Latest weather and travel for the Christmas break

Irish Ferries has cancelled six sailings between Dublin and Holyhead on Friday due to "adverse weather conditions on the Irish Sea".

Ferries from Dublin to Holyhead on Friday, December 23rd at 8.45am and 10.45am have been cancelled with passengers advised to travel on the 8.05am ferry instead.

Passengers on the cancelled 2.30pm ferry from Dublin can also travel on the 8.05am or 8.55pm ferry.

Passengers due to travel from Holyhead to Dublin on Friday on the 11.50am ferry will instead be accommodated on the 2.10pm ferry.

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Those due to the travel on 4.45pm and 5.15pm ferries from Holyhead will be accommodated on the 2.40am ferry on Saturday morning, December 24th.

Irish Ferries says there is no need for passengers to contact their office to change the booking, but to turn up 30 minutes prior to the departure of the alternative ferry.

Weather

Met Éireann has issued a warning for Storm Barbara over Christmas weekend.

A status orange weather warning is currently in effect nationally and Met Éireann has issued a status yellow gale warning, with southerly winds increasing on Thursday, reaching gale force eight or strong gale force nine on all Irish coastal waters and on the Irish Sea early on Friday.

Thursday evening will be generally dry and clear as showers become isolated across the west and north of the country. It will become windy later in the night as southerly winds strengthen and rain spreads eastwards with lowest temperatures overnight of 3 to 6 degrees.

It will be a blustery, mild and wet start to Friday with a band of heavy rain extending southeastwards across the country. Brighter, cooler and more showery conditions will spread from the northwest in the late morning, as strong and gusty southerly winds veer west.

Winds on Friday will be strongest in Connacht and Ulster with a risk of “severe or damaging gusts”, according to Met Éireann. Afternoon temperatures on Friday will range from 6 to 9 degrees.

Weather conditions on Christmas Eve are due to be mild and breezy with highs of 7 to 11 degrees and rain spreading from the Atlantic during the afternoon and evening.

Similar conditions are expected on Christmas Day although it is expected to be drier and slightly brighter in the east and southeast. However, rain will become widespread and heavy during the evening and early night but it will remain mild with temperatures from 7 to 9 degrees.

St Stephen’s Day is expected to be cold but bright with scattered showers in the west and north and highest temperatures of 7 to 9 degrees. The following days look like they will be cold and mainly dry with frost at night.

Rail

Iarnród Éireann has reminded customers that services will not operate on Christmas Day and Stephen’s Day and advises that people check times online before travelling over the Christmas period.

The rail service will run an alternative timetable from December 24th to January 2nd.

Christmas Eve: Intercity services will operate a regular Saturday service with some alterations until about 9pm.

Dart and Dublin commuter services will also operate a regular Saturday service until about 9pm (8pm for Heuston routes).

Cork commuter services will operate a regular Saturday service until about 7pm.

Christmas Day and St Stephen’s Day (Monday, December 26th): There will be no trains operating on these dates:

Tuesday, December 27th: Intercity services will operate a regular weekday service with some alterations.

Dart and Dublin commuter will operate a Saturday service with some alterations.

Cork commuter will operate an hourly service between Cork and Cobh and between Cork and Midleton.

Wednesday, December 28th - Friday, December 30th: Intercity services will operate a regular weekday service with some alterations

Dart and Dublin commuter will operate a Saturday service.

Northern and Maynooth/M3 Commuter will operate a Saturday Service with some alterations.

Heuston commuter services will run a normal weekday service with some alterations.

Cork commuter trains will run a Saturday service.

New Year’s Eve: Intercity will operate a Saturday Service with some alterations until about 9pm.

Dart and Dublin commuter services will run a Saturday service until about 9pm (8pm for Heuston routes). A number of late night services will operate from Pearse and Connolly stations serving all stations from the city centre out to Howth, Greystones, Dundalk and Maynooth.

New Year’s Day: Intercity will run a Saturday service with some alterations.

Dart and Dublin commuter services will run a regular Sunday service with some alterations on Heuston commuter services.

Cork commuter trains will operate a regular Sunday service.

Bus

Christmas Eve: All Bus Éireann/Eurolines cross channel services have been cancelled. Normal Saturday services will operate with a few alterations to timetables.Christmas Day: All local, expressway, city and Bus Éireann/Eurolines cross channel services are cancelled.

Click here for more information on Bus Éireann services over the Christmas period.

Dublin Bus will operate a Saturday service on all routes on Christmas Eve until about 9pm. Nitelinks, City tours, Ghostbus tour, 1916 tour and coastal tours will not operate.

There will be no Dublin Bus service on Christmas Day.

St Stephen’s Day: A Saturday service will run on all routes. Nitelinks, City Tour, Ghostbus Tour, 1916 Tour and Coastal Tours will not operate.

Tuesday, December 27th - Wednesday, December 28th: A Saturday service will run with additional departures on all routes.

Thursday, December 29th: A Saturday service will operate with additional departures on all routes.

Friday, December 30th: A Saturday service will operate with additional departures on all routes.

New Year’s Eve: A Saturday service will operate on all routes with last departures at about 10pm. All Nitelink routes will operate as per normal weekend service. City Tour, 1916 Tour and Coastal Tours will operate. The Ghostbus Tour will not operate.

New Year’s Day: A Sunday service will operate on all routes. City Tour, 1916 Tour and Malahide Castle Tour will operate. Nitelinks, Ghostbus Tour and Glendalough Tour will not operate.

Monday, December 2nd: A Sunday service will operate on all routes. City Tour and Ghostbus Tour will operate. Coastal Tours and 1916 Tour will not operate.