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Ireland Packing Guide: What to Pack for Ireland in the Fall (Carry-On Only)

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Heading to Ireland in the fall and aren’t sure what to pack? Don’t worry – I had no idea either! If there’s one thing I obsessed about most when planning my first trip to Ireland, it was what to pack. I read through so many different resources trying to piece together the right outfits (and SO many different reviews on shoes) and I still wasn’t confident it would all work out.

Ireland is a destination where you have to be prepared for all seasons when it comes to your clothing. They key is to layer! With city walking, you’re a little more protected from the elements. You might not need to dress in as many layers, but you always want to have a rain jacket or umbrella handy.

You might also be asking yourself how much of what you pack needs to be waterproof. Does it really rain all the time? I found that even when the weather report said it was raining, it would be clear – and vice versa. When we were there towards the end of October, we had a mix of clear days, cloudy days with passing showers, and days where it rained heavily. Overall, it actually rained a lot less than I thought it would but we were prepared for any type of weather regardless.

In this Ireland packing guide, I’m sharing everything I packed for a fall trip to Ireland and hopefully you’ll find it helpful if you’re heading there soon. I’ve also included notes on what worked and what didn’t – but spoiler alert, most of what I packed was actually pretty spot on! I also detail how I packed for two people in carry-on luggage only. It was a big challenge for me but overall, it was a success.

And don’t forget to check out my full One-Week Ireland Itinerary – perfect for first-time visitors!

Luggage & Packing Cubes

My best tip for travel to basically anywhere in Europe is to pack light. Speaking from experience, lugging a big suitcase around is not the tea. Smaller suitcases make it easier to navigate if you have to walk on city streets. And if you’re doing any train travel, you definitely don’t want to be dragging big luggage around either.

Also, I’ve become a big fan of packing cubes. I don’t use them for every single article of clothing, but I do find they help me organize better and compress everything.

Here’s a list of our luggage, backpacks, and packing cubes that we used for our first trip to Ireland:

Monos Carry-On Roller Bags

I traveled with my husband on this trip to Ireland and we each had one Monos carry-on roller and one backpack (I had him lug the Beis expandable while I carried my brown backpack).

If you’re traveling solo, I’d recommend one carry-on roller bag plus a waterproof backpack (the Beis expandable is not waterproof).

Monos in white & green (with my Beis in the background)

I know some of these hard-shell luggage options can get quite pricey, but I think it’s worth it to invest in quality luggage for long-term use. I waited a long time to get new carry-on rollers after watching dozens of YouTube videos and reading through reviews. It’s such a hard choice! When the Monos came up for a Black Friday sale back in 2022, I finally bit the bullet. I have been super pleased with their performance so far.

I generally prefer hard-shell luggage since they are more water resistant than a fabric bag. If you have to wheel your luggage on the streets of Dublin, you may want some extra protection from potential rain. And yes, I do have a white one which was my impulse buy at a big discount on Black Friday. It definitely shows scuffs but so far, most of them have come off.

Backpacks

I’ve been a backpack traveler for years now – meaning I don’t carry purses when I travel. Heck, most of the time, my backpacks are my purses even when I’m not traveling! It’s much easier on my shoulders and back to have the weight more evenly distributed. Plus, I can fit a lot more in a backpack than a purse.

Amazon Backpack Finds

I hesitate to call anything waterproof even though products are labeled so, but I can tell you that I have tested both my “waterproof” backpacks in pretty heavy rain and they have kept my items inside dry. You do have to consider the fact that there are zippers on these so at some point, if left in the rain for too long, water is bound to seep in. I don’t recommend these as hiking backpacks where you’d be exposed to the elements for longer periods of time, but they are fine for day trips and city walking.

When I travel during winter or to a rainy destination, I also carry a plastic bag just in case I need to throw wet clothes in or if I get worried about extra protection for my camera gear.

Brown Faux Leather / Black Nylon

These backpacks are also anti-theft with the main pocket against your back. It will be really hard for a pick pocket to get into one of these, unless you leave it unattended for some reason. Just don’t place valuables on the side pockets (like your phone) because those are exposed.

