What to pack for Ireland in October: complete Ireland packing list to be comfortable and stylish

What to pack for Ireland in October: full packing list, travel essentials and what to wear in Ireland in October for comfort and style

October is a surprisingly pleasant month to visit Ireland and one that often doesn’t get the credit it deserves.

A fall month with a distinct wintery aspect, October brings to Ireland some rainy days and lower temperatures but also glorious foliage worth alone a trip to the country!

To enjoy October in Ireland, you need to wrap up, especially if coming in the second part of the month.

However, you will still be able to enjoy beautiful days and enjoy the beautiful natural landscapes of Ireland.

I have been living in Ireland for over 15 years and October is one of my favorite months: the changing foliage paints the country with a rainbow of warm colors and the blue sky makes the perfect backdrop for this short yet magical phenomenon.

When packing for Ireland in October, you will need good walking shoes, a waterproof mid-season jacket, a sweater and jeans / long pants, plus a few more essentials.

This is my complete, tried and tested packing list for Ireland in October.

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What to pack for Ireland in October: travel documents

I am going to start this packing list with essentials for all seasons and then drill down on the specifics for the month of October.

Documents

• Passport and Visa if required (find Visa requirements for Ireland here)
• Driving Licence
• International driving license if needed (check here Ireland’s driving requirements for foreigner)
• Kids birth certificate and authorization to travel letter of the child’s guardian should be traveling to Ireland alone with a child with a different surname as your
• Medication and prescriptions for ongoing conditions/ needs
• A print out of your reservations (cars, hotels, tours etc)
• Vaccination cert/ PCR test if applicable

Medications and toiletries

• A well-stocked first-aid kit
• Moisturizing cream for face/hands with UV protection (the combination of sun and wind can be taxing on the skin)
• Allergy tablets – please note that over the counter medications in Ireland may differ from those at home. If you suffer from hay fever, I recommend you bring your own.
• Paracetamol or similar for pain / fever

Need to know: paracetamol is widely available in Ireland in supermarkets and pharmacies but there are rules on how much you can buy within the same transaction. If you think you will need more than a couple of boxes, plan ahead or bring a backup one from home.

All your basic toiletries including:

• Body wash/shampoo/conditioner
• Deodorant
• Tweezers
• Shaving cream/blade
• Women sanitary supplies
• Brush/comb/detangler
• Hair ties
• Moisturizing cream for face /body
• Nail clipper
• Makeup if using

What to wear in Ireland in October

The Official weather statistics say that Ireland in October is as follow

• The average temperature in Ireland in October is 10.5C/51F
• The average number of rainy days in Ireland in October is 24

with local differences between the East and the West of the country. While good reference, I find official numbers are only useful to a point as temperatures can be deceiving.

Overall, I find it useful to know that October in Ireland is pretty much a winter month when it comes to temperatures and that while you will not need thermal layers, snow gear or super heavy winter coats, you do need to wrap up.

I find I usually do not need gloves and hats, however, I do recommend you bring a good coat with a hood and a warm scarf.

How pleasant or cold the weather will feel changes every year and with the exact time of the month. In general, early October is nice and pretty mild while the end of the month tends to feel much colder and calls for p[roper winter clothes. If you are planning on getting your kids to join the trick or treating (they should, it is very popular here and fun!), make sure you wrap them up really well!

This is what I recommend you pack for Ireland in October:

• Rain resistant winter jacket, with hood. You may not need to pack a full-on winter coat but you need something more than a windbreaker or a light leather jacket. I fun short puffy jackets or equivalent great at this time.
• Scarf.
• Short-sleeve tops for layering (October in Ireland is not t-shirt weather/ long sleeve tops)
• You usually do not need a thermal underlay at this time
• Woolen cardigan/sweater
• Long pants/ jeans
• Tights if planning on wearing a skirt/dress
• Good walking shoes such as sneakers/runners/ankle boots
• Underwear and socks
• Pajama/nightwear
• Swimsuit and flip flops only if planning on staying in a spa hotel
• Kids rain gear (rain pants or rain suit, ideally wellington boots)
• A nicer outfit if staying in a castle / high-end hotel

What to wear in Ireland in October if staying in a castle: Some castle hotels, some high-end restaurants and clubs do request their guests to abide by a certain dress code, especially for the evening meal. Information for each is available on the website of the structure in question, however, usually, this means shirt/tie/suit for men, no sneakers and no denim for both men and women.

What to pack for Ireland in October: tech and gadgets

• Phone with good roaming plan or local sim card
• Hands-free phone holder for car
• Power bank / extra battery pack for charging all your tech
• USB cables
• Ireland travel adapter (3 pins)
• Tablet/kindle if using
• Binoculars for bird watching
• Camera, if separate from the phone
• Wind resistant travel umbrella although October sees lots of storms so you may find it redundant, especially if you have a good hat and coat with hood
• Reusable water bottle

Luggage and bags

You don’t need all of this however, I recommend you choose your bags for Ireland wisely so you don’t’ find yourself awkwardly dragging stuff around!

• Hardshell luggage if driving (super handy to stack in the trunk of the car)
• Trave backpack if traveling light / using the bus or train
• Reusable tote bag for grocery shopping / extra bits
• Wet/dry bags especially if traveling with young kids
• Packing cubes (this stuff is magical, they pretty much double the space in your luggage)

What to pack for the kids

• Safe and Ireland authorities approved car seat (official rules here)
• Kids travel pillow for the plane/car
• Well stocked changing bag
• All-terrain stroller (I prefer these in Ireland to the super-light ones: they are much better when exploring the Irish amazing countryside)
• Stroller cover/sleeping bag
• Rain cover for stroller
• Rain gear for toddlers, such as rainproof pants and rain boots for puddles/mucky terrain

You usually do not need to carry your own high chair or toddler crib: Ireland hotels and restaurants tend to be well equipped and, most of the time, will be able to provide what you need. If staying in smaller properties and B&Bs, ask for a cot in advance to make sure they have one available on your dates.

I hope you found this packing list for Ireland in October useful. Safe travels!