You will probably expect rain at some point in time everyday. Of course, you could get lucky but at least be prepared for some showers.

Did you ever look at your list to see where you are going in Ireland?

Linda

Linda, I haven't looked into the itinerary. Sitting on my desktop.

Do have a a rainhat and raincoat, and jacket for cool nites.

Bring the raincoat - you may need it! The potential for rain every day does exist (one of the reasons Ireland is called the Emerald Isle) but it's what is known as a Soft Rain, and will be on the (to you) coolish side. It could get warmer while you are there but nothing like what you (being from the South) know as warm. The nights will be cool - I'd bring a sweater or buy one there as a memento!
I am quite envious and excited for you!

Boston Pat, you are the bestest!

Glenda, I am attaching a link to the Irish Times weather page - you can check the weather all over Ireland - Scotland will be similar.
And here is a Celsius to Fahrenheit conversion page.
http://www.wbuf.noaa.gov/tempfc.htm

Here is a link that might be useful: Weather in Ireland

I spent 5 weeks in England & Scotland in 1986 by myself (went on a lot of tours) Take a roll up raincoat nothing too heavy to tote around. I don't think I go to Edinburgh. I loved it but at that time the people themselves were a little reserved. In London they are used to a wide variety of people but not so much in Scotland at least back them I cut my time short there and came back to London early to finish my trip. My great grandfather came over from Scotland.

I'm going to Edinburgh to enjoy The Tattoo.

I was in Scotland, England and Wales July/Aug 1995 when they had a heat wave in the 80's-90's! I packed all the wrong clothes. Only the big fancy hotels have AC so DH and I were sweating up a storm. So take my advice and pack a few outfits for ALL kinds of weather. You can always get them cleaned if you end up wearing the same clothes a lot.
Clare

My brother and his wife were in England, Scotland and Ireland last year for 2 weeks at the end of August/beginnning of September and all they did was complain about the weather. They're from Houston so they're used to hot weather. But they both complained that they were cold or chilly all the time. But then they complain whenever they come to Philadelphia too no matter what time of year it is.

Glenda- did the tour operator give you suggestions for a packing list? I know some of them do.

I went to Scotland and Ireland in August several years ago and encountered all kinds of weather except snow. It can get cool in the evenings so pack a lightweight sweater or summer-weight jacket. As for rain, just a slight rain jacket will do. One of those small collapsible umbrellas that fit into your purse might be a good idea as well. As bostonpat said, it is a soft rain (what we call drizzle)and lovely on a warm day.

Mcmann is correct. Your tour company should give you some idea of what to bring and what kind of weather to expect.

We had snow in July in northern Norway.

I am so envious that you will see the Tattoo. I went many years ago. I just saw the Royal Nova Scotia International tattoo in Halifax on Canada Day - wonderful and amazing!

Have a lovely trip!! Scotland and Ireland are absolutely beautiful countries and I hope you have a great time.

It can rain any the time in the English isles, but not a heavy steady rain. It might be just a sprinkle for part of the day. So be prepared. You're not going to sit at the beach and get a tan. My husband lived in England for 4 years and he was a weatherman. Opps, I mean weather observer in the Air Force.

I was in Dublin two weeks ago. It sprinkled rain nearly every day, then cleared up beautifully. It was light-jacket weather nearly the whole time. Make sure you take a jacket and good umbrella. Of course, if you get really cold you can justify your purchase of a gorgeous Irish sweater. Only trouble with Ireland right now is the prices are very high.

Glenda, I've never been to Ireland although I'd love to go. I'm just not small enough to fit in your luggage! My son & his girlfriend went to Ireland last fall (November) & they loved it and are thinking about moving there in 2-3 yrs to open a B&B. The girlfriend was born in Ireland. Apparently it does sprinkle rain on a daily basis & although the locals thought it was "mild", the kids were chilly most of the time & wore jackets & hats.
In case you're interested, I've attached a link so you can look at their pictures. They spent 10 days away, first half in Ireland, the second half in Germany. Many of the pictures have family in them but some are just scenery. I had a coffee table book made up for them using the pictures they took & as my son talked about the sights they saw, I was busy making notes. Hopefully you will be able to open the link. The pictures are out of order, the first few are from Germany, the rest are from Ireland, except the last 4 which were taken in Vancouver.
Linda

Here is a link that might be useful: Kelly & Treacy in Ireland/Germany

Spent a week touring Dublin, Belfast and then to Shannon. It was late September (2007) and the weather was great. Packed for rain and had less than a five minute drizzle the entire time - just after we boarded the bus at Glendaloch. It was cool but I did not need anything more than a fleece jacket. I wore my rain gear only when traipsing through the mist at Giant's Causeway to stay warm.