Overall, I really love both of these backpacks. They are somewhat stylish yet still functional, and help keep my things safe (and dry). Winning all around!

beis expandable

Another favorite backpack of mine is the Beis expandable backpack. While it’s not waterproof, you can get through a light rain with no issues (tested personally on a trip to Nashville). However, I typically try to use this backpack as a personal item or a day pack when it’s not raining.

This backpack has a lot of features that I love, most notably that it’s expandable so if you need extra room, you just unzip and get about an extra two inches of space! There are also a ton of pockets, making it easier to organize your things. It also has its own separate padded laptop compartment that fits up to a 15″ laptop (a 15″ laptop will be pretty snug, but it does fit). Lastly, the Beis does have a trolley pass through to place easily over your luggage handle so you don’t have to carry this on your back all the time.

If you aren’t a backpack fan, I’ve heard another great option for a personal item to pair with your carry-on is the Nomad Lane Bento Bag. I’m definitely saving up for this one!

Packing Cubes

I started using packing cubes several years ago when I wanted to travel in a more carry-on-only fashion and I was actually amazed at how much they helped compress my clothing! For the bulk of my clothes, I generally use one bigger cube and a combination of a few smaller ones for undergarments or miscellaneous clothing items.

I can’t really say what the best packing cubes are to use because I haven’t tried them all, but I have a set of YAMIU packing cubes plus these newer Olarkhike ones from Amazon. I used a combo of both for this trip to Ireland between me and my husband and have no complaints about either.

Most of my Ireland clothing fit in one large packing cube.

Clothing & Accessories for Ireland

As I mentioned at the outset of this post, the key to packing clothes for Ireland is to think in terms of layers. I think this is true even if you aren’t traveling in the fall season! You also need to make sure you’re taking the right layers with you. When traveling to Ireland in autumn/fall, you’re more likely to encounter cooler temperatures. You need to make sure you take enough clothing to keep you warm and insulated!

Ireland is also a pretty casual destination so unless you plan on attending fancy dinners or an elite afternoon tea, focus on comfort above all else.

Everything I took for one week in Ireland

Women’s Packing List

Here’s a quick list of everything I packed/wore for a one-week trip to Ireland, with more details in the sections below.

I was able to fit the bulk of my clothes in my large packing cube except my fleece jacket, vest and rain jacket. I actually put my fleece in my husband’s carry-on since he had room. My rain jacket and vest went in a smaller packing cube in my carry-on.

If I was traveling solo, I would have omitted my green waffle sweater and just reused one of my other sweaters instead so I could roll my fleece jacket into my main cube.

Rolling method for packing cube

Men’s Packing

This list is much shorter because my husband is the ultimate t-shirt and jeans guy. Also, his body temps run much higher than mine, which means less clothes to pack all around!

Waterproof Shoes for Ireland

Because Ireland is Ireland and the likelihood of encountering rain for at least a part of your trip is high, I made sure to take a pair of waterproof sneakers and a pair of waterproof boots.

Since I was doing carry-on only, I decided on packing just two pairs of shoes – sneakers for casual wear that I wouldn’t mind getting dirty and boots for city walking and everything else. I wore the boots on the plane and packed my sneakers in my carry-on.

Vessi Sneakers for ireland travel

For a sneaker/casual shoe, I got the Vessi Weekend Sneakers in black. I figured with fall travel, a dark color would be better in case I encountered any muddy situations. They also have these in brown which is another great color for the season!

I purchased my Vessis about five months ahead of our Ireland trip (on a Memorial Day sale) to give me time to break them in. However, these shoes are comfortable enough where they actually don’t need much breaking in.

Vessi waterproof sneakers in black asphalt

I wore my Vessis for our long bus tour day trips out to the Cliffs of Moher as well as Northern Ireland and they were great! It didn’t rain nearly as much as I thought it would, but I was glad to have waterproof shoes nonetheless.

boots for ireland travel

For boots for Ireland travel, I bought the Cortina Valley Boots from Timberland brand new. Guys let me tell you, I agonized over the perfect boot for Ireland travel for MONTHS. I knew I wanted a high-quality pair of boots that would last me for years, which meant a financial investment. You don’t want to make to make the wrong decision when lots of money is involved! I finally pulled the trigger on my Timberlands when they ran a sale and I am officially in love.

