Choosing outdoor lights for an Irish home comes down to three things: match the light to the job, pick the right weather rating for our climate, and get any mains wiring done by a registered electrician. Wall lights and up and down spotlights frame doors and walls, deck and ground lights make patios and steps safe at night, bollards line paths and driveways, and lanterns add character to a porch. For a country that sees this much rain and salt air, the weather rating matters more than the look, so this guide walks you through every type, the IP rating you actually need, what it costs to run, and when the law says you need an electrician.
In this guide
- What types of outdoor lights are there, and where does each go?
- Mains, solar or battery: which is right for you?
- What IP rating do outdoor lights need in Ireland?
- Do you need an electrician to fit outdoor lights in Ireland?
- How much do LED outdoor lights cost to run?
- Frequently asked questions
What types of outdoor lights are there, and where does each go?
The quickest way to plan outdoor lighting is to start with the surface you are lighting, not the look. Each type below is built for a specific job, so once you know whether you are lighting a wall, a deck, a path or a porch, the choice narrows fast.
Up and down wall lights
These cast a beam up the wall and another down it, which is the modern look you see either side of a front door or spaced along the front of a house. They are tidy, they throw a lot of light for their size, and they suit almost any exterior. For exposed walls and the coast, look for a higher weather rating and a corrosion resistant finish.
A best selling coastal friendly GU10 spotlight that throws light up and down the wall, ideal either side of a front door. Takes a standard GU10 bulb so it is easy to relamp.
Deck and ground lights
These are small round lights recessed into decking, patios and steps so they sit flush with the surface. Because nothing stands proud, there is no trip hazard, and they pick out the edges and steps that catch people out in the dark. They take the most water of any outdoor light, so they need the highest weather rating, which we cover below.
Stainless steel ground lights that sit flush in decking, patios and steps, sealed to IP67 so they shrug off standing water. Ten in a kit covers most decks.
Bollards and post lights
Bollards are waist height posts that line a path, a driveway or a border with an even, downward pool of light. They are the friendliest way to guide people from the gate to the door without lighting up the whole garden, and they suit modern and traditional homes alike.
A weather resistant post light in 450mm or 750mm to line a path, driveway or border with a clean, modern glow.
Wall lanterns
If your home leans traditional, a wall lantern gives character that a modern spotlight cannot. The thing to watch outdoors is the material, because cheap metal lanterns rust and streak within a season or two. Resin lanterns avoid that, which is why they last so well in Irish weather.
An Italian made resin lantern that is rustproof and UV stable, so it keeps its looks through Irish weather. Comes complete with the bracket, in black or white.
Two more worth knowing: solar and security lights. Solar lights need no cable, so they are the easy answer for a dark corner you cannot run power to, and many come with a PIR motion sensor for security. We come back to where solar fits in the next section.
Mains, solar or battery: which is right for you?
Every outdoor light runs on one of three power sources, and picking the right one saves you both money and disappointment. Here is the short version.
| Power source | Best for | Brightness | Fitting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mains | Permanent wall, deck and path lighting | Brightest and most reliable, every night | Needs a registered electrician |
| Solar | Dark corners with no cable, ambience, gentle security | Varies, and weaker in an Irish winter | No wiring, fit it yourself |
| Battery | Temporary or hard to reach spots | Depends on the battery, needs topping up | No wiring, fit it yourself |
Irish gardeners very often want to light a dark corner without running a cable out to it, and that is exactly where good solar lights earn their place. The honest caveat is brightness. The cheap solar lights sold on marketplaces tend to disappoint, and even a good solar light gives less output in the short, grey days of an Irish winter than a wired light does. So for real, reliable illumination on a wall or patio, mains wins. For ambience, a lit dark spot and easy security with no digging, solar is the simple answer, as long as you buy a decent one.
What IP rating do outdoor lights need in Ireland?
IP stands for Ingress Protection, and the second digit tells you how well a light keeps water out. In our climate it is the spec that matters most, because the wrong rating in the wrong place fails fast. Match the rating to how exposed the spot is.
| Rating | Protects against | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| IP44 | Splashes and rain from any direction | Sheltered spots: porches, walls under the eaves, covered doorways |
| IP65 | Heavy rain and hose jets | Fully exposed walls and open positions |
| IP67 | Short immersion in water | Deck, ground and path lights, and anywhere water can pool |
One extra step for coastal homes. Salt air corrodes ordinary metal fast, so near the sea choose marine grade stainless steel fittings, which are built to take the salty wind that would pit and rust a cheaper light.
Do you need an electrician to fit outdoor lights in Ireland?
For anything wired into your mains, yes. In Ireland the law requires a Registered Electrical Contractor working under the Safe Electric scheme to carry out domestic electrical work, and they must give you a Completion Certificate when the job is done. The current wiring rules, IS 10101:2020, also require an RCD on domestic lighting circuits, which your electrician will fit and certify as part of the work.
The exceptions are plug in, solar and battery lights, which you can put up yourself. So an up and down wall light wired back to a switch is a job for your electrician, while a solar bollard, a battery lantern or a plug in festoon string is a weekend job you can handle on your own.
How much do LED outdoor lights cost to run?
Very little, which is the quiet advantage of LED. A 10 watt LED light left on for six hours a night uses roughly 22 units of electricity a year, which is around €7 to €8 at typical Irish electricity rates. Add a dusk to dawn sensor or a timer and you cut even that, because the lights only come on when you actually need them. Older halogen floodlights, by contrast, can burn through that in a matter of weeks, so swapping to LED pays for itself.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an electrician to fit outdoor lights in Ireland?
For any light wired into the mains, yes. By law it must be done by a Registered Electrical Contractor under the Safe Electric scheme, and they give you a Completion Certificate. Plug in, solar and battery lights you can fit yourself.
What IP rating do I need for outdoor lights?
IP44 for sheltered spots like porches and walls under the eaves, IP65 for fully exposed walls, and IP67 for deck, ground and path lights where water can sit. On the coast, choose marine grade stainless steel as well.
Are solar lights bright enough for an Irish garden?
Good ones are fine for ambience, paths and gentle security, but they give less light in winter and the cheap ones disappoint. For reliable, bright illumination on a wall or patio, a mains light is the better choice.
What is the best outdoor light for a deck or patio?
Recessed deck or ground lights rated IP67. They sit flush so there is no trip hazard, and they light the edges and steps that are easy to miss in the dark. A ten pack covers most decks.
Do LED outdoor lights cost much to run?
No. A typical 10 watt LED light runs for roughly €7 to €8 a year at six hours a night, and adding a sensor or timer brings that down further.
Related reading: lighting a garden party or event, see our guide to outdoor electrical supplies for events in Ireland. And if you are upgrading your heating at the same time, our complete guide to the best electric radiators in Ireland breaks down the running costs in detail.
Light up your home and garden the right way
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