Bank holiday planner
Bank holidays in Ireland 2026
All 10 public holidays for 2026. 8 of them give you a ready-made long weekend, and the rest are perfect for bridging with a day or two of annual leave.
| Holiday | Date | Day off |
|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Thursday 1 January 2026 | Same day |
| St Brigid's Day | Monday 2 February 2026 | Same day |
| St Patrick's Day | Tuesday 17 March 2026 | Same day |
| Easter Monday | Monday 6 April 2026 | Same day |
| May Bank Holiday | Monday 4 May 2026 | Same day |
| June Bank Holiday | Monday 1 June 2026 | Same day |
| August Bank Holiday | Monday 3 August 2026 | Same day |
| October Bank Holiday | Monday 26 October 2026 | Same day |
| Christmas Day Long weekend | Friday 25 December 2026 | Same day |
| St Stephen's Day Long weekend | Saturday 26 December 2026 | Monday 28 Decemberfalls on a weekend |
Put every 2026 bank holiday in your calendar
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2026 at a glance
Easter Monday falls on Monday 6 April in 2026, which is the date that moves most from year to year. St Stephen's Day lands on a weekend, so the usual day off moves to Monday 28 December.
Ready-made long weekends: St Brigid's Day, Easter Monday, May Bank Holiday, June Bank Holiday, August Bank Holiday, October Bank Holiday, Christmas Day, St Stephen's Day. The ones that fall midweek are worth bridging with annual leave: New Year's Day (Thursday), St Patrick's Day (Tuesday).
A bank holiday doesn't always mean a day off, because your employer chooses how you're compensated. Read your public holiday rights. Planning around the kids? See the school holiday dates.
Leave tips for 2026
How to get the most days off for the fewest days of annual leave.
Want more days off? Annual Leave Hacks 2027: How to Get 54 Days Off with 20 Days of Leave →
New Year's Day · Thursday 1 January
- Make it longer: take Fri 2 Jan off: 4 days for 1 leave day.
- Stretch it: take Mon 29 Dec, Tue 30 Dec, Wed 31 Dec and Fri 2 Jan off (4 leave days) for 11 days off (Thu 25 Dec 2025 to Sun 4 Jan 2026).
St Brigid's Day · Monday 2 February
- Make it longer: take Fri 30 Jan or Tue 3 Feb off: 4 days for 1 leave day.
- Stretch it: take Tue 3 to Fri 6 Feb off (4 leave days) for 9 days off (Sat 31 Jan 2026 to Sun 8 Feb 2026).
St Patrick's Day · Tuesday 17 March
- Make it longer: take Mon 16 Mar off: 4 days for 1 leave day.
- Stretch it: take Mon 16 Mar, Wed 18 Mar, Thu 19 Mar and Fri 20 Mar off (4 leave days) for 9 days off (Sat 14 Mar 2026 to Sun 22 Mar 2026).
Easter Monday · Monday 6 April
- Make it longer: take Fri 3 Apr or Tue 7 Apr off: 4 days for 1 leave day.
- Stretch it: take Tue 7 to Fri 10 Apr off (4 leave days) for 9 days off (Sat 4 Apr 2026 to Sun 12 Apr 2026).
May Bank Holiday · Monday 4 May
- Make it longer: take Fri 1 May or Tue 5 May off: 4 days for 1 leave day.
- Stretch it: take Tue 5 to Fri 8 May off (4 leave days) for 9 days off (Sat 2 May 2026 to Sun 10 May 2026).
June Bank Holiday · Monday 1 June
- Make it longer: take Fri 29 May or Tue 2 Jun off: 4 days for 1 leave day.
- Stretch it: take Tue 2 to Fri 5 Jun off (4 leave days) for 9 days off (Sat 30 May 2026 to Sun 7 Jun 2026).
August Bank Holiday · Monday 3 August
- Make it longer: take Fri 31 Jul or Tue 4 Aug off: 4 days for 1 leave day.
- Stretch it: take Tue 4 to Fri 7 Aug off (4 leave days) for 9 days off (Sat 1 Aug 2026 to Sun 9 Aug 2026).
October Bank Holiday · Monday 26 October
- Make it longer: take Fri 23 Oct or Tue 27 Oct off: 4 days for 1 leave day.
- Stretch it: take Tue 27 to Fri 30 Oct off (4 leave days) for 9 days off (Sat 24 Oct 2026 to Sun 1 Nov 2026).
Christmas Day · Friday 25 December
- Make it longer: take Thu 24 Dec or Tue 29 Dec off: 5 days for 1 leave day.
- Stretch it: take Tue 29 to Thu 31 Dec off (3 leave days) for 10 days off (Fri 25 Dec 2026 to Sun 3 Jan 2027).
St Stephen's Day · Monday 28 December
- Make it longer: take Thu 24 Dec or Tue 29 Dec off: 5 days for 1 leave day.
- Stretch it: take Tue 29 to Thu 31 Dec off (3 leave days) for 10 days off (Fri 25 Dec 2026 to Sun 3 Jan 2027).
Bank holidays 2026: common questions
How many bank holidays are there in Ireland in 2026?
There are 10 public holidays in 2026. 6 of them fall on a Monday, and 7 give you a long weekend without using any annual leave.
When is the first bank holiday of 2026?
New Year's Day, on Thursday 1 January.
Do any bank holidays fall on a weekend in 2026?
Yes, one does: St Stephen's Day (Saturday 26 December, usually off on Monday 28 December). Irish law doesn't move the day off automatically. Your employer gives you a paid day off within a month, an extra day of annual leave or an extra day's pay, and most simply give the next working day off.
Is Good Friday a bank holiday in 2026?
No. Good Friday (Friday 3 April) is not a public holiday in Ireland, although banks and schools close. Easter Monday (Monday 6 April) is the bank holiday.
How can I get the most days off in 2026?
Book your leave next to the bank holidays: a bank holiday Monday plus four days off gives you nine days in a row. The annual leave planner works out the best days for any number of leave days. See also: Annual Leave Hacks 2027: How to Get 54 Days Off with 20 Days of Leave.