Ireland
Galway in December
🧥 WinterCold and some showers.
🎒 Pack: warm jacket for evenings · compact umbrella or rain jacket
Why December scores 8.4What goes into the score
How it works- Weather comfort6.9
- !Cold (9°C highs / 4°C lows)
- ✓Comfortable humidity (dew point 5°C)
- !Wet: ~121 mm rain, ~4 heavy-rain days
- Air quality10.0
- ✓Good (within WHO guideline) (PM2.5 ~3 µg/m³)
- Seasonal hazards10.0
- ·No notable seasonal hazards
- Safety baseline9.0
- ·Normal precautions
| Dec | Jun | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 8.4 Very good | 9.5 Excellent |
| Season | 🧥 Winter | ☀️ Summer |
| High / low | 9° / 4° | 18° / 11° |
| Rain | 121 mm | 81 mm |
| Humidity | dew pt 5° | dew pt 11° |
| PM2.5 | 3 µg/m³ | 5 µg/m³ |
Typical-month data: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis) 2015–2024 (modelled, not a forecast). Temperatures: Galway weather-station normals. Rainfall: Galway weather-station normals (national met service).
Holidays & crowdsDecember 2026
Long weekendThere's at least one long weekend. Domestic travel picks up and popular spots get busier over those days.
- Christmas Day 25–27 Dec · 3 days off in a row
National holidays only; regional holidays and school breaks aren't included. Source: holidays (open-source public-holiday calendar).
Explore GalwayEvents, sights, food & souvenirs
Check event dates locallyA lively harbour city on Ireland's west coast, known for traditional music pubs, festivals and as a gateway to Connemara and the Aran Islands.
No major events on our calendar for December.
Coming up later
Galway International Arts FestivalDate variesUsually the second half of July
A large multi-week festival of theatre, music, visual art and street spectacle.
Why go: The city is busy and accommodation books up early.
Where: Venues and streets across the city
Galway Races Summer FestivalDate variesUsually the last week of July into early August
A week-long horse racing festival that is also a major social event.
Why go: Accommodation in Galway is very scarce during race week.
Where: Ballybrit Racecourse
Galway International Oyster and Seafood FestivalDate variesUsually late September
A long-running festival celebrating the start of the oyster season, with shucking competitions and seafood tastings.
Why go: Good timing for trying fresh native oysters.
Where: Galway city centre
Latin Quarter, Shop Street and Quay Street
Colourful pedestrian streets of pubs, shops and buskers in the medieval centre.
Spanish Arch
A 16th-century extension of the old city walls beside the River Corrib, a popular gathering spot.
Galway Cathedral
A large 20th-century cathedral with a green copper dome, beside the Salmon Weir Bridge.
Salthill Promenade
A seaside walk along Galway Bay with views towards the Burren hills.
Aran Islands
Three islands with stone walls, Irish-speaking communities and the clifftop fort of Dún Aonghasa on Inis Mór.
💡 Ferries leave from Rossaveal, and flights from Connemara Airport; check weather, as crossings can be rough.
Connemara
A region of mountains, bogs, lakes and coastline west of the city, with Kylemore Abbey and Connemara National Park.
Galway Bay oysters
Native flat oysters from Galway Bay, traditionally in season through the autumn and winter.
Seafood chowder
A creamy soup of mixed fish and shellfish, served with brown soda bread.
💡 Pubs and seafood restaurants
Irish stew
Lamb or mutton slow-cooked with potatoes, onions and carrots.
Brown soda bread
A dense wholemeal bread leavened with baking soda and buttermilk.
Market food
Local produce, cheese and street food sold by farmers and producers.
💡 Galway Market beside St Nicholas' Church
Claddagh ring
A ring showing two hands holding a crowned heart, a tradition that originated in Galway's Claddagh fishing village.
💡 Jewellers in the city centre
Aran sweater
A thick, cable-knit wool jumper associated with the Aran Islands.
Connemara marble
Green-veined marble from Connemara, made into jewellery and small keepsakes.