Christmas Breaks in Ireland 2026 | 7 Holiday Homes
Christmas Breaks in Ireland 2026:
7 Holiday Homes to Book
TL;DR
Planning a Christmas break in Ireland for 2026? We have picked seven holiday homes in Mayo, Galway and Kerry, with options for larger family gatherings, Christmas events in nearby towns and quieter stays beside the coast. We have also included practical information on minimum stays, Christmas check-in and dog-friendly options at the end.
A self-catering Christmas break in Ireland can be a welcome change when Christmas at home starts to feel like a project.
There is the preparation beforehand, people calling in, a full house and usually somebody trying to keep everything running.
Going away changes the pace. You can get everyone together with enough room to spread out, explore somewhere new during the day and head into town when you fancy a bit of Christmas atmosphere.
Here are seven places worth considering for Christmas 2026.
Lough Conn Haven, Co. Mayo (Sleeps 10)
For a larger family gathering, Lough Conn Haven Holiday Home has the sort of space that becomes very useful after a few days together.
The house sleeps 10 across five bedrooms and has five bathrooms. There are also two living rooms and a separate lounge with a table tennis table, so everyone does not have to spend the entire break in the same room.
The setting is another reason to choose it. The house looks across Lough Conn towards Nephin Mountain, with quiet countryside all around.
It makes a good base for exploring more of County Mayo during the winter months.
What to do at Christmas in Mayo
If you fancy a more festive day out, Mayo on Ice returns to Castlebar, alongside Christmas shopping, restaurants and seasonal entertainment.
Or keep the plans closer to Lough Conn and make the most of the quieter surroundings.
Luxurious Clifden Holiday Home, Co. Galway (Sleeps 25)
Some Christmas gatherings need considerably more than a few spare bedrooms.
Luxurious Clifden Holiday Home sleeps up to 25 guests across nine bedrooms and has ten bathrooms.
There is also a neighbouring cottage sleeping another six guests. Booked together, the two properties can accommodate up to 31 people.
The location is particularly handy for a Christmas gathering. The house is around a five-minute walk from Clifden, so restaurants, pubs, cafés and shops are close by.
That means a large group can stay together without everybody needing to organise transport every time someone wants to head into town.
Christmas in Clifden
Christmas in Clifden takes place across two weekends in 2026:
4–6 December 2026
11–13 December 2026
The annual Lights Switch-On Street Party takes place on 27 November, followed by a programme of workshops and festive events during the festival weekends.
You can check the Christmas in Clifden events programme before your stay.
Outside the Christmas programme, Sky Road, Clifden Castle, Connemara National Park, Diamond Hill and Kylemore Abbey are all within reach.
Malachys Rest, Dingle, Co. Kerry (Sleeps 11)
Winter gives you a very different Dingle.
The town is quieter than during the summer, but the pubs, restaurants, shops and cafés are still there, and December brings its own festive atmosphere.
Malachys Rest Dingle sits around 4 km outside Dingle town and sleeps 11 guests across five bedrooms.
The house has plenty of space for a larger group, along with a separate dining room and a spacious garden. A river runs along the bottom of the garden too.
One small dog can stay by prior arrangement, which makes this one worth considering if the dog is part of the Christmas travel plans.
Christmas in Dingle
Christmas in Dingle has markets, music, family activities, community fundraisers and other festive events planned around town during December.
Dingle is also a good place to tackle some Christmas shopping among its independent shops and local businesses.
Away from town, take a winter drive around Slea Head, visit the beaches and villages of West Kerry or simply enjoy seeing the peninsula without the summer traffic.
Moyard Stone Cottage, Connemara, Co. Galway (Sleeps 6)
Moyard Stone Cottage is the smaller and quieter option on this list.
The traditional stone cottage sleeps six and sits among mature gardens and woodland in Moyard.
There is a wood-burning stove in the living room, while Ross Beach is only a short stroll away. The cottage is dog friendly too.
This is a good base for winter days around Connemara. Connemara National Park and Kylemore Abbey are within easy reach, while Clifden is close enough when you want restaurants, shops or a little more activity.
You can also browse our other holiday homes in Moyard if you would like to stay in this part of Connemara.
Moyard does not need a packed schedule. A beach walk, a drive around Connemara, lunch somewhere nearby and an evening back beside the stove will fill the day nicely.
Ballyconneely Holiday Cottage No. 5, Co. Galway (Sleeps 7)
If Christmas beside the Atlantic sounds better than being in the middle of a busy town, Ballyconneely is worth considering.
Ballyconneely Holiday Cottage No. 5 sleeps seven and is one of a cluster of twelve cottages.
The cottage is all on one level and has a conservatory, giving you another place to sit when everyone has been together for several days.
