Ireland in Early Spring: Daffodils, Lambs and Longer Days

March and early April bring daffodil-lined avenues, lambing season on the western farms and enough evening light for a walk after dinner — here is where to base yourself.

Why early spring works around Dublin and the east

Dublin in March is quieter and cheaper than in summer, and the days stretch from roughly 7am to 6.30pm by late March, so an evening walk along the Grand Canal or through St Stephen's Green is realistic after dinner. Daffodils show along the avenues of Trinity College and in the Botanic Gardens at Glasnevin, a short bus ride from the city centre. Hotel rates in Dublin typically sit below high-summer levels in early March, though they climb sharply for the St Patrick's Day period around 17 March, when the city fills and rooms book out weeks ahead.

Base yourself within walking distance of a Luas tram stop — around St Stephen's Green, Harcourt or Smithfield — rather than out near the airport, where the 15-minute Aircoach run into town is convenient but the evenings are empty. City-centre hotels near Temple Bar are loud and overpriced at weekends; I would book a mid-range hotel around Baggot Street or Portobello instead, where you get quiet streets and a 15-minute walk to Grafton Street. For a day trip, the DART commuter train runs south to Dalkey and Killiney in about 30 minutes.

Lambing season and the western counties

Early spring is lambing time across the west, and small farms in counties Mayo, Galway and Sligo open their sheds to visitors in March and early April. These are working farms, not attractions, so you need to phone ahead and expect a modest entry fee. The weather is the honest trade-off: expect frequent rain, soft ground and temperatures around 6 to 10 degrees Celsius, so waterproof boots and a windproof layer matter more than any itinerary. Drive times between towns are longer than the map suggests — Galway to Westport is roughly 1 hour 20 minutes on the N59, but Cong to Clifden can take two hours on narrow roads.

I would base in Westport for three nights rather than trying to cover Connemara and Mayo from a single Galway hotel. Westport has a compact town centre, a greenway cycle route and easy access to farms around Louisburgh and Leenane. Galway city suits a two-night stay if you want restaurants and music in the evenings, but parking is difficult and the city hotels near Eyre Square are busy at weekends. Skip the cliff drives on windy days; the gusts along the coast in March are genuinely uncomfortable and the views disappear into mist.

Where to stay and what to book first

Prices vary by town and date, so treat any figure as a band rather than a quote: city hotels in Dublin and Galway run higher than guesthouses in Westport, Sligo or Dingle, and weekend rates in all of them climb in March as St Patrick's Day approaches. Book your accommodation first and your car second — automatic cars are scarcer and cost more than manual ones, and availability tightens in spring. Ask your hotel directly about parking, because on-street parking in Galway and Dublin is metered and often full by early evening.

If you want one recommendation, I would book a three-night stay in Westport for the lambing and greenway, then two nights in Dublin at the end for the museums and Botanic Gardens, travelling between them by train or a one-way car hire. That order puts the quieter, weather-dependent days first and leaves the city for the finish, when a wet afternoon in the National Museum of Ireland costs nothing. Avoid trying to add Northern Ireland in the same week; the drive from Westport to Belfast is over four hours and turns a holiday into a schedule.

Timing, daylight and practical notes

By the third week of March you have around 12 hours of daylight, with sunset near 6.45pm in Dublin, and the clocks go forward on the last Sunday of March, pushing light well into the evening. Ferries and trains run normal schedules, and the main tourist sites — Newgrange, the Rock of Cashel, Kylemore Abbey — are open but with shorter winter hours that switch to summer timetables in late March, so check opening times before you drive. Midweek stays are consistently quieter than weekends.

Pack for four seasons in one day: a waterproof jacket, layers and comfortable walking shoes. Many small cafés and farm attractions close on Mondays outside the cities. If daffodils are your aim, the lanes around Adare in County Limerick and the gardens at Powerscourt in County Wicklow are reliable in March, though flowering dates shift with the weather. Book flexible rates where you can, since a wet week in the west is common and a last-minute change of plan is easier with a cancellable room.

Questions, answered

When do daffodils bloom in Ireland?

Daffodils generally flower from late February through March, with the strongest displays in early to mid-March. Dates shift with the weather, so coastal gardens in Wicklow and Limerick tend to peak slightly earlier than inland sites.

Is March a good time to see lambs in Ireland?

Yes. Lambing runs through March and early April on farms in Mayo, Galway and Sligo. These are working farms, so phone ahead, expect a small entry fee and wear boots, as the ground is soft and the weather changeable.

Do I need to book a hotel early for St Patrick's Day?

Yes. Demand peaks around 17 March, especially in Dublin and Galway, and rooms book out weeks in advance at higher rates. If your dates are flexible, visiting in early March or after the holiday gives you better choice and quieter streets.

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