When my boots arrived, I wore them around the house before the trip but they were comfortable from the get go! I was looking for a combat-style boot that would be somewhat stylish for city walking but could also double as a casual shoe for more outdoor adventures. These definitely provide a good balance.

These Timberland boots were on my feet for every city-walking day we had in Ireland and my feet were generally pretty happy. I have had some nightmare shoe situations on a lot of my travels, so I’ve learned my lesson on the importance of having comfortable walking shoes.

Best of all, these boots are waterproof and come up to the bottom of your calf to keep your feet, ankles, and socks nice and dry when the rain hits.

These boots are available from the Timberland website but only come in the lighter tan color now.

Merrell Shoes for Men

Finding good waterproof shoes for men is hard! My husband also wears a size 14 shoe, which makes it extra difficult. Thankfully, he had already bought a pair of Merrells that were just sitting in the closet unused that he decided to take for this trip. They don’t have his exact style anymore, but here’s a link to something similar.

While the waterproof aspect of these shoes was great, these were not the best for city walking. The shoe itself was just a bit too heavy. I ordered him some Vessi shoes in size 14 to try, but they were too small! Hopefully, they’ll come out with a size 15 in the near future so I can snag those. For now, we’re still taking recommendations on a lighter-weight walking shoe that’s waterproof.

Jackets

As you might imagine, the most important jacket you can pack for Ireland is a rain jacket. It doesn’t have to be a heavy or thick jacket, especially if you’re dressing in layers – it just needs to be waterproof. I also highly recommend getting one with a hood. There are a lot of scenarios where you don’t want to use an umbrella (hello windy Irish coast) but do want to keep your head dry.

Even if it’s not raining, if you find yourself in a windy spot of Ireland (particularly the Cliffs of Moher or Giant’s Causeway), having a rain jacket as your outer layer will help insulate your body and keep you warm.

My rain jacket is the Columbia Women’s Switchback Jacket in the mango color. I got this jacket in size large (I’m 5’7″) so I could have enough room to wear a couple of layers underneath. For example, I could wear an undershirt, long-sleeved t-shirt or sweater, my fleece jacket, and sometimes even a vest underneath my rain jacket and was still able to zip it up!

The mango color regularly sells out so if you really like this color, just keep checking back (and snag it quickly when you do see it). Bright colors are a fun pop against the backdrop of Ireland’s landscape!

Sticking with Columbia, I got my husband the Columbia Men’s Watertight II Rain Jacket and I’d give it a thumbs up for Ireland travel.

Fleece Jackets

In addition to our rain jackets, each of us brought a fleece jacket, which I think is the perfect jacket for layering. They aren’t incredibly bulky, but they do keep you warm enough. I bought mine from Amazon and it has been a staple in my wardrobe even aside from our trip to Ireland. I’m actually wearing it right now as I write this!

Tops

Tops can get a little more tricky, depending on the weather. Since we visited in fall, I figured the temps would be low enough for the most part where long-sleeved t-shirts or sweaters would be a minimum, even with city walking.

T-Shirts & Vest

I packed two thinner long-sleeve t-shirts to wear for our bus-tour days because I knew I’d probably take a lot of my layers off while riding in the warm bus. These t-shirts are a longer tunic-style, which I like, but they fit a little snug around the midsection (which isn’t really the most flattering if you have a perpetual burrito baby like me). Vest to the rescue! A vest was the perfect addition to my outfit on those days, not only to keep my core warm but to make me feel comfortable filling my belly up with Irish stew.

I also packed/wore four short-sleeved t-shirts this trip. One was used as a layering tee; two were used on travel days; and one was used to wear with my shacket on our first afternoon exploring Dublin.

Lastly, I packed two plain white tank tops to use as undershirts to layer with my long-sleeved t-shirts. Mine are the tall size from Old Navy, which means they have a longer length and help to cover up the bum (that’s just what makes me feel more comfortable, personally).

