Outdoor Christmas lights for Irish homes, from an independent Irish electrical supplier. Every light in this collection is rated for outdoor use, so it can go on a fence, a hedge, a gable wall or a garden tree and stand up to an Irish December. Free delivery applies to every order from the first euro, with no minimum spend.
Are these Christmas lights safe to use outdoors in Irish weather?
Yes. Every product in this collection carries an outdoor rating, which means it is built to handle rain, wind and cold without water reaching the electrics.
Irish winters are wet rather than especially cold, so water ingress matters more than temperature. Lights sold for indoor use only have no seal around the lamp holders or the joins, and moisture will eventually reach live parts. That is why we keep the outdoor rated products in their own collection rather than mixing them with indoor string and novelty lighting. If you are unsure about a set you already own, check the box or the plug label for an IP number. No IP number means indoor only.
What do IP44 and IP55 mean on outdoor Christmas lights?
IP44 means the light is protected against splashing water from any direction. IP55 adds protection against dust and against low pressure water jets.
For Christmas lights hung on a wall, a hedge or a tree, IP44 is the normal and appropriate rating and covers rain from any angle. IP55 is what you want for anything sitting at ground level, in a flower bed, or anywhere it could take standing water or spray. The rating covers the light itself, not the plug or the extension joint, which is a separate problem covered below.
Do I need a weatherproof box for outdoor Christmas lights?
Yes, for any connection made outdoors. The lights may be rated for outdoor use but the plug and socket join between them almost never is.
This is the single most common outdoor Christmas lighting fault we see. People run a correctly rated set of lights, then join it to an extension lead and leave the connection sitting on the grass or wedged behind a plant pot. A weatherproof connection box holds the join inside a sealed enclosure so rain cannot bridge the contacts. It is an inexpensive part and it is the difference between a display that lasts the season and a tripped RCD in the middle of December.
Can outdoor Christmas lights be connected together?
Many sets can, up to a stated maximum number. The limit is printed on the product and exists because each additional set adds load to the first plug.
Connectable sets use a coupler at each end so you can run one continuous line from a single socket. The maximum is typically three or four sets. Exceeding it overloads the first lead in the chain. If you need to cover a longer run than the maximum allows, take a second supply from a different socket rather than adding more sets to the same chain.
When should outdoor Christmas lights go up in Ireland?
Most Irish households put outdoor lights up in the last week of November or the first week of December, and take them down after Little Christmas on 6 January.
There is a practical argument for fitting the brackets and running the cable earlier, in milder weather, and simply not switching on until you are ready. Working at height on a wet ladder in December is the part worth avoiding. Plan the run and the power source before you buy, so you know how many sets and what length of lead you actually need.
Where can I buy outdoor Christmas lights in Ireland?
Shamrock Electrical supplies outdoor Christmas lights across the Republic of Ireland, online with free delivery on every order, or over the counter in Rathcoole, County Dublin.
We are an independent Irish electrical business at Unit 22, Block 613, Jordanstown Road, Greenogue Business Park, Rathcoole, Co. Dublin, D24 TX98, just off the N7 and well positioned for the M50. The counter is open Monday to Friday 7am to 5pm and Saturday 9am to 1:30pm. Call 01 401 9907 or email sales@shamrockelectrical.ie if you want to talk through a run before you order. Christmas lighting is seasonal and ranges move quickly, so if you are planning a large display it is worth calling ahead.
