Ireland

Is Ireland safe to visit?

Yes. Ireland is one of the safest countries in Europe by most measures. It had 0.65 homicides per 100,000Homicide rateThe number of people killed on purpose each year for every 100,000 residents. It is the most comparable crime figure between countries.More in the glossary people in 2023, it ranks 5th of 163 countries on the 2026 Global Peace IndexGlobal Peace IndexAn annual ranking of 163 countries by how peaceful they are, based on conflict, crime, militarisation and political instability.More in the glossary, and the US rates it Level 1, the lowest advisory. We score it 90, just below Iceland (92) and just above the UK. The main risks for visitors are the ordinary ones: pickpockets in Dublin and narrow country roads.

Dublin at night

Ireland's crime is concentrated in Dublin, and most of what visitors meet is theft. The US State Department says petty crime, mainly bag-snatching and pickpocketing, is common in popular tourist areas, and the FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says most incidents happen in the larger cities. Temple Bar, Grafton Street, O'Connell Street and the Luas tram lines are the usual places; our Dublin page has the local crime figures.

Violence is less common but has become a political issue. A series of late-night assaults in the city centre, some of them on tourists, has led to more police on foot. In June 2026 a woman was attacked on Exchequer Street, off Grafton Street, at about 4.40am; the justice minister said afterwards that Dublin is a safe place and that the incident was "not representative". He also noted there were no gun killings in Ireland in 2025.

The pattern is clear enough to plan around. Trouble clusters after closing time around Temple Bar and on the north side of the Liffey near O'Connell Street and Talbot Street. Stay in groups, take a taxi from a rank or app rather than walking alone, and keep your phone out of sight on the street.

Cork, Galway, Kilkenny and the rest of the country are calmer. The main risk in small towns is losing a bag left in a parked car at a scenic stop.

Rural roads are the bigger risk

The Road Safety Authority counted 185 deaths on public roads in 2025 (provisional), up from 171 in 2024. That is about 3.4 per 100,000 people, still low by world standards, but the trend has been upward since 2019. Pedestrian deaths (41) were high, and more motorcyclists died than in any year since 2007. November and December were the worst months.

For visitors, rural roads are the risk. Many are narrow and winding, bordered by stone walls or hedges, with no verge. On the Ring of Kerry and in Connemara, tour coaches take up most of the road. Traffic drives on the left, and tired drivers coming off a long flight sometimes drift to the right after turning out of a junction. Speed limits are in kilometres per hour, and the posted limit on small roads is often far faster than is safe.

Walking along unlit country roads at night is also risky; wear something bright and walk facing the traffic.

Weather, coasts and health

Natural hazards in Ireland come from the Atlantic. Several storms each winter bring damaging gusts, coastal flooding and power cuts, and Met Éireann warns of them days ahead with colour-coded alerts. There is no earthquake or volcano risk, and heat is rarely a problem.

The danger for visitors is the coast. Cliff paths at Moher, Slieve League and the Dingle peninsula are exposed, and ground near the edge can be wet or crumbling. Atlantic beaches have strong currents and cold water even in summer; swim only at lifeguarded beaches.

There are no tropical diseases, and tap water is safe. Hospitals give good care, but emergency departments are often overcrowded, and waits for non-urgent cases can last many hours. Visitors from outside the EU should have travel insurance; EU visitors can use the European Health Insurance Card in public hospitals.

Terrorism and protests

The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says only that terrorist attacks "cannot be ruled out", and Ireland has had no recent attacks on visitors. The US also mentions demonstrations that can start with little notice. Protests over immigration and asylum housing have at times turned into disorder in and around Dublin, with attacks on police and vehicles set alight. These happen away from tourist areas and are easy to avoid.

How to stay safe in Ireland

• In Dublin, keep bags zipped and in front of you on Grafton Street, in Temple Bar and on the Luas.
• After the pubs close, take a taxi rather than walking alone north of the Liffey.
• Drive slowly on rural roads, keep left after every turn, and pull in to let tour coaches pass.
• Stay behind barriers on cliff walks, and check Met Éireann warnings before coastal trips.
• Swim only at lifeguarded beaches.
• Call 112 or 999 for emergencies.

How we scored it

Violent crime (96) is Ireland's strongest factor, with conflict (91), roads (90) and natural hazards (90) close behind. Petty crime (76) is the weakest, because of pickpocketing and late-night trouble in central Dublin. Compare Norway, which has even safer roads but harsher weather.