Sweaters

A trip is the perfect excuse to buy new clothes and I bought four new sweaters for Ireland! Here’s a breakdown on these:

  • Two oversized crewneck sweaters: These are incredibly comfy and long enough to wear with leggings. They were also thick enough to keep me warm without having to wear an extra jacket. Perfect for city days!
  • One oversized waffle sweater good for city travel. However, because it’s kind of bulky, it’s not super great for layering or packing. Not sure what I was thinking there!
  • One thin tunic sweater: Great for layering with leggings and can also be dressed up (I wore this to afternoon tea!).
Crewneck sweater in beige

Pants & Leggings

Thank goodness Ireland is a place where casual dress is the norm! Because I was focused on comfort first and foremost, I packed three pairs of the same fleece-lined (water-resistant) leggings. Not only are a pair of black leggings versatile, they are super comfortable for all-day wear.

These leggings come with two pockets on each leg, with the inner pocket being deep enough to hide your cell phone completely. It was easy for me to reach in and grab my phone to take photos and I felt it was always safe when in my pocket. Of course, it isn’t guaranteed to be anti-theft (there really are some good pick pockets out there) but I never felt paranoid about this while in Dublin at any point in time. There is also a zippered cell phone pocket on the back of the waist, but my phone is slightly too big to fit in that.

While these leggings are water resistant, they are not waterproof. You can get through a normal rain just fine, but if you get caught in a heavy downpour, these will get wet. I found they do dry relatively quickly though. And the fleece lining really does help keep you keep nice and warm!

Jeans

I only brought one pair of jeggings, which are essentially stretchy jeans. While they are pretty comfortable, they aren’t the best for long travel days. Jeans also typically take up more luggage space and tend to be heavier, so I always recommend going light on the jeans for any destination.

They also aren’t great when it rains a lot! My husband brought two pairs of jeans and on heavy rain days, they got pretty wet.

Accessories

Accessories to take to Ireland are just as important as any other clothing item. My list includes hats, umbrellas, and socks. However, if I were to take this trip again, two things I would add to this list are gloves and a scarf. I was definitely missing these on our day trips out to the coastal areas.

Beanie Hats

The most crucial accessory to pack, in my opinion, is a nice warm beanie. I went with Merino wool when buying ours since it’s a moisture-wicking fabric. These can absorb moisture while still keeping you nice and warm.

I bought two different brands for us to try – one for my husband and one for myself, and I am so glad we had those for warmth and to protect our ears from the wind.

Umbrellas

A windproof umbrella is also a good accessory to have, but even though it might be windproof, I really don’t recommend using an umbrella for every rainy situation. For example, the winds on the coast of Ireland – particularly at the Cliffs of Moher or Antrim Coast (where you’ll find the Giant’s Causeway) – can get pretty strong. There is zero sense in hassling with an umbrella here. Just make sure you have a good rain jacket with a hood that can be tightened.

I do recommend an umbrella for city walking or when in small towns where you’re a little more protected from the elements. A good rain jacket is key, but when the heavy rains hit, it’s nice to have a little extra protection.

Socks

Both my husband and I took wool socks for this trip, with most of them being Merino wool. When I was preparing for this trip, I had rainy days in mind and wanted to make sure our feet stayed warm and dry. Merino wool is also a better fabric for being odor resistant, which is definitely a quality you want when it comes to socks!

Day-by-Day Outfit Breakdown

Want to see all my outfits put together? Here’s a day-by-day breakdown of each different outfit I wore for our one-week trip to Ireland!

Travel Day Outfits

When it comes to travel days, I’m looking for comfort but I’m also trying to wear some of my bulkiest items when flying carry-on only. In my case, I definitely needed to wear my shacket since it would take up too much space in my bags. Plus it kind of acted like a blanket on the plane!

I also chose to wear my boots. While they aren’t exactly comfortable shoes for flying, I needed the space in my carry-on.

Shacket / Basic T-shirt / Fleece-Lined Leggings / Boots / Wool Socks

Day 1: Dublin Arrival Outfit

I didn’t actually take a picture of my full outfit because all I did was change my shirt to a white boyfriend-style tee with a tank top undershirt, but at least my shacket saw some Dublin action!

Day 2: Exploring Dublin City Outfit

On day two, the weather report was looking pretty good for most of the day. Exploring Dublin City was on the agenda and I was confident wearing my jeggings and cream-colored sweater was the right choice! It didn’t end up raining until later in the evening, so it worked out great.

