Dark-sky places in Ireland
Of 9 dark-sky places and national parks in Ireland, Wicklow Mountains National Park (of those darker than half of Europe’s land) has the most clear, moonless hours of full darkness: 163 a year (ERA5, 2006–2025). The darkest sky is at Kerry, darker than 97% of Europe’s land (NASA VIIRS 2025).
| Place | Best month | Clear moonless dark hours a year | Darker than… |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brú na Bóinne national park national park | January | 165 | 21% |
| Boyne Valley National Park national park | January | 165 | 17% |
| Wicklow Mountains National Park national park | March | 163 | 61% |
| Burren National Park national park | March | 126 | 77% |
| Kerry International Dark Sky Reserve | March | 98 | 97% |
| Killarney National Park national park | March | 93 | 77% |
| Connemara National Park national park | March | 86 | 96% |
| Wild Nephin National Park International Dark Sky Park · national park | March | 74 | 93% |
| Glenveagh National Park national park | April | 68 | 85% |
Climate, not a forecast: these are shares of past nights (ERA5 reanalysis, 2006–2025), not a prediction for a particular night. Check a forecast before you go.