Enjoy your trip. I cannot wait to go back.

Thanks for all the responses, help and pictures.

Muchly appreciated.

Three weeks from today, I'll be in Glasgow.

Oh, I envy you your trip.....we spent three weeks in Scotland a few years ago, and loved it. (Met McPeg there!)We were there in September, and the weather was quite nice, although I wore a lined wind-breaker quite often. We spent time at St. Andrews, Inverness, Glassgow, and some of the smaller cities. On the way home, we stopped in York for about three days, and I think that was our favorite city of that trip!

phyllis_mn -- You mean you wore a lined 'wind cheater'. Over there a wind-breaker has a meaning connected with 'gas'. LOL

I remember a lady in Edinburgh calling out to me that I'd left behind my 'woolie'. (My 'sweater'.)

Have a great trip, Glenda!

glenda are you doing any of the castle tours? a pal went and she said wear shoes with good soles that grip...some of the steps going up and down are almost child-sized...

Well, Chisue....I did eat haggis!!

What's haggis?

BTW, what are somethings to eat that I HAVE to try?

Black pudding. I love it.

Linda

Sooooooo what is BLACK pudding?

Try haggis and black puddling - learn what they are the day after eating them!
Smoked salmon is wonderful in Scotland. All fish is good in Ireland and Scotland as both are surrounded by water.
For desserts, try spotted dick and clootie dumplings - both are melt in your mouth heavenly.

Carry a large purse and in it have a collapsable umbrella. It will most likely rain a bit every day. If it doesn't, consider yourself lucky. Pack clothes so that you can add and shed layers.

I've spent alot of time in Scotland - Glasgow is a pretty modern city now. Much of the older architecture has been replaced by new buildings. Both my sisters will be at the Tattoo this year, too...I'm envious of you all!

If you have any free time in Glasgow, head to the Willow Tearooms at 217 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow. It's a teamroom/restaurant designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh and it opened for business in October 1903. The tearooms were extremely popular, and are the most famous of the many Glasgow tearooms that opened in the late 19th and early 20th century. His architecture and design is my favorite in the world.

Have a great trip!

Haggis and black pudding are examples of peasant food that our ancestors (and contemporaries) ate in an effort to use up every bit of an animal once it was slaughtered.

Haggis is a Scottish dish - that has a sheep's heart,lungs and liver minced, mixed with oats, onions and spices, boiled in a section of a sheep's stomach. A piper "pipes" the dish into the dining room with much fanfare. It's a treat I have not experienced - yet. Scotland's poet Robbie Burns wrote a poem about Haggis and it is served at a dinner in his honor every year.

Black pudding (there is white as well) is also known as blood pudding. It's a sausage like food in a casing containing blood (pig or beef), barley, oats, meat and spices. It's pretty good fried and is a part of a traditional breakfast in Scotland and Ireland, along with broiled tomatoes, mushrooms, bacon and all the tea you can drink.

You also have to have a pint of the "Black Stuff - Guinness!

Thanks but I will skip the pudding!

Might have to have the BLACK STUFF! That's ale, right?

The food was great. We toured St. James Gate and had Guinness overlooking Dublin. Irish bacon is great. I left the black pudding alone.

Nope - not ale - it's stout.... and it's wonderful....When you're in Dublin check out the brewery, you'll find Guinness is a useful food , while enjoyed in pubs, it's also given to women who have just given birth, to horses - it's very nutritious! Click on the "storefront" for more history and information about Guinness. If you don't care for it - there's always Irish Whiskey!

Here is a link that might be useful: Guinness Website

Glenda,
I live in England (but from USA) and our weather is similiar to Scotland and Ireland. Do take a light weight raincoat that you can wear over a fleece and an umbrella if you want....I'm not sure how that will work in a crowd though. I prefer to put my hood up rather than carry an umbrella. I'm in USA for the summer but my husband said UK weather was hot upper 80's a week ago and this week it's been raining so prepare for both. Also wear comfortable shoes (like good supportive tennis shoes) the streets of are often cobbles and you'll need good sturdy shoes with no heels. Enjoy your stay be prepared for foods prepared differently and wording to be very different. (Loo/toilet not bathroom being a very important one) You'll catch on to the lingo and they will enjoy your southern accent. Have a great time!!
Diane