiders on duty. In 2025, over 1,000 people took part and raised €40,928 for homeless, domestic abuse and senior services. Check copegalway.ie for 2026 times and registration.
Plenty of beaches north and south have their own swims, so ask locally. Stick to public bathing places, and never cross private land to reach the water.
Staying safe
The Irish Coast Guard, Water Safety Ireland and the RNLI issued a joint Christmas safety appeal in 2025. In short:
- Check the weather, wind and tides, and skip it if the sea is rough.
- Tell someone on shore what you’re doing.
- Get in slowly to avoid cold water shock.
- Wear a bright cap and a tow float, swim with others and stay within your depth.
- If you’re struggling, float on your back to catch your breath. The safety bodies call this Float to Live.
The COPE swim’s safety page adds more. Don’t dive or jump in, and don’t drink alcohol before your swim. Dry off straight away and layer up with a hat, gloves and a warm drink.
In an emergency, call 999 or 112, or VHF channel 16, and ask for the Coast Guard.
Racing at Leopardstown and Limerick
St Stephen’s Day is a huge day for Irish racing. Two courses run four-day festivals, both confirmed for 2026. It’s National Hunt racing, which means jumps over hurdles and fences.
The Leopardstown Christmas Festival in south Dublin runs from Saturday 26 to Tuesday 29 December 2026. Limerick Racecourse lists the same four days on its fixtures page, with the Grade 1 Faugheen Novice Chase on Monday 28 December.
With no trains on the 26th and buses only from about 9am, plan how you’ll get to the track and home.
Weather and daylight in December
December in Ireland is mild, wet and dark, and a white Christmas is rare. Dublin Airport averages just 2.3 days of snow or sleet in the whole of December.
December weather averages
| Weather station | Average high | Average low | Rain | Wet days | Daily sunshine |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dublin Airport | 8.3°C (47°F) | 2.6°C (37°F) | 72mm (2.8in) | 13 | 1.7h |
| Cork Airport | 8.7°C (48°F) | 3.8°C (39°F) | 137mm (5.4in) | 17 | 1.8h |
| Shannon Airport | 9.2°C (49°F) | 3.7°C (39°F) | 115mm (4.5in) | 17 | 1.5h |
| Valentia, Co. Kerry | 10.4°C (51°F) | 5.8°C (42°F) | 179mm (7.1in) | 20 | 1.2h |
Source: Met Éireann, the national weather service, 1991 to 2020 averages. Wet days have at least 1mm (0.04in) of rain.
Sunrise and sunset in December 2026
The short days catch visitors out more than the rain. Here’s the shortest day, 21 December 2026.
| Place | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dublin | 8.38am | 4.08pm | 7h 30m |
| Galway | 8.48am | 4.19pm | 7h 31m |
| Cork | 8.39am | 4.24pm | 7h 46m |
| Belfast | 8.44am | 3.59pm | 7h 15m |
Source: timeanddate.com. In Dublin the sun sets between about 4.06pm and 4.15pm all December. Sightsee by day and save the markets for the dark.
Best places to spend Christmas in Ireland
- Dublin: the most going on, from TwinkleTown to the Forty Foot and Leopardstown.
- Belfast: a big market, and pubs that can open on Christmas Day.
- Galway: the Eyre Square market, the Salthill swim and a walkable centre.
- Killarney: parades, an ice rink and Santa in the national park.
Practical tips for a Christmas trip
- Book early. Flights home in the week before Christmas fill fast, as do hotels on market weekends. Christmas Day lunch is the hardest booking of all.
- Be in place by the 24th. With no buses, trains or Dublin flights on the 25th, get where you’re spending Christmas the day before.
What to pack
- A proper waterproof jacket. The wind will have your umbrella.
- Warm layers, a hat, gloves and waterproof shoes.
- A swimsuit and warm dry clothes, if you’re brave enough for the swim.
Christmas in Ireland FAQ
Is Ireland worth visiting in December?
Yes, if you want atmosphere rather than sunshine. The markets, lights, pubs and racing make it a lively month. Just expect short days, rain and a quiet Christmas Day.
What is open in Ireland on Christmas Day?
Very little. There’s no public transport, Dublin Airport is closed and most shops are shut. Hotels and some restaurants serve Christmas lunch, but you’ll need to book well ahead.
Are pubs open on Christmas Day in Ireland?
Not in the Republic, where it’s still the law. Hotels and restaurants can serve a drink with a substantial meal from 12 noon to 10pm. In Northern Ireland, pubs can open from 12.30pm to 10pm.
When is the Galway Christmas Market in 2026?
The organiser hasn’t published 2026 dates yet. It usually runs from early November to 31 December in Eyre Square, closed on Christmas Day. Check the official site before you book.
When is the Belfast Christmas Market 2026?
Belfast City Council lists it at City Hall from Saturday 14 November to Tuesday 22 December 2026. Entry is free, and you’ll pay in pounds sterling.
Where can I do a Christmas Day swim in Ireland, and is it safe?
The Forty Foot in Dublin and the COPE Galway swim at Salthill are the best known. The sea can cause cold water shock, so get in slowly, never jump, and swim with others. First-timers are safest at an organised swim with lifeguards.
More Irish Christmas reading
- 18 Irish Christmas traditions, from the candle in the window to the 12 Pubs
- Wren Day: the St Stephen’s Day tradition
- How to say Merry Christmas in Irish
- Irish Christmas cake recipe
- Irish spiced beef recipe
- 10 most legendary Irish pubs
- 10 Irish Christmas blessings
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