However, I did I also keep my rain jacket and beanie in my backpack for those just-in-case moments.

Sweater / Jeggings / Boots / Wool Socks

Day 3: Outfit for Cliffs of Moher Day Trip

Our third day in Ireland was a day trip to explore the Cliffs of Moher and Galway City. I definitely wanted to dress in layers for this tour and also wanted to be comfortable for the hours we’d be spending on the bus!

When you’re actually on the bus, you don’t need to wear all of your layers. It gets warm in there! But once you get out to the Cliffs, you’re going to want them. I started off without my rain jacket and ended up putting it on just to protect me from the wind and insulate my warmth. Every single piece of clothing was worth it here!

Rain Jacket / Fleece Jacket / Long-Sleeved Shirt / Vest / Undershirt
Fleece-Lined Leggings / Vessi Shoes / Wool Socks / Beanie

Mango rain jacket in the wild!

Day 4: Outfit for Exploring Dublin

Day four in Ireland was exploring more of Dublin on foot, including the Book of Kells, The Old Library, and Dublinia.

Again, the weather looked good and jeans and a sweater it was! It did start to rain to towards the later part of the afternoon right as we rolled up to the Teeling Whiskey Distillery. I ended up having to take my umbrella out briefly as we finished up our walk. I’m thankful I kept our umbrellas and rain jackets in my backpack, that’s for sure!

Sweater / Undershirt / Jeggings / Boots / Wool Socks

Day 5: Outfit for Howth

Day five was mostly about going out to explore the coastal town of Howth and it was the rainiest day we had in Ireland! Rain jackets and umbrellas were used on our walk to transportation from Dublin, and it completely poured in Howth with only a few breaks in the rain here and there. Again, I was super thankful for my rain jacket, umbrella, and water-resistant leggings.

Rain Jacket / Fleece Jacket / Tunic Sweater / Fleece-Lined Leggings
Boots / Wool Socks / Beanie

Day 6: Northern Ireland Day Trip Outfit

Our trip to Northern Ireland was amazing, but it was also very cold and dreary.

When we were in Belfast, it rained off and on and the temperature was a lot cooler compared to Dublin. And when we made it out to the Antrim Coast at Dunluce Castle and Giant’s Causeway, it was very windy and even colder! I was very glad to have all my layers here.

Rain Jacket / Fleece Jacket / Long-Sleeved Shirt / Undershirt / Vest
Fleece-Lined Leggings / Vessi Shoes / Wool Socks / Beanie

Day 7: Outfit for Exploring Dublin City

My last outfit of the trip was very intentional because it was Halloween! I wore my rust-colored sweater with black leggings to add a little festive element to our day.

We did a lot of walking on our final day as well and I was pretty comfortable in terms of body temperature. It only rained at the end of the evening as our walking tour was concluding. I had to take out my rain jacket and umbrella as a fond farewell to the Irish weather.

Sweater / Fleece-Lined Leggings / Boots / Wool Socks

Electronics

It would be so nice if Amazon would approve me for an Influencer Storefront to make putting all of these things in your cart easier, but I’m just not cool enough yet. So, here’s links to all my electronics gear that I packed for this trip:

Pro-tip: always keep your electronics and valuables in your personal item in case you have to check your carry-on bag.

Toiletries

Preparing for a carry-on only trip means reducing the amount and size of liquids you’re packing. Can someone really pack toiletries for one week in a carry-on? Yes, it can be done! I tested shampoo and conditioner bars, along with bar soap on a trip prior to this and they worked well. Although, the hotel we stayed at did have shampoo, conditioner, and body wash available.

How will you be packing for Ireland?

Ireland was certainly one of the most challenging destinations I’ve ever had to pack for! The main thing to remember is to be prepared for the worst, but hope for the best – accomplished by packing multiple layers.

And yes, as you’ve seen, packing for one week in Ireland in a carry-on only is possible! Packing fall clothing is not easy when you have minimal space and thoughtful planning is required. Hopefully this post helps with that. And always remember to keep a hat, rain jacket, and umbrella handy for those unpredictable rain showers.

Are you going to Ireland soon? Did you find this guide helpful? If there are more questions you need answered, please feel free to drop me a comment!

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What to Pack for Fall In Ireland

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