Midsummerontheislands.

Daylight in Dublin runs to about 17 hours around the June solstice, and the west coast sits a little further west again, so the light lingers later. On Inishmore or Inishbofin the sky can stay bright until close to eleven, which leaves the whole evening free after a day on the water.

The weather is not guaranteed. June is often dry and mild, but rain is possible in every month and the Atlantic islands catch more of it than the east. The advantage is temperature: days are cool rather than hot, which suits walking and cycling far better than high summer elsewhere.

Midsummer also brings the busiest weeks of the island year. Sailings fill, guesthouses book out and the main piers are crowded at midday. The trade-off is worth it for the light, but it rewards planning rather than improvisation.

The three Aran Islands sit across the mouth of Galway Bay. Inishmore is the largest and the one most visited, with the stone fort of Dún Aonghasa on its cliff edge and a network of small fields behind. Inishmaan and Inisheer are quieter and smaller, and reward a slower day.

Ferries leave from Rossaveal in Connemara and from Doolin in County Clare, and a summer air service links the islands to the Connemara coast. Crossings are weather dependent and can be cancelled at short notice, so check with the operator on the morning of travel.

For a base, Galway City is the obvious choice, with the Connemara coast and Rossaveal within easy reach. Clifden and the villages around it suit anyone who wants the Connemara side first, and Doolin works for the Clare crossing and the Burren.

Inishbofin lies off the Connemara coast in County Galway, reached by ferry from Cleggan. It has a small village, a harbour, walking routes along low cliffs and a stretch of sheltered beach. At midsummer the island is quiet in the evenings once the day visitors have gone.

Further north, Achill Island is joined to the mainland by a bridge, so no crossing is needed. Keem Bay at the western end is a long curve of sand under a headland, and the Atlantic Drive loops around the coast. Clare Island sits off the Mayo shore and is reached by ferry from Roonagh.

Westport is the natural base for this group, with Achill and the Mayo coast within driving distance. Clifden and Letterfrack serve the Connemara side and the Cleggan crossing to Inishbofin. Both towns have food and fuel, which the islands largely do not.

Cape Clear is the southernmost inhabited island off the Irish coast, reached by ferry from Baltimore in West Cork and from Schull. It has a hill walk, a small harbour and a scatter of standing stones and church remains. Irish is still spoken on the island, and it runs a summer college for the language.

The crossing from Baltimore is short, but the water off Roaringwater Bay can be choppy. Ferries run through the summer and are busiest around midsummer. Check with the operator, as sailings depend on the weather and the season.

West Cork is the base here. Baltimore and Skibbereen have beds and supplies, and Schull sits under Mount Gabriel on the way west. From any of them the islands of the bay, including Sherkin, are a day out rather than a journey.

The long evenings change what a day on an island can hold. A late crossing back is possible in June in a way it is not in October, and a walk after dinner needs no torch. On the smaller islands the light is the main attraction: low sun on water, and a horizon that stays visible until late.

Midsummer is also when the cliffs and islands are at their busiest with nesting birds. Puffins are on Atlantic islands and cliffs roughly from late spring to midsummer, though the exact timing varies by colony and year. BirdWatch Ireland and the RSPB can advise on where and when.

Swimming is possible but the Atlantic stays cold even in June. Sheltered beaches on the islands are the safer choice, and local advice on currents is worth taking. The coast is not patrolled, and the water off exposed headlands is not for casual swimming.

Every island crossing on this coast is weather dependent, and midsummer is when demand is highest. Book the sailing before booking accommodation, and keep a spare day in the plan. The ferry operators publish timetables and any disruption notices, and these change through the season.

The islands use the euro, as they are in the Republic of Ireland. Card payment is common but not universal, and some smaller places are cash only. There is no need to change money for Northern Ireland on this trip, though pounds apply there if the route extends north.

Traffic drives on the left and distances are in kilometres. On the islands, walking and cycling cover most of the ground, and bikes can usually be hired near the main piers. Bring rain gear whatever the forecast says, and sturdy shoes for the stone fields.

The booking search on this page opens on Connemara, around Clifden. That suits the Aran crossing from Rossaveal and the Inishbofin crossing from Cleggan, and it puts the Twelve Bens and the coast within reach. Clifden has beds, food and fuel, and the smaller villages around it are quieter.

Galway City is the alternative for the Aran Islands, with more choice of accommodation and a direct road to Rossaveal. Westport covers Achill and Clare Island. For Cape Clear, Baltimore, Skibbereen or Schull in West Cork are the practical bases.

Book early for the last week of June. The islands themselves have limited beds and fill first, so a mainland base with a day crossing is often the simpler plan. Staying two nights on an island is worth it if the beds are there, as the evenings are the best part.