Software Developer Hiring Trends in Cork, Ireland

This report was last updated on Aug 16, 2025

Bence Gedai

Founder

I analyze live hiring data and tech job trends across Europe to give CTOs and Product Leaders a strategic edge. By tracking tens of thousands of open roles each week, I uncover which skills, roles, and locations are in highest demand — potential competitors, typical time to hire, talent pool sizes, and more to help you prioritize hiring, benchmark and stay competitive in a fast-moving market.

Key learnings from this report

The software engineers job market trends in Ireland, particularly in Cork, indicate a dynamic landscape with notable fluctuations in job openings and closures over the past three months.
Currently, there are 1,113 Software Engineer roles available, with a significant demand pattern emerging for Mid-Senior level engineers, highlighting a crucial need for strategic recruitment initiatives to attract top talent.
Top hiring companies in Ireland include Bending Spoons, Canonical, and Google, underscoring the competitive nature of recruitment in the tech sector, especially in light of the ongoing battle for skilled Software Engineers.
Cork ranks second in job opportunities for software developers in Ireland, representing 11% of the market, while Dublin dominates with 88%, indicating concentrated talent hubs that hiring managers should focus on.
The median time to hire for Software Engineers in Ireland is currently 32 days, with a high percentage of candidates being secured within the first month, pointing to the need for efficient recruitment strategies to expedite the hiring process.

Number of roles opened and closed for Software Engineers in Cork in the last 3 months

In the past 12 weeks, the software engineering job market in Ireland Cork has shown considerable fluctuations, with peaks and troughs in both job openings and closures. Notably, week 21 saw a significant surge, with 65 new positions posted, contrasting sharply with only 8 openings in week 20. However, the trend reveals a concerning pattern of closures, with as many as 53 roles closed in week 24, leading to an overall reduction in available positions for software developers. Compared to hiring trends across other European tech hubs, where job openings have remained more stable, Ireland Cork's market dynamics suggest a need for strategic recruitment interventions, particularly for senior software developers, to capitalize on emerging opportunities.

Who else is hiring for software Engineers in Ireland:

Company name	Country	Industry	Founded	# Job openings
Bending Spoons	Italy	Information Technology & Services	2013	66
Canonical	United Kingdom	Information Technology & Services	2004	62
Google	United States	Information Technology & Services	1998	33
Lidl Ireland	Ireland	Retail	null	31
Citi	United States	Financial Services	1812	28
Mastercard	United States	Information Technology & Services	1966	27
Fruition Group Ireland	null	null	null	25
European Tech Recruit	United Kingdom	Staffing & Recruiting	2009	24
Amazon Web Services (AWS)	United States	null	null	22
Qualcomm	United States	Telecommunications	1985	22

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Talent pool vs job openings for Software Engineers in Ireland

How competitive it is to hire Software Engineers in Ireland

The software engineers job market trends in Ireland are reflective of a challenging landscape, particularly in cities like Cork. With an increasing number of job openings and a significantly smaller talent pool compared to other European nations, hiring managers may find it difficult to secure qualified Software Engineers. In comparison, countries such as Germany, Poland, and the Netherlands present more favorable ratios of talent availability to job vacancies, suggesting they may be easier markets for hiring top-tier developers. As the demand for Software Developer opportunities intensifies in Ireland Cork, recruitment strategies for CTOs must adapt to address this competitive environment. Ultimately, the future demand for Software Engineers in Ireland Cork may necessitate innovative approaches to attract and retain talent.

Seniority distribution of Software Engineer job openings in Cork

Seniority Distribution of Software Engineering Jobs in Cork

In the software job market in Ireland Cork, the seniority distribution indicates a significant demand for Mid-Senior level Software Engineers, accounting for approximately 68% of available positions. Entry-level roles comprise about 22%, while Associate-level positions make up roughly 10%. This distribution suggests a thriving market for skilled professionals, emphasizing the need for recruitment strategies to attract and retain top Software Developers in Cork's competitive tech sector.

Preferred employment type for Engineering roles in Ireland

In the Irish software engineering job market, the dominant employment type is Full-time positions, comprising 89% of the roles available. This is followed by Contract roles, which account for 11% of the job market, while Part-time positions represent a modest 4%. The prevalence of Full-time roles highlights the ongoing demand for skilled software developers in Ireland, particularly in cities like Cork, where hiring strategies must adapt to these market trends.

Time to Hire Distribution for Software in Ireland

How long does it take to hire Software Engineers

The analysis of the time to hire distribution for software jobs in Ireland reveals significant insights for hiring managers in the tech sector. A predominant portion of candidates, specifically 1,113 candidates, are hired within 30 days, showcasing a quick turnaround for Software Engineer roles in this region. Notably, the hiring slows considerably after this, with only 512 candidates requiring up to 35 days and 332 within 40 days. This trend indicates that while immediate hiring opportunities are prevalent, recruitment strategies tailored for roles needing a longer selection process should consider resource allocation to attract specialized talent within the Software job market in Ireland Cork. Overall, understanding these hiring trends can greatly assist CTOs and Engineering Managers in streamlining their recruitment processes.

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Most popular cities in Ireland to hire Software Engineers

Top 5 cities in Ireland to hire Software Engineers

In the software engineers job market in Ireland Cork, a significant concentration of job openings is found in Dublin, which accounts for 88% of the total job opportunities. Cork itself represents 11% of the market, making it the second-largest city for software positions in the region, while Galway contributes just 6% to the overall job landscape. This data, illustrated in the accompanying chart, underscores the dominance of Dublin in comparison to other cities in Ireland.

Most sought after technologies in Cork for Software

Key technologies for Software Engineers

The software job market in Ireland, particularly in Cork, is increasingly characterized by the prominence of several key technologies. Java emerges as a leading language, with a frequency of 10,261, indicating strong demand for Java developers. Following closely, Python shows significant traction as well, with occurrences tallying at 10,261. Additionally, JavaScript remains crucial with 8,026 mentions, while PHP and C# are relevant with 5,625 and 5,114 occurrences, respectively. Lastly, frameworks like React, Node.js, and technologies such as .NET and TypeScript are also prevalent, as showcased in the accompanying chart.

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