Ballyconneely Pier is around 1 km away and Clifden is approximately 13 km away.
That gives you the quieter Connemara coast while keeping Clifden within reach for its Christmas events, restaurants, pubs and shops.
Several Trident holiday homes are available in Ballyconneely too, which can work well if a larger family group wants to stay close together without everybody sharing one property.
One useful thing to know before booking: there is no Wi-Fi at this property.
Depending on the family, that could be either a warning or one of its better Christmas features.
Innisfallen Holiday Village No. 4, Killarney, Co. Kerry (Sleeps 7)
If you want plenty happening nearby, Killarney is one of the strongest choices on this list.
Innisfallen Holiday Village No. 4 sleeps seven and is around 1 km from Killarney town.
There is an open fire in the living room, but the location is the main attraction for a winter break.
An entrance to Killarney National Park is around a five-minute walk away. You can spend part of the break among the Christmas activity in town and still have the National Park almost on the doorstep.
Christmas in Killarney
Christmas in Killarney has one of the biggest festive programmes on this list.
The 2026 programme includes Christmas Markets, Santa’s Grotto, Killarney on Ice and the Christmas Magic Parades.
You can check the full Christmas in Killarney What’s On programme before planning your stay.
Killarney National Park also gives you an easy alternative when everyone has had enough Christmas entertainment for one day.
Skellig Fuchsia Lodge, Ballinskelligs, Co. Kerry (Sleeps 6)
Not every Christmas break needs markets and organised events.
Skellig Fuchsia Lodge sleeps six in Ballinskelligs on the South Kerry coast.
The house has three bedrooms and an open fireplace in the living room, but the location is what makes it particularly appealing in winter.
Ballinskelligs Beach is only a short walk away.
You also have the Skellig Ring, St Finian’s Bay and Waterville within reach, with plenty more of County Kerry to explore.
This is the one to look at if a few quieter days sound better than a timetable full of Christmas attractions.
Walk the beach, explore South Kerry while the roads are quieter and head back to the fire afterwards.
Which Christmas Break Would Suit Your Group?
Lough Conn Haven has plenty of room for a larger family gathering.
Luxurious Clifden Holiday Home can accommodate up to 25 people, or 31 when booked with the neighbouring cottage, making it the strongest option here for a very large group.
Malachys Rest gives a group of up to 11 easy access to Dingle, while Moyard is the smaller dog-friendly cottage for six.
Killarney and Clifden have the strongest Christmas event programmes, while Ballyconneely and Ballinskelligs suit a quieter few days beside the coast.
The useful question is not which house has the longest facilities list. It is where your group would actually enjoy spending those few days.
Christmas availability changes as bookings are made, so check the live availability calendar on the individual property page for your dates.
If the dates you want are not showing clearly online, contact our Reservations Team on +353 (0)1 201 8440 before making plans.
At the time of writing, most of the featured properties show a 2-night minimum stay on their live booking pages.
Luxurious Clifden Holiday Home currently has a 3-night minimum stay.
Minimum stays and arrival rules can change for specific dates, including Christmas and New Year, so always check the selected dates on the property page before booking.
Christmas Eve falls on Thursday, 24 December 2026.
Christmas check-in arrangements can vary by property, so if arriving on Christmas Eve is important to your plans, please confirm this with our Reservations Team before booking.
Malachys Rest Dingle accepts one small dog by prior arrangement.
Moyard Stone Cottage is also dog friendly.
If you are travelling with a dog and these properties do not suit your dates or group size, you can browse our full selection of dog-friendly holiday homes in Ireland.
Pet policies and charges vary by property, so always check the individual listing before booking.
For the largest groups, Luxurious Clifden Holiday Home sleeps 25.
It can also be booked with the neighbouring Luxurious Clifden Cottage, bringing the combined capacity to 31 guests.
Malachys Rest Dingle sleeps 11, while Lough Conn Haven sleeps 10 and has several separate living spaces.
Winter Offers
Christmas is only one part of the winter season, and travelling a little earlier or later can open up more options.
Our current Winter Offers include at least 10% off selected winter stays at participating holiday homes across Ireland.
Offers and applicable dates vary by property, so these should not be treated as a blanket Christmas discount.
Skellig Fuchsia Lodge also has a separate long-stay winter offer on selected dates outside the main Christmas period.
Search
Read about Events
Categories
Recent Articles
Christmas Breaks in Ireland 2026 | 7 Holiday Homes
Planning a Christmas break in Ireland for 2026? Discover seven holiday homes in Mayo, Galway
On Lough Derg with Derg Lake Tours
See Lough Derg from a different angle, by boat. Head out from Terryglass, explore the
